A to Z Cities: Cameroon

● ● ● ● ●  GeoFact of the Day . . . Facts for You!  ● ● ● ● ●  Highlighted and labeled on the map below, CAMEROON’s major cities include Bafoussam, Bamenda, Bertoua, Douala, Ebolowa, Edéa, Garoua, Kousséri, Kumba, Loum, Maroua, Meiganga, Mokolo, Ngaoundéré, Nkongsamba, Yagoua, and Yaoundé (national capital). While major cities are labeled on the major cities map, smaller communities with population data are displayed on this map with light orange dots. Some of Cameroon's towns, cities, and villages are alphabetized in an A to Z list below!

A — Akonolinga, Abong Mbang, Akom, Akom II, Akono, Akwaya, Alat Makay, Ambam, Amvon, and Ayos
B — Bafang, Bafia, Bafoussam, Bali, Bamenda, Bamusso, Bangangté, Banyo, Batouri, Bélabo, Bengbis, Bertoua, Bipindi, Bogo, Bokito, Botmakak, and Buéa
C — Campo, Cedea, Cha, Choua, and Cotto
D — Dimako, Dir, Dizangue, Djohong, Djoum, Douala, Doumé, and Dschang
E — Ebolowa, Edéa, Ekundukundu, Elogbatindi, Emini, Eschou, Essé, Evodoula, and Ezézang
F — Fifinda, Figuil, Folmurki, Fontem, Fotokol, Foumban, Foumbot, and Fundong
G — Galim, Garoua, Gongotoua, Gounjel, Guider, and Guidiguis
H — Halio, Ham, Hokam, Horare, and Hwoli
I — Illoani, Ind Ndiop, and Indinding
J — Jakiri and Joundi
K — Kimi, Kokobuma, Koungoulou, Kousséri, and Kumba
L — Letta, Lokomo, Lomié, and Loum
M — Makam, Makouri, Mana, Maroua, Mayo Djarendi, Mbalam, Meiganga, and Mokolo
N — Nanga-Eboko, Ndop, Ngaoundéré, Nkongsamba, and Nkoteng
O — Obala, Okola, Okoa, and Ombésa
P — Pitoa, Penja, and Poli
Q — Quoko
R — Rey Bouba and Rohaya
S — Saa, Sambolabbo, Sangmélima, Somalomo, and Sorombéo
T — Tcholliré, Tibati, Tignère, Tiko, Tonga, and Touboro
U — Ubao, Uben Ikang, Udumjarei, Uibiwa, Uromali, and Uzama
V — Vareye, Vata, Verfao, and Viali
W — Wanden, Waza Lareski, Woutchaba, and Wum
X — there are none (as far as I know)
Y — Yabassi, Yagoua, Yaoundé, Yenga, Yokadouma, and Yoko
Z — Zigué, Zina, Zoadiba, Zoétélé, and Zokadiba

December 2024 Geography Bee Quiz

Learn more about the Earth with the help of a GeoFact of the Day Geography Bee Quiz (↗) like this one! Think of this resource as free food for your mind. Whether you are preparing for a geography bee — or maybe a geography-themed trivia contest — or just want to cherish the positive aspects of planet Earth, I hope you enjoy these morsels of knowledge. The answers to this quiz are listed below — enjoy and good luck!

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

1)      Which of the following is not a city in NORWAY?
A — Stockholm
B — Oslo
C — Bergen
D — Trondheim

2)      In late summer 2024, over 20 silver Roman denarii coins were discovered inside a wall hole at an acropolis on the Mediterranean island of Pantelleria. The Italian island is located between ITALY and which country in Africa?
A — CAMEROON
B — TUNISIA
C — ETHIOPIA

3)      Which two states in the UNITED STATES have more than 80 counties each?
A — Arizona and Nevada
B — Michigan and Minnesota
C — Connecticut and Rhode Island
D — North Dakota and South Dakota





















ANSWERS

Question 1:
A . . . . . Stockholm which is the capital of Sweden (↗)

Question 2:
B . . . . . Tunisia

Question 3:
B . . . . . Michigan and Minnesota

Paris 2024 Olympic Firsts Quiz

The Summer 2024 Olympics in Paris ended a little while ago on Sunday, August 11th. Congratulations to all athletes who came to these Olympics and competed fairly and to the best of their ability! This GeoFact of the Day quiz highlights medal winners representing countries — and an athlete valiantly competing for the Refugee Team — that have not won a medal previously or have not won a gold medal until Paris 2024. Three Caribbean island countries, three African countries, one European country, one Central American country, and the Refugee Olympic Team are all represented in this post. Quiz answers are listed below — enjoy and good luck!

