Cameroon post on geography. Cameroon country description. Useful information for tourists
The economy of Cameroon is developing successfully due to oil reserves and favorable conditions for agriculture. But at the same time, almost half of the country's population lives below the poverty line.
The territory of the country is located north of the equator.
Cameroon shares borders with Nigeria, Chad, the Central African Republic, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea.
Official name - Republic of Cameroon.
State symbols
Flag- is a rectangular panel with an aspect ratio of 2:3 with a combination of Pan-African colors (green, yellow, red), arranged vertically, as on the flag of France, the former metropolis.
The green color symbolizes the forests in southern Cameroon; red represents the unity of the north and south of the country, its state sovereignty; yellow symbolizes the sun and the savannas in the northern part of the country. The golden star represents the unity of the state. The flag was approved on May 20, 1975.
Coat of arms- consists of a shield with inscriptions (in English and French) above and below it. The inscription below is the name of the country and the date of independence (in French). The top inscription is the national motto in French: "Peace, Labor, Fatherland". Behind the shield are two crossed fasciae (an attribute of power). The shield has the same color as the flag of Cameroon, in the center is a schematic map of the country. The scales of justice are superimposed over the map of the country.
State structure
Form of government- presidential republic.
head of state President, he is also the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. The President is elected by popular vote for a term of 7 years (no more than two terms).
Incumbent since 1982 Paul Biya
Head of the government- Prime Minister.
Capital- Yaounde.
Largest cities- Yaoundé, Duala.
official languages- French and English.
Territory- 475,442 km².
Administrative division– 10 regions. The regions form the territories of 58 departments. The departments are divided into 327 communes.
Population– 20 549 221 people Average life expectancy is 53 years (men), 55 years (women). There are about 250 ethnic groups in the country. The largest are: Fang (21%), Bamileke (19%), Duala (11%), Fulbe (10%). The urban population is about 60%.
Religion- 40% Aboriginal cults, 40% Christians, 20% Muslims.
Currency- CFA franc.
Economy – Agriculture(70% of employees): grow avocados, peanuts, plantains, sweet potatoes, legumes, potatoes, coconut and oil palms, corn (major food crop), sesame, cassava (cassava), vegetables, millet, rice, sugarcane, sorghum , taro and yams, coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber (Cameroon is one of the main producers of rubber in Africa), cereals, root crops; cattle breeding; logging. Industry(13% of employees): oil extraction and refining, aluminum production, food processing, consumer goods, textiles, timber, minor ship repair. The mining industry is actively developing. Export: crude oil and petroleum products, timber, cocoa beans, aluminium, coffee, cotton. Import Keywords: manufactured goods, vehicles, fuel, food. Transport: the transport system is underdeveloped. The main mode of transport is railway. Unbranched road network. Sea and river ports: Garoua, Douala Bonaberi (main port), Kribi and Limbe Tiko. About 50 airports and runways.
Education- Compulsory 6-year education. Schools of three levels: primary, secondary general education (complete and incomplete) and vocational. There are 7 universities in the system of universities.
Sport Basketball, boxing, volleyball, football are popular. Cameroon has competed in 13 Summer Olympics, making its debut at the Tokyo Games in 1964, and has not missed a single Summer Olympics since. Cameroon took part in one Winter Olympics in 2002 in Salt Lake City, where the country was represented by the only athlete - skier Isaac Menioli.
During their performance at the Olympic Games, Cameroonian athletes won 5 Olympic medals: 3 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze.
Armed forces- Army, Navy, Air Force and paramilitary formations.
Nature
Most of the territory of Cameroon is occupied by highlands up to 1000 m high. The rest is the coastal lowland, the basin of Lake Chad and the volcanic massif of Cameroon, where the active volcano of the same name is located - the highest point of the country (4100 m).
Volcano Cameroon
Minerals: aluminum, bauxite, granite, iron, cobalt, marble, nickel, oil, natural gas, rutile and uranium.
The country has 11 climatic zones: from the humid equatorial climate in the south to the arid subequatorial climate in the north.
About 40% of the territory is covered with forests: humid tropical in the south, mangroves on the coast and deciduous evergreen (acacia, bamboo, palms and ferns predominate) in the center. In the north - savannas and steppe.
Rich fauna: antelopes, hippos, buffaloes, cheetahs, hyenas, gorillas (the largest herd in Africa), giraffes, zebras, snakes and lizards (170 species each), crocodiles, leopards, lions, rhinos, 942 species of birds, elephants, turtles (12 types). There are a lot of insects, tsetse fly is common in 2/3 of the territory.
In coastal waters and rivers, there are 530 species of fish, lobsters live.
There are 12 national parks and reserves in the country.
Waza National Park
The total area of the park is 1700 km². It is located in the transition zone between the savannah and the sahel (tropical savannah).
The park is home to rare species of large mammals: Gazella rufifrons and Damaliscus lunatus korrigum, about 1300 savannah elephants, as well as giraffes, aardvark and African warthog.
Aardvark- a mammal, the only modern representative of the aardvark order. The aardvark is an excellent burrower and is considered one of the best "diggers" in the world. Ants and termites are their main food.
There are 379 species of birds on the territory of the park and adjacent plains, some of which were observed only once. Rare species include the marbled teal, the white-eyed pochard, the greater spotted eagle, the steppe kestrel, etc. In addition, the park is home to the three-fingered lark, the African ostrich, the white-faced whistling duck, and the crowned crane.
marble teal
White-eyed pochard
White-faced whistling duck
Bubanjida National Park
It was created to save the black rhinoceros and the western eland (African antelope).
western eland
The area is approximately 2,200 km². Paleontologists have found dinosaur fossils in the park. The park consists predominantly of open forest and savannah.
horse antelope
Other species of antelopes that live in the park are the kongoni, horse antelope, kob, waterbuck, oribi and various duikers. The park is home to black rhinoceros, giraffes and cheetahs, a small population of lions, hyenas, and African buffaloes.
