Middle Africa · Africa

Cameroon

Discover Cameroon - called Africa in miniature for its incredible diversity, home to Mount Cameroon, Indomitable Lions, and over 250 ethnic groups.

Where Is Cameroon?

Cameroon is a country in Middle Africa. Its capital is Yaoundé.

Where Cameroon isMiddle Africa · Capital Yaoundé

Capital Yaoundé
Population 29.9M
Area 475,442 km²

Cameroon is called Africa in miniature, and for once the tourism slogan is not an exaggeration. Within its borders you will find Sahelian desert in the north, tropical rainforest in the south, volcanic highlands in the west, and mangrove swamps along the coast. It has gorillas and elephants, beaches and mountains, French-speaking and English-speaking regions, Muslim and Christian communities. If you could only visit one country to understand the diversity of the African continent, Cameroon would be a strong candidate.

Mount Cameroon, at 4,095 meters, is the highest peak in West Africa and one of the most active volcanoes on the continent - it last erupted in 2012. The country is also a football powerhouse. The Indomitable Lions, led by the legendary Roger Milla, danced their way to the 1990 World Cup quarterfinals and became the first African team to reach that stage. Cameroon has since produced a conveyor belt of global football talent, from Samuel Eto'o to Thomas N'Kono. The country's cultural life is equally rich, with makossa music, Bamileke art, and some of the most elaborate traditional kingdoms still functioning in Africa today.

At a glance

Language

French, English

Currency

Central African CFA Franc (XAF)

Calling Code

+237

Drives On

Right

Internet

.cm

Timezone

WAT (UTC+1)

Script

Latin

Government

Unitary Presidential Republic

Independence

1960 (French), 1961 (British)

By population

Largest cities in Cameroon

Douala

Economic capital and largest city, a humid port town that is the commercial engine of Central Africa

3,800,000

Yaounde

Political capital perched on seven hills, quieter than Douala with a growing arts scene and university culture

4,100,000

Bamenda

Highland city in the English-speaking northwest, center of the Anglophone region with cool mountain climate

500,000

Garoua

Largest city in the north on the Benue River, a dry, dusty trading hub with a distinct Sahelian character

440,000

Bafoussam

Capital of the West Region in the Bamileke highlands, surrounded by the rich traditional chieftaincies of the Grassfields

500,000

People

Famous people from Cameroon

Samuel Eto'o
Sport
Four-time African Footballer of the Year and three-time Champions League winner, one of the greatest African footballers ever
Roger Milla
Sport
Legendary striker whose goal celebrations at the 1990 World Cup made him a global icon and the oldest World Cup scorer at 42
Manu Dibango
Music
Saxophonist and vibraphonist whose Soul Makossa became the first African disco hit to chart in the United States
Francis Bebey
Music
Multi-instrumentalist, writer, and pioneer who blended African rhythms with European classical music traditions
Mongo Beti
Literature
One of Africa's most important novelists whose works fiercely critiqued colonialism and post-colonial corruption

Food

Traditional cuisine of Cameroon

Ndole: Cameroon's national dish - bitterleaf stew with ground peanuts, shrimp, and meat, complex and deeply satisfying
Achu Soup: Yellow cocoyam soup from the Anglophone regions, made with palm oil and served with pounded cocoyam
Poulet DG: Director General's chicken - fried chicken with plantains in a rich tomato sauce, a Cameroonian party staple
Eru: Thick vegetable stew made from shredded eru leaves and waterleaf, cooked with crayfish, palm oil, and cow skin
Koki: Steamed black-eyed pea pudding wrapped in banana leaves, seasoned with palm oil and spinach
Brochettes: Grilled beef or goat skewers rubbed with spices, sold at roadside stalls with fiery pepper sauce

Nature

Nature and landmarks in Cameroon

Mount CameroonMountain: Highest peak in West Africa at 4,095 meters and one of Africa's most active volcanoes, with an annual race to the summit
Waza National ParkNational Park: Premier wildlife park in the Sahelian north, famous for its elephant herds, giraffes, and lions in dry savanna
Dja Faunal ReserveForest: UNESCO-listed pristine tropical rainforest nearly encircled by the Dja River, home to western lowland gorillas and forest elephants
Lake NyosLake: Volcanic crater lake infamous for the 1986 limnic eruption that released a cloud of CO2 killing over 1,700 people
Korup National ParkForest: One of Africa's oldest and richest rainforests with over 1,700 plant species, many found nowhere else on Earth

Sport

Sports in Cameroon

Football: Five-time African champions, first African team to reach a World Cup quarterfinal (1990), and Olympic gold medalists (2000)
Athletics: Françoise Mbango Etone won back-to-back Olympic gold medals in triple jump (2004 and 2008)
Boxing: Hassan N'Dam became WBO middleweight champion, part of a growing boxing tradition in the country

Facts

Did you know?

Cameroon is one of the few African countries with both French and English as official languages, a legacy of colonial partition
Mount Cameroon last erupted in 2012 and hosts an annual race to the summit - 4,095 meters up and back in one day
Lake Nyos suffered one of the deadliest natural disasters in history when a limnic eruption released lethal CO2 gas in 1986
The country's name comes from Rio dos Camaroes (River of Prawns), named by Portuguese explorers in the 15th century
Roger Milla's corner flag dance at the 1990 World Cup is one of the most iconic goal celebrations in football history
Cameroon has over 250 ethnic groups and nearly as many languages, making it one of the most diverse countries in Africa
The Bamileke people of western Cameroon are known for their elaborately carved stools and beaded elephant masks