Interesting facts about Cameroon you don’t know.




Being one of the most diverse countries in Africa with about 230 indigenous languages and also having some of the most fertile lands, Cameroon is a country everyone should visit.

Cameroon has been in the news in recent days following violent protests in Bamenda, Cameroon’s third largest city, which has left one dead and many more injured.

What is seen as a calculated neglect of the Anglophones in Cameroon by President Paul Biya has led to these protests. However, the strain between Francophones and Anglophones is not all that is worthy of note about this beautiful country. Cameroon is a fertile, diverse and interesting nation.

The country was officially named the United Republic of Cameroon in 1972, and the Republic of Cameroon in 1984. The capital of Cameroon is Yaoundé.

“Cameroon” is derived from Rio dos Camarões, Portuguese for River of Prawns

Paul Biya has been the president of Cameroon since November 6, 1982. In 2011 in an election he insists was free and fair, Biya won 78% of the total votes to retain his seat.

Cameroon President Paul Biya shakes hands with Major (MAJ) Edward R. Ophof before departing ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, MARYLAND, America, on 28 February 1986 Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Interesting facts about Cameroon you don’t know
Admin | January 3, 2017 | Blog | No Comments

Being one of the most diverse countries in Africa with about 230 indigenous languages and also having some of the most fertile lands, Cameroon is a country everyone should visit.

Cameroon has been in the news in recent days following violent protests in Bamenda, Cameroon’s third largest city, which has left one dead and many more injured.

What is seen as a calculated neglect of the Anglophones in Cameroon by President Paul Biya has led to these protests. However, the strain between Francophones and Anglophones is not all that is worthy of note about this beautiful country. Cameroon is a fertile, diverse and interesting nation.

The country was officially named the United Republic of Cameroon in 1972, and the Republic of Cameroon in 1984. The capital of Cameroon is Yaoundé.

“Cameroon” is derived from Rio dos Camarões, Portuguese for River of Prawns

Paul Biya has been the president of Cameroon since November 6, 1982. In 2011 in an election he insists was free and fair, Biya won 78% of the total votes to retain his seat.

cameroon

Cameroon President Paul Biya shakes hands with Major (MAJ) Edward R. Ophof before departing ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, MARYLAND, America, on 28 February 1986 Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Cameroon is famous for producing coffee, cocoa, cotton, bananas and oilseeds. 40% of the country’s revenue is gotten from crude oil and 19% from cocoa beans.

An info-graphic on Cameroon’s exports via Wiki Commons

Cameroon is the first African country to reach the quarter-final in FIFA World Cup in 1990. The Cameroon national football team The Indomitable Lions (Les Lion Indomptables) have qualified seven times for the FIFA World Cup (in 1982, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002,2010 and 2014.)

There are more than 1700 different linguistic groups in the country, and 230 other languages are spoken apart from its official languages – French and English.

Cameroon Dancing. Photo: Kurt Bauschardt/Flickr cover

Sanaga River is the longest river in Cameroon. However, it is not navigable. Other important rivers are the Benue and Nyong.

Read: Cameroonia Ntjam Rosie’s classy album
Mount Cameroon is the highest point in the country at 13,500 ft.It is also the only active volcano in the country. It last erupted in 2012.