1)      GRENADA earned bronze medals in men’s javelin throw and men’s decathlon. 2024 is the first Olympic year in which Grenada won more than one medal. Which name is not one of the athletes who won these medals?
A — Lindon Victor
B — Anderson Peters
C — Timothy Conch

2)      BOTSWANA celebrates its first ever gold medal, which was won by Letsile Tebogo. Letsile also earned a silver medal as a teammate on the men’s ___________ team.
A — badminton
B — 4 x 400 meter relay
C — football

3)      ____________ is the home country of Cindy Ngamba, the women’s 75 kg boxer who earned the first ever medal (bronze) on the Refugee Olympic Team.
A — CAMEROON
B — SOMALIA
C — YEMEN

4)      True or false: EL SALVADOR is the Central American country winning its first ever gold medal.

5)      Track athlete Julien Alfred won a gold medal in the women’s 100 meter dash and a silver medal in the women’s 200 meter dash at the Paris 2024 Olympics. She won these first ever medals on behalf of which Caribbean island country?
A — SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS
B — SAINT LUCIA
C — TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
D — BARBADOS

6)      Two freestyle wrestlers — Chermen Valiev and Islam Dudaev — won the first ever medals (both bronze) for their country in Southeastern Europe. Which country?
A — ALBANIA
B — GREECE
C — NORTH MACEDONIA
D — MONTENEGRO

7)      David de Pina (Daniel Varela de Pina) won a bronze medal in men’s 51 kg boxing and therefore earned the first ever medal for which island country in Africa? Hint: this country is an archipelago located west of mainland West Africa, and the country’s name translates to green cape in Portuguese.
A — MAURITIUS
B — SEYCHELLES
C — SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE
D — COMOROS
E — CABO VERDE
F — MADAGASCAR

8)      True or false: Thea LaFond competed in women’s triple jump and earned the first ever medal — and a gold one at that — for DOMINICA.























ANSWERS

Question 1:
C . . . . . Timothy Conch

Question 2:
B . . . . . 4 x 400 meter relay

Question 3:
A . . . . . Cameroon

Question 4:
False . . . . . Guatemala

Question 5:
B . . . . . Saint Lucia

Question 6:
A . . . . . Albania

Question 7:
E . . . . . Cabo Verde

Question 8:
True

Cameroon Post is Updated

My Cameroon post (↗) — link opens in a new tab or window — is updated with more information. Thanks for visiting GeoFact of the Day today!

January 2023 Africa Trivia Quiz

Happy New Year! January 2023’s continental quiz is a continuation of the Africa GeoQuiz in December of last year. After testing your African trivia prowess, you can further test your geographic knowledge (↗) with other geography quizzes from GeoFact of the Day. The answers are listed below; enjoy and good luck!

1)      Fill in the blank: _________ from desert land in present-day MALI was once so highly prized that an ounce of this resource carried the same value as an ounce of gold!
A — sand
B — salt
C — pepper

2)      True or false: the Olduvai Gorge, Serengeti grassland region, and Mount Kilimanjaro are all notable landscape features of northern UGANDA.

3)      The naming (etymology) of BURKINA FASO translates in English to “land of the honest men” as well as “land of the _________.”
A — liars
B — incorruptible
C — brazen

4)      Fill in the blank: tucked in the northeast corner of EQUATORIAL GUINEA, Ebebiyín is a “corner city” of about 36,000 residents near _________ as well as GABON.
A — CAMEROON
B — DJIBOUTI
C — LESOTHO
D — MADAGASCAR

5)      MAURITIUS is one of the first countries around the globe to convert a relatively unconventional material to generate electricity. Steam turbines powered by this crop produce up to one fifth (1/5) of the island’s electricity during the annual harvest season! Which crop is especially used in Mauritius for energy needs?
A — broccoli
B — sugarcane
C — plantains
D — guava, mangoes, and papaya

6)      True or false: Lake Togo gave the country of TOGO its name. Togo is derived from the Ewe word togodo, meaning “behind the lake.”

