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Introduction to Cameroon
created on:
2001-07-28
Cameroon has a total area of 475,440 sq km and forms a bridge between western Africa and central Africa. It is bounded on the north by Lake Chad, on the east by Chad and the Central African Republic, on the south by the Republic of Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and on the west by the Bight of Biafra (an arm of the Atlantic Ocean) and Nigeria. Yaoundé is the capital and Douala, the chief port on the Bight of Biafra, is the largest city.
The country has four distinct topographical regions. In the west is an area of high, forested mountains of volcanic origin. Here is Mount Cameroon located, the highest peak in western Africa (4095 m) and an active volcano. In the center is the Adamawa Plateau, a region with elevations reaching about 1370 meter above sea level. In the north of the plateau, the forest gives way to savanna country. In the far north the savanna slopes into the marshland surrounding Lake Chad. In the south is a coastal plain, a region of dense equatorial rain forests.
Cameroon has a tropical climate, humid in the south but increasingly dry to the north. It is one of Africa's most naturally and culturally diverse countries. There are over 130 ethnic groups speaking dozens of languages. Also it has some of Africa's best wildlife parks and along the coast there are long, isolated beaches.
Despite the beauty, theft and banditry are common things for travellers in Cameroon and some border areas are not safe. So before travelling to this country, make sure you get the latest information about which places should be avoided.
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