Cameroon is a country in west-central Africa, on the Gulf of Guinea, often called Africa in miniature for the remarkable range of landscapes, climates, and peoples packed within its borders. From tropical rainforest and coastal plains to savanna and mountains, and home to hundreds of ethnic groups, it is a microcosm of the continent. A former German, then French and British colony, it is unusual in modern Africa for being officially bilingual.

The land of Cameroon was home to many peoples and kingdoms, including the Sao civilisation and the kingdom of Bamum, whose ruler famously invented his own writing system. Portuguese sailors named the area for the prawns in its river, and in the nineteenth century Germany made it the colony of Kamerun. After Germany's defeat in the First World War, the territory was split between France and Britain. The French and most of the British portions came together as an independent, bilingual Cameroon around 1960.

An example of the Bamum script, a writing system created by King Njoya for his own language in Cameroon. Credit: Unknown (Public domain).
An example of the Bamum script, a writing system created by King Njoya for his own language in Cameroon. Credit: Unknown (Public domain).

Cameroon's nickname, Africa in miniature, comes from its astonishing geographic variety. The coast on the Gulf of Guinea is hot and wet, backed by the volcanic Mount Cameroon, the highest peak in West Africa. Inland lie dense rainforests, then a central plateau of savanna, and finally the dry, hot plains of the far north reaching toward Lake Chad. This range of environments supports an equally rich variety of wildlife, farming, and human cultures.

Flag of Cameroon.
Flag of Cameroon.

The flag of Cameroon has three vertical bands of green, red, and yellow, with a single yellow star at the centre of the red band. These are the pan-African colours: green for the forests of the south, yellow for the savanna of the north and the sun, and red for unity. The central star is itself often called the star of unity, expressing the joining together of the country's diverse regions and peoples into one nation.

Cameroon's religious make-up reflects its geography. Christianity, both Catholic and Protestant, predominates in the south and the cities, brought by European missionaries, while Islam is strong in the north, where it arrived across the Sahel centuries ago. Traditional African religions remain widely practised throughout the country, often alongside the world faiths. This blend of beliefs generally coexists peacefully and is part of the country's broader diversity.

Cameroonian cuisine is as varied as its peoples and regions. A celebrated national dish is ndole, a stew of bitterleaf greens cooked with peanuts and meat or fish. Starchy staples such as fufu, plantains, cassava, and rice accompany rich sauces and soups, and grilled fish and meat are popular. The cooking draws on the abundance of the forests, savannas, and coast, and each region adds its own ingredients and traditions to a diverse food culture.

Agriculture is central to Cameroon's economy and employs a large share of its people, favoured by fertile soils and varied climates. The country is a significant producer of cocoa and coffee, important export crops, along with cotton, bananas, and palm oil. In the diverse landscape, farmers grow everything from tropical fruits in the south to grains and livestock in the drier north. This agricultural variety is another expression of the country's nickname.

The kingdom of Bamum and its remarkable script, the era of German colonisation, and the division between France and Britain all shaped Cameroon. The reunification of the French and British territories around 1960 created the modern bilingual state. In recent years tension between the French-speaking majority and the English-speaking minority over their place in the nation has grown into a serious and continuing crisis in the country's western regions.

Leaders of the movement that campaigned for Cameroon's independence in the mid-twentieth century. Credit: Samhorry (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Leaders of the movement that campaigned for Cameroon's independence in the mid-twentieth century. Credit: Samhorry (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Cameroon has a population of around 28 million people and is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse countries in Africa, home to some 250 groups speaking a great many languages. French and English are both official languages, a legacy of colonial division, and the balance between the two communities is a defining issue. The population is young and split between the largest city and port, Douala, and the capital, Yaounde, in the interior.

A statue of a traditional chief in western Cameroon, reflecting the country's many kingdoms and cultures. Credit: No machine-readable author provided. Tatoute assumed (based on copyright claims). (Public domain).
A statue of a traditional chief in western Cameroon, reflecting the country's many kingdoms and cultures. Credit: No machine-readable author provided. Tatoute assumed (based on copyright claims). (Public domain).