Portal:Cameroon

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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 camps. Its nearly 27 million people speak 250 native languages, in addition to the national tongues of English and French, or both.

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. The Union des Populations du Cameroun (UPC) political party advocated independence, but was outlawed by France in the 1950s, leading to the national liberation insurgency fought between French and UPC militant forces until early 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, the official languages of former French Cameroons and British Cameroons. 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. (Full article...)

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The Cameroonian economic crisis was a downturn in the economy of Cameroon from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s. The crisis resulted in rising prices in Cameroon, trade deficits, and loss of government revenue. The government of Cameroon acknowledged the crisis in 1987. Outside observers and critics blamed poor government stewardship of the economy. The government instead placed the blame on the fall of the prices of export commodities, particularly a steep drop in the price of petroleum. President Paul Biya announced that "all our export commodities fell at the same time."

Cameroon's trade partners, particularly France, Germany, and the United States, offered to help the country, but Cameroon balked at their condition that the country follow strict cost cutting suggestions laid out by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Instead, Cameroon formulated its own plan. Civil servants lost access to subsidised electricity, housing, and telephones; parts of the government's vehicle fleet were sold; older civil servants were forced into retirement; the official working schedule was changed; economic missions in foreign embassies from Cameroon were closed; and state and parastatal enterprises were privatised. The 1987–1988 budget reduced government spending by 18%, the first time in the country's history that the budget decreased.

The measures met with international approval, but violent crime rose as a result. Cameroon's plan also failed to rein in corruption. By October 1988, the intended effect was less than had been hoped, and Cameroon agreed to an IMF aid package worth $150 million and accepted a structural adjustment program (SAP) loan from the World Bank. The African Development Bank, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom loaned the government further funds. Cameroon has since focused on paying off its international debt and further restricting public salaries and pay rises to civil servants. (Full article...)

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... that Rudolf Duala Manga Bell (pictured) was organising a colony-wide revolt against the German Empire in Cameroon when he was executed for high treason in 1914?

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

Image 1Unity Palace – Cameroon Presidency (from Cameroon)
Image 2School children in Cameroon (from Cameroon)
Image 3Douala seaport (from Cameroon)
Image 4Chimpanzee at Mefou primate sanctuary (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 5Paul Biya has ruled the country since 1982. (from Cameroon)
Image 6Gorilla at Mefou primate sanctuary (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 7Life expectancy in Cameroon (from Cameroon)
Image 8National Museum, Yaounde (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 9Dutch bulls and cows at Wallya community during the rainy season in Cameroon (from Cameroon)
Image 10Kribi Beach (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 11Cameroon is divided into 10 regions. (from Cameroon)
Image 12Elephants in Waza National Park (from Cameroon)
Image 13Cameroonian women on Women's Day Celebration (from Cameroon)
Image 14A 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 15Cameroon faces Germany at Zentralstadion in Leipzig, 17 November 2004 (from Cameroon)
Image 16Volcanic plugs dot the landscape near Rhumsiki, Far North Region. (from Cameroon)
Image 17Plantains and "Bobolo" (made from cassava) served with Ndolè (meat and shrimp) (from Cameroon)
Image 18Our Lady of Victories Cathedral, catholic church in Yaoundé (from Cameroon)
Image 19Hippopotamus at the Benoue National Park (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 20Dancers greet visitors to the East Region. (from Cameroon)
Image 21The homes of the Musgum, in the Far North Region, are made of earth and grass. (from Cameroon)
Image 22A woman weaves a basket near Lake Ossa, Littoral Region. Cameroonians practise such handicrafts throughout the country. (from Cameroon)
Image 23A statue of a chief in Bana, West Region (from Cameroon)
Image 24Cameroonian 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)
Image 25Giraffes in Waza National Park (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 26Cameroonian 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 27Map of the region's indigenous languages (from Cameroon)
Image 28Leaders of the pro-independence UPC (from Cameroon)
Image 29Limbe Beach with people engaging in various activities (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 30President Paul Biya with U.S. President Barack Obama in 2014 (from Cameroon)
Image 31Former president Ahmadou Ahidjo ruled from 1960 until 1982. (from Cameroon)
Image 32Bamum script is a writing system developed by King Njoya in the late 19th century. (from Cameroon)
Image 33Military vehicles during a parade (from Cameroon)
Image 34Reunification Monument, Yaounde (from Tourism in Cameroon)