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Cameroon

A - Z of places…

Waza National Park

The Waza National Park is the country’s most visited wildlife area. Its wide savannas (across 170,000 hectares) are home to huge populations of game, including elephants, lions, giraffes, hyenas and gazelles.

Climate

Africa is a massive continent, with a range of climates. Some regions are hot and dry, like the Sahara, Kalahari and Namib deserts. Other parts are wet or covered in tropical rainforest. Conditions also vary by altitude, from the dry salt pans of the Danakil Depression (one of the lowest points on earth) to the snowcaps (at certain times) of the highest mountains. Weather-wise, Africa has it all!

Children

Around one in six children born in sub-Saharan Africa don't live to see their fifth birthday and life can be tough for those who do.

What are the common challenges facing African children and how do their lives compare with those of children in the UK?

Women

A woman’s status varies by country and region across Africa. In many parts, women struggle against inequality in laws, education, pay and domestic responsibilities.

Women’s health is also at risk from traditional practices such as early marriage. But with better education, girls can make more informed choices, leading to the greater development of African nations.

Douala

Doula is Cameroon’s largest city (with a population over 2 million) and the country’s commercial centre, with an international airport and extensive docks. Named after one of the groups who originally settled here (the Duala), the city now has a mix of people and is famous for its nightlife and music scene, offering both traditional sounds and the latest hits.

Agriculture & Famine

A quarter of the population of sub-Saharan Africa is undernourished and famines can impact whole regions.

Land is available to grow more food locally, but investment is needed in technologies such as irrigation for land to be used effectively. Farmers must also adapt to climate change if they are to feed the continent's rising population.

History

The first humans are thought to have lived in Africa and powerful African empires formed from the medieval age onwards.

However, today's African nations were shaped by the European powers who colonised this vast continent. Having gained their independence, many African countries are still coming to terms with the legacy left by their colonisers.

Games & Sport

Africa is home to arguably the oldest-recorded games and sports. While some are only known through archaeology, modern-day games and sports such as Mancala/Mankala and Nubian wrestling are very much alive today.

Of course, new sports have come along to claim the attention of Africans. You may have heard of one - it's called football.

Bamenda

Surrounded by forest, banana and tea plantations, Bamenda is the scenic main town of Cameroon’s British-speaking region. Lying across a huge escarpment which divides the town into two, a steep road links the uptown administrative and residential areas from the downtown commercial and popular districts. Known for its craft centres and markets, visitors also come to enjoy hikes in the countryside around.

Nigeria map

Explore Nigeria

Explore the map of Nigeria to find out more about some of the country's geographical features, parks and cities.

Poverty

Across the rest of the world, absolute poverty has halved over recent decades, but in Africa it has barely fallen.

About two-fifths of the population of sub-Saharan Africa survive week by week on what someone in the UK earns from just one hour's work on the minimum wage.

Limbé

Surrounded by picturesque scenery, Limbé is an attractive beach resort with chocolate-coloured sand, because of the dark volcanic rocks of the region. The town was originally founded by British missionaries, but the colonial British and German architecture attests to its history as a centre of commerce for crops such as cocoa, rubber and bananas. Today, Limbé is home to a botanical gardens and wildlife organisations specialising in conservation.

Dja Faunal Reserve

Registered as a UNESCO world heritage site, the Dja reserve (covering around 526,000 hectares) is home to over 1,500 species of plants. It is also a bird-watcher’s paradise, with around 320 species of birds. Almost completely surrounded by the Dja River, the forest has been protected by this natural boundary and over 90% of the area remains undisturbed. Among over 100 mammal species here, including a wide range of primates, some animals are extremely rare and threatened, such as the western lowland gorilla and forest elephant.

Kribi

This colonial town is the country’s best known holiday resort, because of the long stretches of white sandy beaches on this part of the coast. However, Kribi is also a centre of commercial activity, acting as a major port. Originally built by the Germans, its shallow waters used to prevent large ships from docking, but a deep-sea harbour is being constructed to allow for larger vessels.

Yaounde

Home to around 1.8 million Cameroonians, the capital city has a pleasant climate and is less hectic than Douala. Visitors are attracted by its relaxed atmosphere and the lush forest scenery around the capital. The city is also used as a base to explore some of the national parks in the east or for heading by train to the north of the country, or west by road to the mountains and beaches.

Development

‘People are the real wealth of a nation.’ This is the belief of the United Nations, whose Millenium Development Goals provide a framework for improving the lives of millions.

It helps when nations are peaceful, stable and growing economically. But where even the poorest countries focus on health, education and creating fairer societies, more Africans have the chance of a better life.

Niger map

Explore Niger

Click on the map points in Niger to find out more about some of its key cities and geographical features.

DR Congo Map

Explore DR Congo

Click the map points and find out more about some of the country's key towns, rivers and wildlife areas, many of which have National Park status.

Geography & Wildlife

With its varied geography and diverse habits, the African continent is home to a wide range of flora and fauna. Though famous for its 'big game' animals, Africa has huge numbers of fish, mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian and insect species, as well as many tree, plant and flower species.

Maroua

Pre-dating colonial times, Maroua is known for its traditional feel and old city quarters, as well as its shaded boulevards, lined with neem trees. The city has a large daily market, where traditional crafts such as jewellery and leatherwork can be found, along with other handicrafts made in the city. Because of its location at the foothils of the Mandara Mountains, the city acts as an attractive base to travellers headed for the Waza National Park.

Foods

Africa has some of the most distinctive cuisines and flavours in the world. Food varies widely, but there are commonalities across regions. Depending on what's grown locally, dishes are also influenced by the traders, immigrants and rulers who settled across the continent. Arab, Asian and European elements blend in with traditional African cooking.

Korup National Park

The Korup national park contains some of the oldest tropical rainforest in the world. The area is a treasure-trove for those seeking unusual flora and fauna, with over 400 varieties of trees, 300 species of birds and more than 170 species of reptiles and amphibians.

Chad map

Explore Chad

Explore the map of Chad to find out more about some of the country's geographical features and cities.

Mount Cameroon

Mount Cameroon is an active volcano which has erupted seven times in the last century and is known locally as ‘Mongo-ma-Lobo’, the Mountain of Thunder. At 4,095 metres, it is the highest point of the country and the tallest mountain in West Africa. The summit can be affected by freezing rain and snow. Here (and on the other high mountains), the forest vegetation changes as the elevations rise. More than 40 species of plant are thought to be unique to Mount Cameroon.

Health

Africa has a high number of communicable diseases, which place a huge burden on healthcare systems. The vast majority of malaria cases and HIV/AIDS-related deaths occur in Africa; these two diseases currently represent the greatest threats.

With low investment in healthcare and a severe shortage of medical staff, many countries struggle to meet the health needs of their people.