Cameroonian girl
Situated on the Gulf of Guinea, on the west coast of Africa,
Cameroon is sandwiched between its powerful neighbour Nigeria to
the north and Equatorial Guinea to the south.
The area was a German protectorate until after World War I when
it was divided between the British and the French, with the French
receiving the larger share and Britain controlling the northernmost
strip along the Nigerian border. French Cameroon achieved
independence in 1960 and the largely Christian southern third of
British Cameroon voted to join the Republic of Cameroon the
following year. The northern two-thirds of British Cameroon, mainly
Muslim, eventually joined Nigeria.
Tourism is limited, but those who venture to Cameroon will find
a nation of remarkable diversity, from its varying landscapes of
tropical rainforests and beaches, mountains and desert, to its
assortment of people and cultures. National parks and reserves lay
claim to some of the richest flora and fauna in Africa. Southwest
Cameroon is a mountainous region dominated by the highest mountain
in West Africa, and Africa's highest active volcano, Mt Cameroon,
which sits on the edge of the Gulf of Guinea and is a popular
mountaineering destination. On the coast there are beautiful
beaches around Limbé and at Kribi while the north of the
country boasts Cameroon's most famous national park, Waza National
Park, with its huge numbers of elephant, giraffe, lion, antelope
and birdlife (open from mid-November to mid-June). Yaoundé,
the capital city situated on seven hills, has modern hotels, shops
and markets, but it is Douala that is the biggest city and
Cameroon's economic capital, positioned on the Wouri River a few
miles from the coast.
Whether going to the cities, the beaches or exploring its
natural resources, visitors to this land they call 'Africa in One
Country' can be sure that they will be pleasantly welcomed by a
people whose custom is to receive strangers as if they were
friends, a country where hospitality is the golden rule.