Hasselquist's fan-toed gecko(named after the Swedish naturalist Fredrik Hasselqvist)
Here you can find a smooth tortoise kinix, Hasselquist's fan-toed gecko, mabuyu Perrotet or royal python.
Tourism
The conditions for the development of tourism are favorable: the landscape diversity of climatic zones, many kilometers of sandy beaches of the ocean coast, the exotic world of plants and animals, the richness of ethnic traditions. Tourism has been developing since the 1960s. The best season to travel is from November to February.
Attractions: Cameroon Museum of Art, Benedictine Monastery (Yaoundé), Bamun Traditional Art Museum in Fumban, Kribi seaside resort, national parks.
culture
Village in Cameroon
The dwellings of different peoples of Cameroon differ in architectural forms. Modern houses are built with modern building materials.
The ancient art of Cameroon is represented by rock paintings, the remains of settlements, as well as clay and bronze sculpture and utensils of the Sao culture.
All the peoples of Cameroon have developed traditional woodcarving - a variety of masks, figurines and more. Crafts and arts and crafts: pottery, embroidery, beadwork, bronze.
The formation of national literature began in the 1950s. The works of many writers (Bebey F., Matip B., Oyono F.-L.) and poets (Senga-Kyuo F., Eno-Belingi S.M., Epanya Yondo E.) have been translated into Russian. The novels "Poor Christ from Bimba", "Cruel City", "Healed King" by contemporary writer Mongo Beti (Alexander Biyidi) are known far beyond the borders of the country.
Gerevol- competition, dance of youth in front of the older generation
Music is an important element of culture for all the peoples inhabiting the country. Musical instruments are diverse: ngombi harps, balafons, lutes, numerous drums and xylophones, rattles, flutes and zithers.
A national festival is held annually in Maroua.
The development of professional theater and national cinema began in the middle of the 20th century.
The style of clothing is influenced by Western style. Of the traditional clothes, one can name kabba (mostly worn by women within their home). These are loose fitting clothes that are easy and comfortable to move in. Cotton is used to make clothes, often with embroidery.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Cameroon
There are two in total: Sanga Forest of the Three Nations(we talked about it in the article Republic of the Congo) and the Dja Faunistic Reserve.
Ja Faunal Reserve
The Jah faunal reserve is a large tract of African equatorial forest, almost untouched by human activity. A huge number of biological species live and grow in it: more than 1,500 species of plants, 107 species of mammals (5 of which are on the verge of extinction) and more than 320 species of birds. The area of the reserve is 5260 km².
Other sights of Cameroon
Cameroon Museum of Art (Yaoundé)
It presents a collection of African art: weapons, masks, jewelry and ritual attributes of various tribes. There are also objects of Western art in the museum. Museum exhibits belong to several eras.
Ritual masks attract attention. Africans use them to communicate with gods, spirits, the underworld. Terrifying masks scare away evil forces and help you enter a trance to gain secret knowledge and abilities. Masks are the most popular souvenirs among tourists.
Unusual figurines with special plasticity. Often they depict totem animals that are the patrons of tribes and nationalities. In Africa, there is an ancient tradition of sculpting a statuette of a deceased person, which, according to legend, becomes the receptacle of his soul.
The museum is located in the building of the Benedictine monastery.
Church of Paruisse de N "Jong Melen (Yaoundé)
Kribi
Kribi is the best seaside resort in the country, has many kilometers of white sandy beaches in the Ebunja and Longji areas and excellent infrastructure. The water center, among other things, especially attracts fishermen.
Story
The most ancient population of Cameroon were pygmies. Then the Western Congolese tribes and Bantu peoples settle in the south. In I millennium BC. e. On the territory of Cameroon lived the Sao people, who were at the stage of the Bronze Age, knew agriculture and pottery. In the XIV century. the Kanembu tribes came, and in the 15th century. - Masa tribes.
At the beginning of the XVII century. in the north of present-day Cameroon, the early feudal state of Mandara was formed. In 1715, the ruler of Mandara allowed Muslim preachers into his country, and Mandara became a sultanate.
European colonization
In 1472, the Portuguese captains Fernand do Po and Ruy de Siqueira landed on the coast of Cameroon, who gave Cameroon its modern name, which they were prompted by the abundance of shrimp in the coastal waters (Rio dos Camarões in Portuguese means "shrimp river"). A few years later, the Portuguese founded a trading post at the mouth of the Vouri River, which was engaged in the purchase of slaves from local residents.
At the end of the XVI century. The Portuguese were driven out by the Dutch, and at the beginning of the 18th century. on the coast of Cameroon, the British, French and Germans began to settle, who built trading posts and Christian missions there.
German Cameroon
In July 1884, three German firms entered into an agreement with the "kings", according to which they acquired supreme power over the Dualla region. On July 14, 1884, the region was solemnly declared annexed to the German Empire.
In 1887 the English settlement (Baptist mission station Victoria) was taken over by the Basel Missionary Society, and thus unlimited German influence was secured.
Since 1888, the Germans began to develop the interior regions of Cameroon. They created plantations of cocoa, coffee, rubber plants there. They built railways and seaports.
At the beginning of the XX century. Njoya, Sultan of Bamum, created an original script for his people. He was supported by the German colonial authorities.
Sultan Ibrahim Njoya(died 1933) - ruler of the African Bamum Sultanate (now western Cameroon), intellectual and inventor. Ruled from 1889 until his death. Ibrahim Njoya is known as the inventor of the original Bamum script, which went through several stages during his lifetime: from ideographic writing to syllabic writing.
French Cameroon and British Cameroon
During the First World War, by February 1916, the territory of Cameroon was occupied by Great Britain and France.
