Yaoundé is the capital city of Cameroon, situated on a hilly, forested plateau between the Nyong and Sanaga rivers in the south-central part of the country. It is an administrative, service, and commercial centre and a communications hub for road, rail, and air transport.
View of Yaounde City Center.
Historical Context
The outpost of Epsumb or Jeundo was founded between the Nyong and Sanaga rivers at the northern edge of the area's forests in 1887 by German explorers as a trading base for rubber and ivory. The outpost of Epsumb or Jeundo was founded between the Nyong and Sanaga rivers at the northern edge of the area's forests in 1887, 1888, or February 1889 by the German explorers Lt. Richard Kund and Hans Tappenbeck by the agreement of the chiefs of Ela Esono. A military garrison was built in 1895 which enabled further colonization.
Founded in 1888 during the period of the German protectorate, Yaoundé was occupied by Belgian troops in 1915 and was declared the capital of French Cameroun in 1922. From December 1889 to May 1895, it was occupied by the German botanist Georg August Zenker as an agricultural research station named Jaunde after the local Yaunde or Ewondo people. His settlement served as a base for the area's rubber and ivory trade, purchasing these from the natives in exchange for imported clothing and iron. It was also known in English as Yaunde Station.
From 1940 to 1946 it was replaced as the capital by Douala, but after independence it became the seat of the government of Cameroun in 1960, of the federal government in 1961, and of the united republic in 1972. During World War I, Jaunde was occupied by Belgian troops from the Congo.
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Growth and Development
Douala long remained the more important settlement, but Yaoundé saw rapid growth after 1957 due to the cocoa crisis and unrest along the coast. Douala remained the more important settlement, but Yaoundé saw rapid growth and continued as the seat of government for the Republic of Cameroon upon its independence in 1960.
The city has grown as an administrative, service, and commercial centre and a communications hub for road, rail, and air transport. Today, fast-growing Yaounde has an estimated population between 3 and 4 million people (in 2019). Spoken language is predominantly French; lingua franca in the capital is Ewondo.
The map shows a city map of Yaoundé with expressways, main roads, and streets, and the location of Yaoundé Ville Airport (IATA code: YAO), zoom out to find Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport (IATA code: NSI) situated south of the city.
Economy and Industry
Most of Yaoundé's economy is centred on the administrative structure of the civil service and the diplomatic services. Most of Yaoundé's economy is still centred on the administrative structure but major industries in Yaoundé include tobacco, dairy products, beer, clay, glass goods and timber. Local residents engage in urban agriculture.
Cost of living in Yaounde Cameroon 🇨🇲 2025. What will get you in the Mfoundi food market Yaounde
Climate
Yaoundé features a tropical wet and dry climate (Aw), and it is thermally equatorial rather than tropical, with a narrow range of monthly temperatures throughout the year. However, primarily due to the altitude, temperatures are not quite as hot as one would expect for a city located near the equator. Yaoundé has a lengthy wet season, covering a ten-month span between March and November.
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However, there is a noticeable decrease in precipitation within the wet season, seen during the month of July, almost giving the city the appearance of having two separate rainy seasons; this is because the city is only slightly north of the equator.
Average monthly temperatures in Yaoundé:
| Month | Average High (°C) | Average Low (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 29 | 17 |
| February | 30 | 18 |
| March | 30 | 19 |
| April | 29 | 19 |
| May | 28 | 19 |
| June | 27 | 18 |
| July | 26 | 18 |
| August | 26 | 18 |
| September | 27 | 18 |
| October | 27 | 18 |
| November | 28 | 18 |
| December | 29 | 17 |
Infrastructure and Transportation
Many bus companies operate from the city; particularly in the Nsam and Mvan districts. Frequent buses run on the road between Yaoundé and Douala, which has witnessed several fatal accidents. Travel time by road between Douala and Yaounde is approximately 3 hours. Traffic in the city can be heavy during weekdays, but is very light during the weekends.
Education and Culture
Yaoundé is the site of several universities: the University of Yaoundé II (on a campus outside of town), the Protestant University of Central Africa (UPAC) and the Catholic University of Central Africa (UCAC). The University of Yaoundé was founded in 1962; the city also has schools of education, agriculture, health, engineering, journalism, administration, and international relations. There are three American schools in Cameroon, the American School of Yaounde (ASOY) and Rain Forest International School (RFIS), and the American School of Douala (ASD).
The national football team plays some of its home matches in the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium and the football clubs Canon Yaoundé, Impôts FC and Tonnerre Yaoundé are all based in the city.
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Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Yaounde.
Additional Information
The city centre houses government offices, some hotels, and the central market. The Bastos district, with most homes owned by Cameroonians, is home to foreign embassies and the expatriate European, American and other continental communities (drawn mainly from the diplomatic corps). There is a small zoo in the Mvog-Betsi neighbourhood.
Natural features in the vicinity include Nachtigal Falls and a chain of grottoes known as Akok-Bekoe (Grottoes of the Pygmies). The earliest inhabitants of Cameroon were likely the Bakas (pygmies). They still inhabit the forests of the south and east regions. Bantu speakers originating in the Cameroonian highlands were among the first groups to move out before other invaders.
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