10 Top Important Facts about Cameroon (What is Cameroon Famous for?)
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Oh, Cameroon, the land of our forefathers, a land of
renowned geographical and cultural diversity.
There are several reasons as to why people travel around the globe and
trust me when I say Cameroon has it all. Is it mouthwatering dishes, great
sightseeing spots especially for nature lovers, is it geographical landscapes,
is it rich cultural heritage?
Worry not, for the above reasons why people travel,
makes Cameroon the next place to consider in your upcoming vacation. Officially
called “The Republic of Cameroon”, it is situated on the Gulf of Guinea, at the
intersection between Western and Central Africa. It stretches from 2° to 13°
latitude north and from 9° to 16° east of Greenwich ( at its widest point of
800 km ).
It is bordered to the west by Nigeria, in the North by
Chad, in the East by Central African Republic, to the South by Congo, Gabon,
and Equatorial Guinea, and a 400 km stretch of the Atlantic Ocean in the southwest.
A majority of foreigners have little or no idea about
the exciting facts about African countries. Some of my Asian acquaintances
always ask me questions like:
Where is Cameroon located?
What is it Famous for? Well, to solve this puzzle,
nourishmymind deemed it necessary to expose some of the many exciting facts
about Cameroon. Below are the Top 10 important facts about Cameroon.
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# 1. The Land of Diversity
The first undeniable important fact about Cameroon is
that it is home to a variety of geographical and cultural differences. Thus,
giving it, its nickname “Africa in
miniature”. Its uniqueness comes
from a range of diverse geographical landscapes and terrain, which represents each of the continent’s climatic
zones, including rainforest, desert, swamp, savannah, and beaches.
Cameroon is home to a wide range of tropical African
native plants and animals. Because of its favorable climate and extensive
forests, it is among the world's most biodiverse nations. More than 20 reserves
safeguard Cameroon's abundant flora and fauna, including more than 400 mammal
species, 690 bird species, 250 reptile species, and 200 amphibian species.
# 2. Soccer or Football
Second on the list of some important facts about
Cameroon, is it being famous for soccer/football. It should be noted that
Cameroonians do not blink an eye when discussing about football. Render insults
on any other thing about their country and go scot-free but not when it comes
to football. The argument would be like a group of Lionel Messi and Ronaldo
fans arguing about who is the G.O.A.T.
With the ongoing African Cup of Nations 2023,
Cameroonians humorously describe Cameroon’s national team known as “The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon” as “Le Continent” (The continent) meaning,
the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon when playing do not only represent their
country (Cameroon which is in the African continent) but a continent on its
own. Making it the number 8 continent hahaha!
I guess from this explanation, you can imagine how Cameroonians value this
fact about their country.
The question is why is Cameroon famous for football? The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon is considered one of
the strongest teams in Africa due to its number of appearances at the FIFA
World Cup competition. So far, they have participated 8 times. In 1990,
Cameroon was the first-ever team in Africa to make it to the quarterfinals. It
took extra time for England to win the game 3–2.
Furthermore, Cameroon won Gold at the 2000 Sydney
Olympic Games and has won the African Cup of Nations Five times. Some of the country’s most famous
players include Roger Milla, Thomas N’Kono,
Samuel Eto’o, Aboubakar Vincent, just to name a few.
# 3. It is home to Africa’s oldest forest
Are you a lover of animals? Here is another glaring
fact about Cameroon. The Korup National Park Forest is located in the Southwest
region of Cameroon. It is situated between the towns of Eyumojock and Modemba.
It is considered the oldest and most diverse of the African rainforests with an
age of about 60 million years.
With a coverage area of 126.000 ha, the forest is home
to over 620 species of trees and shrubs and nearly 500 species of herbs. More
so, there are over 400 species of birds, over 1000 types of butterflies, 82
species of reptiles, and 92 species of amphibians. Mammals on an estimate
compile over 130 species while fish is 160 species.
Do not stop reading yet because the next fact will
shock you.