The League of Nations in July 1922 declared Cameroon a mandated territory of the League of Nations and granted mandates for its administration to France (most of it was East Cameroon) and Great Britain (Western Cameroon).
The legislation of French Equatorial Africa was extended to Eastern Cameroon. The territory was divided by the French into 9 districts, which were ruled by French commandants and councils of local leaders under them. In the north of Cameroon, the French retained the former local sultanates.
Western Cameroon became part of the British Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria and was divided into two parts: Northern Cameroon (was included in the province of Northern Nigeria) and Southern Cameroon (was included in the province of Southern Nigeria).
Independence
Cameroon gained independence on January 1, 1960. The first president was Ahmadu Ahidjo, leader of the Cameroon Union (CU), the main political force in eastern Cameroon.
Ahmadu Babatura Ahidjo (from the Fulbe people)
Cameroon was granted independence a few months earlier than Nigeria. Residents of British units could choose to be included in the territory of which country: dependent Nigeria or independent Cameroon. Residents of the Prichadsky region decided to remain under the jurisdiction of Nigeria, and residents of the western territories decided to change their citizenship in favor of a new independent state.
This caused conflict between Anglophones and Francophones.
On May 20, 1972, Cameroon, as a result of a referendum, was transformed from a federal republic into a unitary one.
Ahidjo resigned in 1982, transferring his powers to Paul Biya.
Cameroon in the 21st century
Kindergarten in Cameroon
France provides 1/3 of foreign aid to the country. It is both the main trading partner and the largest investor in Cameroon.
In August 2004, clashes broke out between Muslims and Christians against the backdrop of Islamic calls for violence against "infidels".
Future of Cameroon
1) a volcanic massif in the West. Africa, high 4070 m; state to Cameroon. A number of volcanic peaks of this massif have separate local names. The name Cameroon refers to the entire massif and to the active volcano. in its southwest parts; formed from... Geographic Encyclopedia
I (Cameroun), a volcanic massif in Africa, on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea 4070 m. The main peak is the active volcano Cameroon (last eruption in 1959). The slopes of Cameroon receive the largest amount of precipitation in Africa (about 10,000 mm in ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
Republic of Cameroon (eng. Republic of Cameroon, French. Republique du Cameroun), a state in the Center. Africa. 475.4 thousand km². population 13.1 million (1993); Fang, Bamileke, Douala, Fulbe, etc. Urban population 41% (1990). Official… … Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
- (Republic of Cameroon), a state in Central Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean. The area is 475.4 thousand km2. The population is over 13 million people, Fang, Bamileke, Fulbe, Duala, etc. The official languages are French and English. About 45% of the population ... ... Modern Encyclopedia
CAMEROON- (English Cameroon, French Cameroon), Republic of Cameroon (English Republic of Cameroon, French La Republique du Cameroun), state in the Center. Africa. Pl. 475 tons km2. Us. 9.2 million hours (1983). Capital of Yaoundé (400 vol., 1979). Until 1 and World War 1914 18 K ... Demographic Encyclopedic Dictionary
CAMEROON, a volcanic massif in Africa (Cameroon), off the coast of the Gulf of Guinea. Altitude 4070 m (Cameroon volcano). The slopes of Cameroon receive the largest amount of precipitation in Africa (about 10,000 mm per year) ... Modern Encyclopedia
Cameroon- (Cameroon), state in the West. Africa, supposedly home to the Bantu tribes. OK. In 1810 the king of the state wa Bamum surrounded the capital Fomban with a wall to protect it from the encroachments of the Fulban empire of Sokoto. Other neighboring states also formed their own small states ... The World History
- (Cameroon), the Republic of Cameroon, a state in Central Africa. The ancient culture of Cameroon has been little studied. In the north of Cameroon, geometric and stylized figures of animals carved on the surface of rocks were discovered. Along with traditional... Art Encyclopedia
Exist., number of synonyms: 2 volcano (118) country (281) ASIS synonym dictionary. V.N. Trishin. 2013 ... Synonym dictionary
CAMEROON- Area 475 thousand square kilometers, population 10.5 million people (1986). The basis of the economy is agriculture, which specializes in the production of export crops of cocoa, natural rubber, cotton, and tobacco. The main food crops pr… World sheep breeding
The Republic of Cameroon is a country in West Africa. The western coast is washed by the Gulf of Biafra (the eastern part of the Gulf of Guinea). It borders Nigeria to the northwest, Chad to the northeast, and the Central African Republic to the east. Collier Encyclopedia
Books
- Language Policy in Francophone African Countries Central African Republic Cameroon and Senegal Monograph , Bagana Zh., Stryabkova Yu.. The monograph is devoted to the issues of language policy and the language situation in the Central African Republic, Cameroon and Senegal. For the first time in the field of view of modern linguistics, it is introduced into ...
- Language policy in francophone African countries. Central African Republic, Cameroon and Senegal, J. Bagana, Yu. I. Stryabkov. The monograph is devoted to the issues of language policy and the language situation in the Central African Republic, Cameroon and Senegal. For the first time in the field of view of modern linguistics, it is introduced into ...
Capital- Yaounde.
Difference in time: behind Moscow for 1 hour.
ethnic groups
The majority of the population belongs to three language families: Bantu (about 2.2 million people; 1969 estimate) in the south and east; Eastern Bantu (about 1.7 million people) in the center and west. , Hausa (0.9 million people) - in the north. Bantu peoples include: duala, balundu, bass and batanga - in coastal areas; fang (including bula, eton, yaounde, bene, beti, etc.) - around the city of Yaounde; poppy, nzem and kaka - on V.; Bantu languages are also spoken by the Pygmies Babinga, Baka, Bakola, and others (about 10,000 people in total). The Eastern Bantoid group includes the Bamileke, Bamum, Videkum, Tikar, Tiv peoples. The Hausa peoples are the Bata, Mandara, Masa, Kotoko, and others. The peoples of Central Sudan (about 35,000 people) live in the north and in the central regions—the Chamba, Mbum, Gbaya, and Bute; in the north - fulbe (about 0.5 million people).
