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. Cameroon's population of nearly 31 million people speak 250 native languages, in addition to the national tongues of English and French, or both. Early inhabitants of the territory included the Sao civilisation around Lake Chad and the Baka hunter-gatherers in the southeastern rainforest. Portuguese explorers reached the coast in the 15th century and named the area Rio dos Camarões (Shrimp River), which became Cameroon in English. Fulani soldiers founded the Adamawa Emirate in the north in the 19th century, and various ethnic groups of the west and northwest established powerful chiefdoms and fondoms.

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. 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.

Cameroon's most populous cities are Douala on the Wouri River, its economic capital and main seaport; Yaoundé, its political capital; and Garoua. Limbé in the southwest has a natural seaport. Cameroon is well known for its native music styles, particularly Makossa, Njang, and Bikutsi, and its successful national football team. It is a member state of the African Union, the United Nations, the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), the Commonwealth of Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. (Full article...)

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The Ministry of Justice of Cameroon is the Department responsible for administering the Cameroon justice system. As of May 2004, the Minister of State for Justice was Amadou Ali. The legal system in the Cameroon is complex with a constitution developed in 1972 and revised in 1996 as well as elements of the Code Napoleon, Common Law and customary law. In early 2005, the Ministry of Justice became responsible for administering the prison system due to unrest in the prisons. The Ministry of Justice also has a shared responsibility for administering human rights in the Cameroon. There have been serious allegations about use of torture by police and military officials in the Cameroon. (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 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 1Life expectancy in Cameroon (from Cameroon)
Image 2Map of the region's indigenous languages (from Cameroon)
Image 3Cameroonian 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 4Gorilla at Mefou primate sanctuary (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 5Volcanic plugs dot the landscape near Rhumsiki, Far North Region. (from Cameroon)
Image 6A statue of a chief in Bana, West Region (from Cameroon)
Image 7Flag of the Federal Republic of Cameroon (from Cameroon)
Image 8Chimpanzee at Mefou primate sanctuary (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 9The homes of the Musgum, in the Far North Region, are made of earth and grass. (from Cameroon)
Image 10Limbe Beach with people engaging in various activities (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 11Douala seaport (from Cameroon)
Image 12Our Lady of Victories Cathedral, a Catholic Church in Yaoundé (from Cameroon)
Image 13A woman weaves a basket near Lake Ossa, Littoral Region. Cameroonians practise such handicrafts throughout the country. (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 15Reunification Monument, Yaounde (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 16Military vehicles during a parade (from Cameroon)
Image 17Plantains and "Bobolo" (made from cassava) served with Ndolè (meat and shrimp) (from Cameroon)
Image 18Dancers greet visitors to the East Region. (from Cameroon)
Image 19School children in Cameroon (from Cameroon)
Image 20A 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 21Kribi Beach (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 22Cameroon is divided into 10 regions. (from Cameroon)
Image 23Hippopotamus at the Benoue National Park (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 24President Paul Biya with U.S. President Barack Obama in 2014 (from Cameroon)
Image 25Leaders of the pro-independence UPC (from Cameroon)
Image 26Cameroon faces Germany at Zentralstadion in Leipzig, 17 November 2004 (from Cameroon)
Image 27Dutch bulls and cows at Wallya community during the rainy season in Cameroon (from Cameroon)
Image 28Giraffes in Waza National Park (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 29Unity Palace – Cameroon Presidency (from Cameroon)
Image 30Paul Biya has ruled the country since 1982. (from Cameroon)
Image 31Elephants in Waza National Park (from Cameroon)
Image 32Cameroonian women on Women's Day Celebration (from Cameroon)
Image 33Former president Ahmadou Ahidjo ruled from 1960 until 1982. (from Cameroon)
Image 34National Museum, Yaounde (from Tourism in Cameroon)
Image 35Bamum script is a writing system developed by King Njoya in the late 19th century. (from Cameroon)