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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Biya in 2014

Paul Biya (born Paul Barthélemy Biya'a bi Mvondo; February 13, 1933) is a Cameroonian politician who is the second president of Cameroon since November 6, 1982, having previously been the prime minister of Cameroon from 1975 to 1982. He is the second-longest-ruling president in Africa, the longest consecutively serving current non-royal national leader in the world and the oldest head of state in the world. He is regarded as an authoritarian leader and dictator.

A native of Cameroon's south, Biya rose rapidly as a bureaucrat under President Ahmadou Ahidjo in the 1960s, as Secretary-General of the Presidency from 1968 to 1975 and then as Prime Minister. He succeeded Ahidjo as President upon the latter's surprise resignation in 1982 and consolidated power in a 1983–1984 staged attempted coup in which he eliminated all of his major rivals.

Biya introduced political reforms within the context of a one-party system in the 1980s, later accepting the introduction of multiparty politics in the early 1990s under serious pressure. He won the contentious 1992 presidential election with 40% of the plural, single-ballot vote and was re-elected by large margins in 1997, 2004, 2011, and 2018. Opposition politicians and Western governments have alleged voting irregularities and fraud on each of these occasions. Multiple sources have provided evidence that he did not win the elections in 1992 and the political opposition along with others have alleged subsequent elections suffered from rampant fraud. (Full article...)

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... that the long jumper Fred Salle originally represented England in international competitions, then changed allegiance to Cameroon before returning to England some years later?

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

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