Language
The official languages are French and English.
National currency: CFA franc (100 CFA francs are approximately equal to 1 French franc). The US dollar has practically free circulation along with the franc.
Religion
Slightly more than 40% of the population adheres to the old traditional beliefs and cults, about 40% are Christians (primarily in the central part and south of the country), and about 20% are Muslims (mainly in the north of the country).
Geographical position
The Republic of Cameroon is a country in West Africa. The western coast is washed by the Gulf of Biafra (the eastern part of the Gulf of Guinea). It borders in the northwest with Nigeria, in the northeast with Chad, in the east with the Central African Republic and in the south with the People's Republic of the Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
Relief and minerals
The territory of Cameroon is located in the equatorial and northern subequatorial zones. The total length of the coastline is 320 km. The shores are flat, leveled, in some places strongly swamped estuaries are expressed.
Most of the country (especially in the center and south) is a plateau 500–900 m high, confined to the ledge of the African Platform - the Yade shield, which is composed of granites, gneisses, crystalline schists, quartzites and other hard rocks. This territory is drained by the rivers Sanaga, Nyong and Ntem, flowing into the Bay of Biafra (the eastern part of the Gulf of Guinea), Dja and Sanga - into the basin of the Congo River.
In the west, the plateau abruptly breaks off to the coastal lowland, and in the northwest it adjoins the lowland developed in the Douala perioceanic basin, which is filled with Cretaceous and Cenozoic deposits. Oil and gas fields have been discovered here on the shelf. Further to the west, a fault zone is expressed, which limits the massive highlands of Cameroon with active manifestations of volcanism. The largest volcano Cameroon (4070 m) is located near the coast. The most extensive central part of the highlands is the Bamileke plateau with altitudes up to 2500–2700 m (the highest point is Mount Onu, 3011 m).
The eastern extension of the Cameroon highlands, the crystalline Adamawa Highlands (with altitudes up to 2000–2400 m), serves as a natural barrier separating the predominantly agricultural south from the livestock-breeding north of the country. The northern edge of this upland abruptly breaks off to the deep Benue Basin, corresponding to the graben of the same name. The Benue River, the left tributary of the Niger, flows here.
To the north of this valley rise the Mandara Mountains with average heights of 1000–1100 m. In the far north, Cameroon includes a small part of the Chad depression and the plain near the lake of the same name, as well as the lower reaches of the Shari River. On the ancient plateaus of Cameroon, powerful lateritic weathering crusts with bauxite deposits are developed (total reserves up to 4 billion tons, the largest deposit is Minim-Martap in the central part of the country). There are also rich deposits of iron ores.
Climate
The climate in the south of Cameroon is equatorial, hot and humid, in the north it is subequatorial. The average monthly temperatures in the south are 22–28° C, in the north 19–22° C. The average annual precipitation in the north does not exceed 500 mm, in the interior 1500–2000 mm, on the coast 3000–4000 mm, on the windward slopes of the Cameroon volcano - over 10,000 mm (a record for Africa). The maximum precipitation in the interior occurs in the summer months (from May to September).
Inland waters
The river network is dense and abundant. The rivers flow into the Gulf of Biafra. Sanaga, Nyong, Ntem, and others, whose basins cover the southwestern and central parts of China. Sanga (basin of the Congo River). On the northern slopes of the Adamava highlands, the r. Benue, the main tributary of the Niger. Extreme S. and S.-V. the countries belong to the basin of Lake Chad (the Logone and Shari rivers), which belongs to K. with its southern tip. The rivers are full of rapids, rich in hydropower, and for the most part unsuitable for navigation (with the exception of the Benue and estuarine sections of coastal rivers).
Soils and flora
About 1/3 of the territory (15-16 million hectares) is occupied by forests. In the southern part - moist evergreen equatorial forests on red-yellow ferralite soils; on the coast - mangroves. In the humid equatorial forests, there are many tree species that provide valuable wood: red (akazhu, sapelli, sipo), iron (azob), ebony, dussier, obech, ilomba, etc. In the central parts of the country, park deciduous-evergreen forests and tall-grass savannahs of Guinea are common. -Sudanese type on red ferrallitic soils; in the north, savannahs of the Sudanese type and deserted savannahs on red-brown and black tropical soils. In the most elevated areas - mountain evergreen forests and secondary savannahs on mountain humus-ferralitic soils; on the Cameroon massif above the belt of mountain forests - mountain-meadow vegetation.
Animal world
The animal world combines elements of the forest fauna of the West African subregion and the fauna of the savannas of the East African subregion of the Ethiopian zoogeographic region. The forests are particularly rich in tree-dwelling animals, monkeys in particular; there are elephants, hippos, crocodiles, many birds, snakes, a wide variety of insects. In the savannas - hoofed animals (buffaloes, rhinos, antelopes, giraffes) and predators (lions, cheetahs, leopards), there are large birds (ostriches, pelicans, marabou, crowned crane, bustards). The Benue, Bubanjida, and Vaza national parks and the reserves of Bafia, Ja, Douala Edea, Campo, and Faro have been created to protect the animal world of China.
Economy
The government of Cameroon has made great efforts for the economic integration of the western and eastern parts of the country. However, the economy of Eastern Cameroon, where the industrial sector is mainly concentrated, continues to provide most of the government revenues and jobs. Oil production in the area of the Rio del Rey Bay off the coast of Western Cameroon, which began in the 1970s, significantly increased its importance for the country's economy. In 1985, oil production here reached 9.2 million tons, but in subsequent years it was continuously declining and in 1998 was less than 4.7 million tons. Explored oil reserves are estimated at only 35 million tons. An international consortium led by an American oil company Exxon plans to build a 1,000 km oil pipeline that will connect the Doba oil basin in southern Chad with the Cameroonian port of Kribi. Cameroon's revenues from transporting oil through this pipeline may reach $350 million. This will make it possible to partially compensate for losses by reducing foreign exchange earnings from oil exports. On the shelf near the border with Nigeria and near Kribi, natural gas deposits have been discovered, the reserves of which are estimated at 110 billion cubic meters. m.
