Portal:Cameroon

The Cameroon Portal

Flag of Cameroon Coat of arms of Cameroon

Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Its coastline lies on the Bight of Biafra, part of the Gulf of Guinea, and the Atlantic Ocean. Due to its strategic position at the crossroads between West Africa and Central Africa, it has been categorized as being in both geostrategic locations. Cameroon's population of nearly 31 million people speak 250 native languages, in addition to the national tongues of English and French. The capital city of the country is Yaoundé.

Cameroon became a German colony in 1884 known as Kamerun. After World War I, it was divided between France and the United Kingdom as League of Nations mandates until independence in 1960 and 1961 respectively. The Union of the Peoples of Cameroon (UPC) political party advocated independence but was outlawed by France in the 1950s, leading to a national liberation insurgency between French Armed Forces and the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon (UPC) until January 1971. In 1960, the French-administered part of Cameroon became independent, as the Republic of Cameroun, under President Ahmadou Ahidjo. The southern part of British Cameroons federated with it in 1961 to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. The federation was abandoned in 1972. The country was renamed the United Republic of Cameroon in 1972 and back to the Republic of Cameroon in 1984 by a presidential decree by President Paul Biya. Biya, the incumbent president, has led the country since 1982 following Ahidjo's resignation; he previously held office as prime minister from 1975 onward. Cameroon is governed as a unitary presidential republic.

The official languages of Cameroon are French and English. Christianity is the majority religion in Cameroon, with significant minorities practising Islam and traditional faiths. It has experienced tensions from the English-speaking territories, where politicians have advocated for greater decentralisation and even complete separation or independence (as in the Southern Cameroons National Council). In 2017, tensions over the creation of an Ambazonian state in the English-speaking territories escalated into open warfare. Large numbers of Cameroonians live as subsistence farmers. The country is often referred to as "Africa in miniature" for its geological, linguistic, and cultural diversity. Its natural features include beaches, deserts, mountains, rainforests, and savannas. Cameroon's highest point, at almost 4,100 metres (13,500 ft), is Mount Cameroon in the Southwest Region. (Full article...)

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Since independence, corruption in Cameroon has remained prevalent. The pervasiveness of corruption has affected all sectors of the government and civil society including the executive, judiciary, police, and the private sector. The main causes being a deep lack of political will to fight corruption and neopatrimonialism. Other causes include personal interests and absence of duty conscience, a weakened judiciary with minimal or non-existent opposition in the legislative branch, nepotism and favouritism, and ineffective accountability systems.

Corruption in Cameroon has been called "Cameroon's worst-kept secret" by Thomson Reuters, and Cameroon has had "persistent problems with corruption" according to BBC News. The police are seen by Cameroonians as the most corrupt institution in the government.

The government of Cameroon has taken some steps addressing the problem of corruption in the country: in order to increase transparency in its oil sector, Cameroon joined the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in late 2013. (Full article...)

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Did you know (auto-generated)

... that Cameroonian-born Joel Embiid opted to play for the 2024 U.S. Olympic basketball team instead of France in part because his son is American?
... that the naturalised German Mandenga Diek was denied funds to return to his native Cameroon because he wanted to bring his German wife?
... that the parents of Mathias Nkwenti, the second Cameroonian ever to play in the NFL, initially opposed his football career?

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...that Ewale a Mbedi may have been the first Duala leader to trade with Europeans in Cameroon?

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The following are images from various Cameroon-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Former president Ahmadou Ahidjo ruled from 1960 until 1982. (from Cameroon)
Image 2Hippopotamus at the Benoue National Park (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 3Cameroon facing Germany at Zentralstadion in Leipzig, 17 November 2004 (from Cameroon)
Image 4Dutch bulls and cows at Wallya community during the rainy season in Cameroon (from Cameroon)
Image 5Elephants in Waza National Park (from Cameroon)
Image 6A Cameroonian man wearing a boubou with a hat (from Culture of Cameroon)
Image 7Cameroonian women on Women's Day Celebration, 2015 (from Cameroon)
Image 8Bamum script is a writing system developed by King Njoya in the late 19th century. (from Cameroon)
Image 9School children in Cameroon in 2014 (from Cameroon)
Image 10A musician plays traditional African music during the closing ceremony of French RECAMP-concept (reinforcement of African peacekeeping capacities) in Douala, November 23, 2006 (from Culture of Cameroon)
Image 11Cameroon is divided into 10 regions. (from Cameroon)
Image 12Douala seaport (from Cameroon)
Image 13Kribi Beach (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 14Gorilla at Mefou primate sanctuary (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 15National Museum, Yaounde (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 16Paul Biya has ruled the country since 1982. (from Cameroon)
Image 17The homes of the Musgum, in the Far North Region, made of earth and grass (from Cameroon)
Image 18Limbe Beach with people engaging in various activities (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 19Flag of the Federal Republic of Cameroon (from Cameroon)
Image 20Leaders of the pro-independence UPC (from Cameroon)
Image 21Chimpanzee at Mefou primate sanctuary (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 22Life expectancy in Cameroon (from Cameroon)
Image 23Cameroonian fashion is varied and often mixes modern and traditional elements. Note the wearing of sun glasses, monk shoes, sandals, and a Smartwatch. (from Cameroon)
Image 24a traditional attire from the northwest region (from Culture of Cameroon)
Image 25Dancers greet visitors to the East Region, 2006. (from Cameroon)
Image 26A woman weaves a basket near Lake Ossa, Littoral Region. Cameroonians practise such handicrafts throughout the country. (from Cameroon)
Image 27a groom and a bride in Sawa attire (from Culture of Cameroon)
Image 28Giraffes in Waza National Park (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 29Map of the region's indigenous languages (from Cameroon)
Image 30A statue of a chief in Bana, West Region (from Cameroon)
Image 31Unity Palace – Cameroon Presidency (from Cameroon)
Image 32a Woman wearing a wedding dress from the center/south region (from Culture of Cameroon)
Image 33Reunification Monument, Yaounde (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 34Volcanic plugs dot the landscape near Rhumsiki, Far North Region. (from Cameroon)
Image 35a Woman wearing Ndop fabric from the West region (from Culture of Cameroon)
Image 36President Paul Biya with U.S. President Barack Obama in 2014 (from Cameroon)
Image 37Military vehicles during a parade (from Cameroon)
Image 38Plantains and "Bobolo" (made from cassava) served with Ndolè (meat and shrimp) (from Cameroon)
Image 39Our Lady of Victories Cathedral, a Catholic Church in Yaoundé (from Cameroon)
Image 40A Cameroonian Woman wearing a Bazin Fabric (Bazin is popular in most Sahel countries) (from Culture of Cameroon)
Image 41Cameroonian fashion is varied and often mixes modern and traditional elements. Note the wearing of sun glasses, Monk shoes, sandals, and a Smartwatch. (from Culture of Cameroon)