7)      One provincial name in SOUTH AFRICA translates from the Sotho language into English as the “place of gold.” Which is the correct province?
A — Gauteng
B — Kwazulu-Natal
C — Western Cape



















ANSWERS

Question 1:
B . . . . . salt

Question 2:
False . . . . . northern Tanzania

Question 3:
B . . . . . incorruptible

Question 4:
A . . . . . Cameroon

Question 5:
B . . . . . sugarcane

Question 6:
True

Question 7:
A . . . . . Gauteng

New Blog Maps of Botswana, Burundi, and Cameroon

GeoFact of the Day's three newest maps of BOTSWANA, BURUNDI, and CAMEROON give you knowledge about each country's cities and towns, land terrain, and approximate borders. Click on the buttons below to access the blog posts with these maps. Feel free to comment on what you think about my maps, and feel free to share your suggestions in regards to future maps or blog content!

Cameroon is Known for...

●    Football
●    Mount Cameroon and other volcanoes
●    Rainforests
●    Smoked fish
●    Waza National Park

Listed in The Africa Book; the MLA citation is below. What are other "trademarks" of this African country? Feel free to share your thoughts with a comment!

Phillips et al. The Africa Book: A Journey through Every
          Country in the Continent. Lonely Planet, 2007.

— #AfricaWeek —

Cameroon Exports

The following items are major exports of CAMEROON: aluminum, bauxite, iron ore, lumber, cassava, cocoa beans, coffee, cotton, crude oil and petroleum products, grain, oilseeds, okra, rubber, and textiles. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include Portugal (top importer), South Africa, Spain, Italy, France, Chad, China, Vietnam, the Netherlands, Belgium, Bangladesh, Malaysia, the United States, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Kingdom, Netherlands Antilles, and Equatorial Guinea.

Waza National Park

Situated among wetlands and savannah land in northern CAMEROON and preserving habitat for lions, various bird species, elephants, antelopes, and giraffes, Waza National Park (French: Parc National de Waza) is wedged in Cameroon’s “head” between Chad to the east and Nigeria to the west. This reserve land is located about 150 kilometers south of Lake Chad and 100 kilometers south of Chad’s capital, N’Djamena. A rural park considered to be Cameroon’s most significant natural reserve, Waza National Park is much closer to N’Djamena than Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon. Unfortunately, the Boko Haram terror group kidnapped Chinese workers and murdered a Cameroonian soldier in May 2014, and tourists were and still are leery of visiting the park. Regardless, this park has been known for its safari adventures. Communities surrounding Waza National Park include Ndiguina, Pété, Waza, and Zina.

Cameroon Extinct and Endangered Species

As of January 26th, 2015, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ for CAMEROON lists 1 extinct species (Pausinystalia brachythyrsum flowering plant) since the beginning of IUCN recordkeeping, 116 critically endangered species, and 185 endangered species. Cameroon has the most critically endangered and endangered species compared to most A, B, and other C countries, with the exception of Australia and Brazil. A large number of Cameroon's critically endangered species listed on the IUCN Red List are fish, including the Alkali Cichlid, Atlantic Goliath Grouper, Blackbelly Tilapia, Dikume, Fissi, Konye, Kululu, Mongo, Myaka Myaka, Pindu, and Pungu. Other species include the Ledermanniella sanagaensis aquatic herb, Leptodactylodon axillaris frog, and Slender-snouted Crocodile.

Discover more about Cameroon! (link to my blog post)

Capital of Cameroon

The capital of French-speaking CAMEROON is Yaoundé! Cameroon is located in Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra. View my Cameroon post for more information!

Cameroon

Officially known as the République du Cameroun in French, CAMEROON is a French-speaking country located in Western Africa. Cameroon is home to over 24 million residents in 2017. There are 6 bordering countries: Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria, and the Republic of the Congo. The capital is Yaoundé. Cameroon features a diverse climate, varying from a semiarid north to the tropical coastal and southern regions. The currency is the Central African Franc, and its ISO 4217 currency code is XAF. Some of the country’s exports for global trade ↗ include aluminum, bauxite, cassava (manioc), cocoa beans, coffee, cotton, crude oil and petroleum products, grain, iron ore, lumber, oilseeds, okra, rubber, and textiles. Principal crops grown in Cameroon include bananas, cocoa, coffee, cotton, oilseed, root starches, and various types of grain.