In 1997, the share of the extractive industry accounted for 20% of GDP, manufacturing - 10%. In general, Cameroon remains an agrarian country. Agriculture employs approximately 70% of the active population, it provides 40% of export earnings and 41% of GDP, which in 1997 amounted to 9.2 billion dollars. Food production grew at a faster rate than the population. From 1994 to 1996, the food production index increased from 83 to 114. Cameroon is fully self-sufficient in food.
Attractions
The nature of the country is very diverse and provides the traveler with the opportunity to visit several natural zones at once - from humid equatorial forests on the Atlantic coast to typical African savannahs and semi-deserts in the north of the country. The living world of Cameroon is also extremely diverse and is protected in the national parks De Corup, Waza (northeast of the city of Marwa), Bubanjida (on the border with Chad), Benue, Ja, Campo, Kousseri and others. Yaounde is one of the quietest and most peaceful capitals of the African continent, almost the entire city is located along the main street - Kennedy Avenue and on the hills surrounding it. North of Kennedy Square is the large artisan and shopping district of Center Artisinel, famous for its products from local artisans and artists. Stretching for a few kilometers to the north-west from the center of the "real African quarters" Massa, Mokolo and Briketeri - the best place to taste real Cameroonian cuisine and observe the life of the locals. A few kilometers north of the centrally located Benedictine Monastery is the Cameroon Museum of Art. Despite its small size, it has an excellent collection of Cameroonian and Western art, including ritual paraphernalia and masks, weapons and jewelry of local tribes. Daula is the largest and oldest city in the country, with numerous colonial-style buildings, the picturesque Aqua Palace Hotel, the Daula Museum and the huge Artisinel Cameroones open market, the best place to buy local souvenirs. Fumban is one of the best recreation centers in the country and an important center for traditional national art. The Bamun jewels and ornaments exhibited at the Royal Palace, the Bamun Museum of Art and Tradition and the Rue des Artisans, a street of craftsmen and craftsmen, attract large numbers of tourists. Buea, the former capital of the German protectorate of Western Cameroon, is currently the best starting point to the picturesque Mount Cameroon (4070 m.) - one of the country's main natural attractions. From the site at the Mountain Hotel, a picturesque panorama of the city itself opens up, reminiscent of classic English estates and adjacent mountain spurs covered with evergreen tropical forests and emerald green alpine meadows. Kribi - the best seaside resort in the country, has many kilometers of white sandy beaches in the areas of Ebunja and Longji, numerous restaurants, bars, discos and a well-equipped water center, especially attractive to fishermen. The Bafoussam-Bamenda region has deposits of volcanic salts with a unique composition containing almost all known trace elements, and in the future, it may become one of the best balneological resorts in Africa. One of the most grandiose national holidays is interesting - the Cameroon National Festival in Maroua, usually held on May 20th. It attracts the best representatives of makossa, bubkutsi and other ethnic styles from all over the country. The attention of numerous guests is also attracted by the annual races in Kumba, usually held in November right along the streets of the city.
The content of the article
CAMEROON, state in tropical Africa. Capital- Yaounde (1.12 million people - 2002). Territory- 475.44 thousand square meters km. Administrative-territorial division- 10 provinces. Population– 16.06 million people (2004). official languages- French and English. Religion- Christianity, Islam and traditional African beliefs. Currency unit- CFA franc. National holiday- May 20 - Republic Day (1972). Cameroon has been a member of the UN since 1960, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) since 1963, and since 2002 its successor African Union (AU), the Economic Community of Central African States (KEEAC) since 1983, the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Commonwealth (unification of the countries that were part of the British Empire).
A continental state, in the west it is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean (Gulf of Biafra). It borders in the northwest with Nigeria, in the north and northeast - with Chad, in the east - with the Central African Republic, in the south - with Gabon, Congo and Equatorial Guinea. Coastline - 320 km.
Nature.
2/3 of the territory is highlands up to 1000 m high. The rest is occupied by the coastal lowland, the basin of the island of Chad and the volcanic massif of Cameroon, where the active volcano of the same name is located - the highest point of the country (4100 m). Minerals - aluminum, bauxite, granite, iron, cobalt, marble, nickel, oil, natural gas, rutile and uranium.
11 climatic zones: from humid equatorial climate in the south to arid subequatorial climate in the north. The average monthly air temperature in the southern regions is +22–28°, in the northern - +26–33° (Celsius). The greatest amount of precipitation - up to 9600 mm per year - falls in the Debunja region (the slopes of the Cameroon volcano), which occupies the 2nd place in the world in terms of humidity. Dense river network: Wuri, Dzha, Jereme, Ntem, Nyong, Sanaga (the largest), Shari, etc. There are many rapids and waterfalls on the rivers, Benue and Logon are navigable. On the territory of Cameroon is the southern part of the island of Chad.
OK. 40% of the territory is covered with forests: humid tropical in the south, mangroves on the coast and deciduous-evergreen (acacia, bamboo, palms and ferns predominate) in the center. In the north - savannas and steppe. Rich fauna - antelopes, hippos, buffaloes, cheetahs, hyenas, gorillas (the largest herd in Africa), giraffes, zebras, snakes and lizards (170 species each), crocodiles, leopards, lions, rhinos, 942 species of birds, elephants, turtles (12 types). There are a lot of insects, tsetse fly is common in 2/3 of the territory. In coastal waters and rivers, there are 530 species of fish, lobsters live.
Population.
