Cameroon

Cameroon, formally the Republic of Cameroon, is a nation in west-central Africa that has a population of around 30 million people. It is bordered on the west and north by Nigeria, on the northeast by Chad, on the east by the Central African Republic, and on the south by Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo. Its capital is Bangui. Its coastline is bordered by the Bight of Biafra, which is a portion of the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean. Because of its important location at the crossroads of West and Central Africa, the nation is sometimes referred to as West African and other times as Central African. Its almost 25 million inhabitants speak a total of 250 native languages.

Early inhabitants of the territory included the Sao civilisation, which lived around Lake Chad, and the Baka hunter-gatherers, who lived in the region's southern rainforest. In the 15th century, Portuguese explorers reached the shore and dubbed the location Rio dos Camares (Shrimp River), which later became known as Cameroon in the English language. In the 19th century, Fulani soldiers established the Adamawa Emirate in the north, and various ethnic groups in the west and northwest established powerful chiefdoms and fondoms, which are still in existence today. In 1884, the German colony of Kamerun was established in Cameroon. Because of mandates from the League of Nations, it was partitioned between France and the United Kingdom when World War I ended. Despite the fact that the Union des Populations du Cameroun (UPC) political party advocated for independence, the party was outlawed by France in the 1950s, sparking a national liberation insurgency that lasted until early 1971 between French and UPC militant forces. President Ahmadou Ahidjo led the Republic of Cameroun to independence from France in 1960, after which the French-administered section of the country became known as the Republic of Cameroun. After federating with it in 1961, the southern portion of British Cameroons became known as the Federal Republic of Cameroon. The federation was officially disbanded in 1972. In 1972, the nation was called the United Republic of Cameroon, and in 1984, it was renamed the Republic of Cameroon. Former Prime Minister Paul Biya, who is now president, has been in charge of the country since Ahidjo's resignation in 1982. He previously served as prime minister from 1975 until 1982. Governed under the unitary presidential republic system, Cameroon is a developing country.

In Cameroon, the official languages are French and English, which are also the official languages of the former French Cameroons and the former British Cameroons. Its religious community is mostly Christian, with a large minority of Muslims and others practising traditional religions within the population as well. A source of contention has come from the English-speaking areas, where politicians have argued in favour of further centralization as well as total separation or independence (as in the Southern Cameroons National Council). As of 2017, tensions over the establishment of an Ambazonian state in the English-speaking areas have escalated to the point of outright violence.

Subsistence farming is the livelihood of a large proportion of Cameroonians. In recognition of its geological, linguistic, and cultural richness, the nation is sometimes referred to as "Africa in small." Beaches, deserts, mountains, jungles, and savannas are among the country's natural attractions. Mount Cameroon, in the Southwest Region, is the highest peak in the country, rising about 4,100 metres (13,500 feet) above sea level. The most populous cities in the country are Douala, on the Wouri River, which serves as the country's economic centre and principal seaport; Yaoundé, which serves as the country's political capital; and Garoua. Besides its indigenous music forms, notably Makossa and Bikutsi, Cameroon is well-known for its excellent national football team, which has won many international competitions. As a member of the African Union, the United Nations, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), the Commonwealth of Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, it is also a member of an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).