● ● ● ● ●  People and Places  ● ● ● ● ●  According to Encyclopædia Britannica, Cameroon’s population in the year 2020 is about 24,918,000 and is ranked 56th among populations of the whole world’s countries, dependencies, and territories. Highlighted and labeled on the map below, Cameroon’s major cities include Bafoussam, Bamenda, Bertoua, Douala, Ebolowa, Edea, Garoua, Kousséri, Kumba, Loum, Maroua, Meiganga, Mokolo, Ngaoundéré, Nkongsamba, Yagoua, and Yaoundé (national capital). While major cities are labeled on the major cities map, smaller communities with population data are displayed on this map with light orange dots. For example, Ekundukundu — located beside the border with Nigeria in southwestern Cameroon — had only 221 residents in the year 2005. Notable places and sites of interest all across the country include the Adamawa Plateau in central Cameroon near the towns of Belel and Martap; Chutes de la Lobé waterfalls in the southwest near Akom (on map) and Kribi (not on map); la Dent de Mindif (Mindif Tooth) rocky peak near the communities of Gadjia, Maroua, and Mindif; Espace Doual'art art gallery in Douala; Marché Central (Central Market) and Musée National (National Museum) in Yaoundé; Palais Royal (Royal Palace) in Foumban; and several beaches along the Atlantic coast. Two Cameroonian places of environmental importance are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Dja Faunal Reserve and Sangha Trinational conservation preserve.

As of 2023, over 250 languages belonging to 24 language groups are used for communication in Cameroon. English and French are Cameroon’s official languages. Other languages include but are definitely not limited to Aghem, Akoose, Ambele, Bafia, Bafut, Bakaka, Bakoko, Bamum, Bassa, Bulu, Chadian Arabic, Duala, Eton, Ewondo, Fe’fe’, Fulfulde, Ghomala, Kako, Kom, Mafa, Medumba, Meta’, Ngiemboon, Nso’, Oroko, Psikye, Toupouri, Usaghade, Wandala, Wushi, Yamba, Yemba, and Zulgo-Gemzek. People and ethnic groups of Cameroon include East Nigritic, the Equatorial Bantu, Fulani, Highlanders, Kirdi, and Northwest Bantu. About 57% of Cameroonian citizens are believers in Christianity, followed by animist and ethnic beliefs (23%), Islam (20%), and Bahá’í (0.42%).

● ● ● ● ●  Land and Water Features  ● ● ● ● ●  Cameroon’s topography is as varied as its climate. Southern Cameroon features a low coastal plain; central Cameroon is predominantly plateaus; northern Cameroon’s grasslands give way to marshes around Lake Chad, an important and struggling lake located at the tippy top of Cameroon; and western Cameroon is dominated by forested mountains. Cameroon’s highest point, Fako, stands with an elevation of 13,435 feet and 4,095 meters and is located on a volcano, Mount Cameroon. Some resources list the peak elevation as 13,451 feet and 4,100 meters. Nicknamed the “mountain of greatness,” Mt. Cameroon is geographically located in southwestern Cameroon and immediately northwest of Buéa, a city between Boa and Douala. Mount Oku (3,011 meters) is another major peak; it is found in the Bamenda Mountains near the town of Mbem by southeast Nigeria. Prominent peaks in the Mandara Mountains of extreme northern Cameroon include Rhumsiki Peak (1,224 meters) near the towns of Gawar and the namesake Rhumsiki, while Tourou Peak (1,442 meters) is geographically situated near the town of Mora.

Cameroon has over 400 kilometers and 250 miles of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. Coastal areas near Nigeria in extreme western Cameroon contain dozens of islands — named and unnamed, habited and uninhabited. Akwabana, Douala Edea, Ewuru, Fiari, Inikoi, Masonjo, Mboza Bombe, Miandjou, and Moukouke are some of the named islands. Various rivers and tributaries throughout Cameroon include the Bek, Bénoué, Boumba, Dja, Faro, Lobé, Logone, Mbam, Ngoko, Ntem, Nyong, Sanaga, and Wouri. The Bakassi and Erong peninsulas are located in the islands’ vicinity. The picturesque Memve’ele Waterfalls are located immediately north of Equatorial Guinea and east of the town of Campo in southwestern Cameroon. Lake Chad is not the only lake within the borders of Cameroon. Other notable lakes include Bamendjing, Lagdo, Mbakaou, and Nyos. The following are national parks and reserves located mostly near the borderlands of Cameroon: Bénoué, Bouba Ndjida, and Waza in the north; Biosphère du Dja, Boumba-Bek, and Lobéké in the southeast; Méfou (Mfou) in south-central Cameroon; Campo-Ma’an in the southwest; and Korup and Takamanda in the west.

This post was updated with more information in December 2023. GeoFact of the Day’s map of Cameroon was designed in June 2020.