The average population density is 33.1 people. per 1 sq. km. (2002). The average annual population growth is 1.97%. Birth rate - 35.08 per 1000 people, mortality - 15.34 per 1000 people. Child mortality - 69.18 per 1000 newborns. 42% of the population are children under the age of 14. Residents over 65 make up 3.2%. Life expectancy - 47.95 years (men - 47.1 women - 48.83). (All figures are current as of 2004). The purchasing power of the population is 1.8 thousand US dollars (2003).
A multi-ethnic country, numerous peoples speak 260 languages, dialects and dialects (50 of them have a written language). The ethnic composition of the African population: upland Bantu or Bamileke (Bamileke, Bamun, meta, yanbasa, etc.), equatorial Bantu or Beti-fang (Beti, Bulu, Ewondo, etc.), Kirdi (Masi, Musgu, etc.), Fulbe , coastal Bantu (bassa, duala, etc.), Negro Bantu (vute, namshi, etc.), as well as kanuri, kotoko, pygmies and hausa. The non-African population (Europeans, Shoa Arabs, etc.) is less than 1%.
The urban population (48%), in addition to the capital, is concentrated in Douala (1.24 million people - 2002), Bafusam, Garua, Marua, Fumban and others. Cameroon is one of the largest exporters of migrants in Tropical Africa. In 2001, there were 21 thousand Cameroonians in the EU countries (mainly in France).
Religions.
58% of the population are Christians (the majority are Catholics), 35% are Muslims, 7% are adherents of traditional African beliefs (animalism, fetishism, the cult of ancestors and the forces of nature, etc.) - 2001. Christianity began to spread from the middle. 19th century, Islam - from 1715.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Republic. The current constitution was adopted in 1972, amended in December 1995. The head of state and supreme commander of the armed forces is the president, elected by direct and secret universal suffrage for a 7-year term. Can be elected to this post no more than twice (as amended in 1995). Parliament is a unicameral National Assembly (180 seats), whose deputies are elected by universal direct and secret suffrage for 5 years.
The national flag is a rectangular panel divided into three vertical stripes of the same size of green, red (in the middle) and yellow. Against the background of the red stripe (in the center) there is a five-pointed yellow star.
administrative device.
The country is divided into 10 provinces, consisting of 49 departments.
Judicial system.
It includes a supreme court, a court of appeal, a high court of justice, and a military tribunal.
Defense.
The armed forces number 22.1 thousand people: the army (11.5 thousand people), the Navy (1.3 thousand people), the Air Force (300 people) and paramilitary formations (8 thousand people) - 2001. Defense spending - $189.2 million (1.4% of GDP) - 2003.
Foreign policy.
The basis is the policy of non-alignment. Maintains close relations with France. In 1994-1997, military clashes with Nigeria took place over disputes over ownership of the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula. Diplomatic relations with the USSR were established on February 20, 1964. In December 1991, the Russian Federation was recognized as its legal successor. The government delegation of Cameroon visited Moscow in 1996. In December 2000, a delegation of the State Duma of the Russian Federation visited Cameroon.
Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon in the Russian Federation - Moscow, st. Povarskaya, 40. Tel. (095) 290-65-49, 290-00-63, fax (095) 290-61-16. The Ambassador is Mr. Ngongang Wanji Andre.
ECONOMY
One of the most developed countries in Tropical Africa (51% of the total production in the region - 2001). Cameroon is the largest producer of cocoa beans in Africa (along with Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana). In the second half of the 1990s, an offshore zone (oil production) was created in Kribi.
Agriculture.
The share in GDP is 46%, 72% of the economically active population is employed (2001). 3 million hectares of land are cultivated (out of 7.5 million hectares suitable for agriculture). Avocados, peanuts, plantains, sweet potatoes, legumes, potatoes, coconut and oil palms, corn (the main food crop), sesame, cassava (cassava), vegetables, millet, rice, sugar cane, sorghum, taro and yams are grown. The area under export crops (cocoa beans, Hevea rubber palm, coffee, pepper, tobacco, cotton and tea) is approx. 35%. Cameroon is one of the main rubber producers in Africa. Animal husbandry (breeding of cattle, goats, sheep and pigs) is poorly developed due to tsetse flies, poultry farming - breeding of chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, etc. Fishing (annual catch of flounder, sea bass, sardinella, etc. - 85 thousand tons ) is hampered by limited water areas. The problem of delimiting the continental shelf in the Gulf of Guinea remains unresolved. In 2001, the International Court of Justice in The Hague considered several cases on the demarcation of maritime boundaries between Cameroon, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe and Equatorial Guinea. Forestry is developed: Cameroon, along with Gabon, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, has been the main supplier of tropical timber of valuable species for more than 400 years (azobe (ironwood), African lofira, bibelo, bilinga, doussie (ebony), iroko, ngolon and sapele (mahogany)) to Europe.Deforestation (in terms of the rate of their disappearance, Cameroon is in 5th place in the world) has led to desertification in the northern regions.
Industry.
Share in GDP - 21% (2001). The mining industry is developing intensively - the extraction of oil (since 1977) and natural gas, the industrial extraction of aluminum, bauxite, granite, limestone, marble and rutile. There are large aluminum plants in Martap and Edea, an oil refinery (Cap-Limbo), a Land Rover car assembly plant (Duala). The manufacturing industry is developed: woodworking (Cameroon processes 40% of harvested wood), leather, food (production of beer and fruit drinks, flour products, vegetable oils and sugar), construction industry and production of building materials, tobacco, textile, chemical and pharmaceutical.
International trade.
