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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Camrail is a company operating passenger and freight traffic between the two largest cities in Cameroon and several smaller cities. The company was formed in 1999 and granted a 20-year concession to operate the Cameroon National Railway. The company is a subsidiary of French investment group Bolloré and the railway has been operated by Comazar, a subsidiary of Bolloré, since 1999. According to the Comazar website, the government of Cameroon owns the track while the rolling stock is owned by Camrail.

According to a report by the World Bank in 2011, Camrail ranked relatively high amongst African countries for productivity indicators and was considered a regional leader in terms of implementing a concession to a non-state operator. The 2016 Eséka train derailment took place on Camrail tracks and the company was under investigation by the government and was sued by relatives of the 79 passengers who died in the crash. (Full article...)

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...that in the Sso rite of the Beti of Cameroon, one initiate was designated the ritual butt of the other candidates' jokes?

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

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