# 4. It is one of the wettest places in the world
The 4th on the list of some of the most
important facts about Cameroon will leave you speechless. Do you know the song
track “Speechless” by Michael Jackson? I recommend you listen to this
song while reading. Speechless, Speechless, that’s how you make me feel……
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Debundscha, a village in the Southwestern
region of the country, located at the foot of Mount directly facing the South
Atlantic Ocean on the Cameroon coast is the second rainiest place among the
five rainiest places in the world (Lloró, Mawsynram, the Big Bog and
Cherrapunji).
# 5. Language
I earlier mentioned of Cameroon being diversified
geographically and culturally right? It is equally linguistically
diversified. Cameroon has two official languages: English and French due to its colonialization
by Britain and France.
In addition, aside from Cameroonians being bilingual, it is
home to over 250 indigenous dialects or mother tongues. It is very common
not to understand the dialect of an area you just visited though French and English
can help you communicate with them.
It is also worth noting that Cameroon has 10
Regions with just 2 regions speaking English and the rest 8 speaking French.
In the English-speaking zone, the instructional language in schools is done in English
with French as a subject and likewise.
# 6. Mount Cameroon
The 6th important fact about Cameroon as compiled
by nourishmymind.com is that Mount Cameroon is the highest mountain in Central
and West Africa. With a height of about 4,040 meters (13,255 feet), it is an
active volcano and a popular destination for adventurous hikers.
The mountain offers breathtaking views and a
challenging climb, rewarding visitors with an unforgettable experience. The Mount
Cameroon Race of Hope is organized in the month of February every year with
the winner emerging with the cash prize of 10.000.000 FRS.
# 7. Vibrant Music and Dance
Do you love dancing? Generally, Africans are known for
their energetic dance moves. Trust me when I say the infectious rhythms of Cameroonian
music make it impossible to hold one’s self while listening to it. It is either
you are nodding your head or tapping your feet.
With a wide range of musical genres that represent the
nation's cultural diversity, Cameroon boasts a rich musical history. In the
1980s, Cameroonian popular music known as "makossa"
began to receive international attention.
Suggested: 12 Top Amazing Cameroonian Traditional Dances
# 8. Fascinating Traditional Festivals
Cameroon is equally known for its vibrant traditional
festivals, which are celebrated throughout the year. An example of the many
traditional festivals is the Ngondo celebration, which takes place in the month
of December displayed by the Sawa people to highlight their art and culture.
The event takes place on the banks of the Wouri River
and it is a wonderful time to see the streets taken over by dance, song, and
friendly competitions like canoe races. Other festival events include the African
Music Market, Nyem-Nyem Festival, Culture Week, African Theater Festival for
Children and Young People (FATEJ), and Festival National des Arts et de la
Culture (FENAC).
# 9. It is taking a firm stand against poaching
The population of forest elephants in Central Africa
decreased by two-thirds between the years 2002 and 2012. The government of
Cameroon burned 1,753 pieces of ivory totaling over 2,000 illegally traded
elephant tusks in 2016 in an effort to deter illegal poaching.
This is among the biggest poached wildlife goods burnings in African history. In the process of destroying the ivory to prevent it from being sold in the black market, authorities also confiscated 3,000 rounds of ammunition and over 600 guns.
# 10. Long Serving Head of State
The last fact as compiled by nourishmymind is the
bitter truth that Cameroon possesses the longest-serving leader in Africa followed
by Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe who is of blessed memories.
President Paul Biya took office on November 6, 1982. So
far, this year makes him 42 years in power after President Admadou Ahidjo who
served from 1960 to 1982.
Concluding Remarks
A special thanks to all of my readers who have made it
this far into the article. I exist
because you do. Thank you for listening to our beautiful melody about some of
the most
important facts about Cameroon, which answers the question, "What is
Cameroon famous for?" Cameroon stands out because of the ten top facts
listed above.
Where are you reading from? Feel free to share some
interesting information about your country. Happy New Year.