In 2003, imports ($1.96 billion) slightly exceeded exports ($1.87 billion). The main imports are machinery, electrical and transport equipment, food and fuel. Main import partners: France (28%), Nigeria (12.7%), USA (7.9%), Belgium (5.7%), Germany (4.8%) and Italy (4.3%) – 2002. The main exports are aluminium, cocoa beans, coffee, crude oil and petroleum products, palm oil, timber and timber, and cotton. Main export partners: Italy (17.4%), Spain (16.8%), France (13.4%), USA (8.7%), Netherlands (8.6%), China (5.4%) %), UK (4.7%) and Germany (4.1%) - 2002.
Energy.
97.3% of electricity is generated by hydroelectric power plants (2001). Large HPPs - Song-Lulu, Edea, built on the Sanaga River, and Lagado on the Benue River.
Transport.
The transport system is underdeveloped. The total length of railways (the main mode of transport) is 1.01 thousand km (2003). An unbranched network of roads, their length is 34.3 thousand km (4.29 thousand km with a hard surface) - 1999. Since 1997, the cost of repairing and maintaining road surfaces has been financed by the European Union. The construction of the Chad-Cameroon oil pipeline (1.12 thousand km) has begun. Sea and river ports - Garoua, Douala-Bonaberi (main port), Kribi and Limbe-Tiko. In 2003 there were 47 airports and runways (11 of them paved). International airports are located in the cities of Garoua, Douala and Yaounde (Nsimalan Airport, opened in 1992).
Finance and credit.
The monetary unit is the CFA franc (African franc), consisting of 100 centimes. In December 2003, the exchange rate of the national currency was: 1 US dollar = 581.2 CFA francs.
Tourism.
Excellent conditions for the development of the tourism industry are the landscape diversity of climatic zones, many kilometers of sandy beaches of the ocean coast, the exotic world of plants and animals, as well as the richness of ethnic traditions. Tourism has been developing since the 1960s. The best season to travel is from November to February. Attractions: Cameroon Museum of Art, Benedictine Monastery (Yaoundé), Museum of Traditional Bamun Art in Fumban, Kribi Seaside Resort, Waza, Benue, Buba Njida, De Korup, Ja and Campo National Parks.
Visa regime, visa-free transit is not allowed. Travelers must present an international medical certificate of vaccination against yellow fever, vaccination against malaria is recommended. There are no restrictions on the import and export of foreign and national currency, a declaration is required. Credit cards and travelers checks are in circulation. In hotels and restaurants it is customary to tip (often included in the bill). The export of products made from elephant tusks and skins of rare animals is prohibited. The movement of tourists is not limited, but it is not recommended to visit some areas of the Northern Province (between the national parks of Waza and Kousseri) - an area of frequent clashes on interethnic grounds. When planning trips, you should take into account holidays - January 1, February 11, May 1, 20 and 21, December 25.
political organizations.
A multi-party system (more than a hundred parties) has developed. Most influential parties: Democratic Rally of the Cameroonian People» , DOCS(Rassemblement démocratigue du peuple camerounais, RDPC), nat. chairman - Biya Paul (Paul Biya), gene. sec. - Dumba Joseph-Charles (Joseph-Charles Doumba). ruling party, founded in 1966; " Social Democratic Front» , SDF(Social Democratic Front, SDF), chairman. - John Fru Ndi, gen. sec. - Tazoacha Asonganyi. The party was founded in 1990; " Democratic Union of Cameroon» , DSC(Union Démocratigue du Cameroun, UDC), leader - Njoya Adamu Ndam (Adamou Ndam Njoya). The party was founded in 1991; " Movement for the Republic» , DZR(Mouvement pour la défence de la Républigue, MDR), the leader is Dakole Daissala. The party was founded in 1991; " National Union for Democracy and Progress, NSDP", (Union nationale pour la démocratie et le progrèss, UNDP), chairman. - Bello Buba Maigari (Maigari Bello Bouba). The party was founded in 1991; " Union of Peoples of Cameroon» , SNK(Union des populations du Cameroun, UPC), leader - Ndeh Ntumazah. The party was founded in 1948.
trade union associations.
Confederation of Cameroon Trade Unions, CCTU. Created in 1985 on the basis of the "National Union of Workers of Cameroon" (founded in 1972). Chairman - Emmanuel Bakod, General Secretary - Louis Sombes.
SOCIETY AND CULTURE
Education.
There are three levels of schools - primary, secondary general education (complete and incomplete) and vocational. The university system includes seven universities. In 2002, the State University (Yaoundé, founded in 1962) had 875 teachers and 20,340 students, and the University of Yaoundé II (founded in 1993) had 265 teachers and 12,000 students. Classes are conducted in French and English, students from other African countries are also trained. In 2003, 79% of the population were literate (84.7% of men and 73.4% of women).
Healthcare.
Most tropical diseases and intestinal infections are common. 41% of the population has access to clean drinking water. In 2001, there were 920 thousand AIDS patients and HIV-infected people (11.83% of the population), 53 thousand people died. Annual spending on health care averages 6% of GDP.
Press, radio broadcasting, television, Internet.
Published in French and English: Government Gazette Journal officiel de la Républigue du Cameroon (Official Gazette of the Republic of Cameroon), Government daily newspaper Cameroon Tribune (Cameroon Tribune) ”), in English - private newspapers “Cameroon Outlook” (Cameroon Outlook - “Cameroon Perspective”) and “Cameroon Times” (Cameroon Times - “Time of Cameroon”), in French - private “Gazette” (La Gazette - “Newspaper” ) and the weekly "Cameroon magazine" (Cameroon magazine - "Cameroon Journal"), etc. The government news agency Camnews (CamNews) has been operating since 1978. Broadcasting is carried out in English, French and Arabic, as well as in 15 local languages - bassa, bamilek, duala, fulfulde, hausa, shoah, etc. Television has been operating since 1986 (2/3 of the broadcasts are in French). 60 thousand Internet users (2002).
Architecture, fine arts and crafts.
The dwellings of different peoples of Cameroon differ in architectural forms. They are most peculiar at the bamileke (walls woven from twigs are placed at right angles, and the rounded roof is supported by wooden pillars decorated with carved figures of people and animals) and musgu (adobe huts resembling bee hives). In modern cities, houses are built of brick and reinforced concrete structures. Ancient art is represented by rock paintings, the remains of settlements, as well as clay and bronze sculpture and utensils of the so-called. Sao culture. All peoples have developed traditional woodcarving - a variety of masks, figurines, etc. Crafts and arts and crafts: pottery, embroidery, beadwork, bronze.
Literature.
Folklore works in local languages appeared in the 1930s. The formation of national literature began in the 1950s. The works of many writers (Bebey F., Matip B., Oyono F.-L.) and poets (Senga-Kyuo F., Eno-Belingi S.M., Epanya Yondo E.) have been translated into Russian. The novels "Poor Christ from Bimba", "The Cruel City", "The Healed King" by the modern writer Mongo Beti (real name Alexander Biyidi) are known far beyond the borders of the country.
Music.
It has ancient traditions, is an important element of culture among all the peoples inhabiting the country. A variety of musical instruments: ngombi harps, balafons, lutes (molore, sans), numerous drums (mbe, endum) and xylophones (minzan, etc.), rattles, flutes (sanri, algaita) and zithers. A national festival is held annually in Maroua.
Theater and cinema.
The theater has deep folklore traditions (ritual dances, processions of masks, etc.). The first amateur theater circles were organized at missionary schools. The development of a professional theater began with the creation of the Young Cameroonian Artists Association under the leadership of S. Avondo (Yaounde, 1955). An all-African theater festival was held in the capital three times (the last in 1992). The development of national cinema began with the appearance of documentaries There-there in Paris(1963, directed by T. Sita-Bella) and Bambilike big house(1966, dir. J.P. Ngassa). Feature films are shot on Wednesdays. 1970s Directed by: J.P. Dikong-Pipa, D. Kamwa, J. Nama and others.
STORY
Ancient history.
According to archaeological excavations in the 5th century BC. Sao civilization arose between the Logon and Shari rivers. It is also mentioned in the notes of Arab travelers of the 10th century. AD From the 16th century the city-principalities of Afade, Gulfei, Kuseri, Makari, and others appear. 18 - beg. 19th centuries the territory of modern Cameroon was invaded by the cattle-breeding tribes of the Fulbe, who created approx. 20 principalities (lamidates). The early state formation Bamun (or Bamum) waged wars with them, which stopped the penetration of the Fulani into the southern regions of the country.
colonial period.
The first Europeans to land on the shores of the Gulf of Biafra were Portuguese sailors under the command of Captain Rui de Siqueira (1472). In 1884, an agreement was imposed on the rulers of the Duala people on the transition of the coast under the protectorate of Germany. Anglo-French troops occupied Cameroon during the First World War. According to the Versailles Peace Treaty of 1919, Eastern Cameroon (most of the country) passed to France, and Western Cameroon, as mandated territories, to Great Britain and administratively became part of the Nigerian colony. The anti-colonial actions of the African population covered both parts of the country in the 1920s and 1930s. The first political organizations - the "Cameroonian Union" (CU) and the "Union of the Peoples of Cameroon" (SNK), which led the armed struggle against the colonial authorities, arose in the 1940s-1950s.
Period of independent development.
Under pressure from the international community, France granted independence to the eastern part of the country, and on January 1, 1960, the Republic of Cameroon was proclaimed. After the creation of the independent state of Nigeria (October 1960), a plebiscite was held in both parts of Cameroon by decision of the UN, as a result of which the southern regions of the country, which were under the control of Great Britain, were reunited with the Republic of Cameroon. On October 1, 1961, the Federal Republic of Cameroon (FRK) was formed. Amadou Ahidjo, Chairman of the Constitutional Court, was elected President of the country. His government proclaimed a policy of "planned liberalism". As a result of the merger of the CU with several parties (June 1966), the Cameroon National Union (CNU) was created. The gradual concentration of power in the hands of the central government led to the abolition of the federation - on May 20, 1972, the United Republic of Cameroon was proclaimed. The authoritarian regime of A. Ahidjo was established in the country. The failure of economic policy, as a result of which the country was struck by a deep crisis and stagnation, as well as the intensification of the opposition, forced him to resign in 1982. He was succeeded by Paul Biya. In March 1985, the CNC was reorganized into DOKN - "Democratic Association of the Cameroonian People." January 25, 1984 the country received the name "Republic of Cameroon". On December 19, 1990, under pressure from the opposition, a law on a multi-party system was adopted. In the elections of October 11, 1992, P. Biya won (39.9% of the vote), SDF leader John Fru Ndi won 35.9%. The opposition appealed the election results to the Supreme Court, but was denied. Protest demonstrations organized by the opposition in the north of the country led to the arrest of J.Fru Ndi and his supporters and the introduction of a state of emergency there for a three-month period. Of the seven candidates in the presidential elections on October 12, 1997, P. Biya was re-elected, receiving 92.6% of the vote. In the parliamentary elections of 30 June 2002, the DRCS won 149 (out of 180 seats), the SDF 22, and the DSK 5.
Cameroon in the 21st century
Cameroon is among the 17 largest debtor countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. 1/3 of foreign aid is provided by France. It is Cameroon's main trading partner and largest investor (20% of investments). Some of the most favorable conditions among African countries have been created for the activities of foreign companies. GDP growth in 2003 was 3.6%.
In May 2004, a rally of 10,000 organized by the Coalition of Opposition Forces took place in the capital. In the city of Garua in August 2004, clashes broke out between Muslims and Christians against the backdrop of calls by adherents of Islam to violence against "infidels". In the presidential elections held on October 11, 2004, out of 16 candidates, P. Biya won (75% of the vote). J. Frou Ndi won 17% of the vote. 80% of voters took part in the elections.
Lyubov Prokopenko
