Brief History

The earliest inhabitants of Cameroon were the Baka, who were hunters and gatherers. Descendants of the Baka people still live in the dense forests of Cameroon’s southern and eastern provinces. The first Europeans to arrive in Cameroon were Portuguese explorers and traders in the 15th century. They arrived at the coast, naming the region “Rio dos Cameroes,” which translates to “Shrimp River.” This name later became Cameroon in English. During the late 1770s and early 1800s, the Fulani (a nomadic Islamic people from the Sahel region) conquered most of what is now northern Cameroon. In 1884, Cameroon became a German colony called Kamerun. After World War I, Cameroon was divided between the United Kingdom and France. Cameroon became an independent country in 1960.

National Flag

The flag of Cameroon is a vertical tricolour of green, red, and yellow, with a five-pointed yellow star in the centre. Its design was inspired by the French tricolour. The flag of Cameroon was adopted on May 20th, 1975.

Geography

The flag of Cameroon is a vertical tricolour of green, red, and yellow, with a five-pointed yellow star in the centre. Its design was inspired by the French tricolour. The flag of Cameroon was adopted on May 20th, 1975.

 

World Land Mass Ranking: 54th

 

Highest Mountain: Mount Cameroon, 4,040 m (13,250 ft)

 

Longest River: Sanaga, 525 km (325 miles)

Main Languages

English, French & Cameroonian Pidgin English.

Cameroon Population: 25.9 million (as of 2009)
Capital City: Yaoundé
Capital City Population: 3.9 million (as of 2020)

Climate

Cameroon is a tropical country with hot temperatures year-round. In the northern part of Cameroon, the climate is semi-arid, while the rest of the country is humid and rainy. Cameroon has four seasons, two dry and two rainy.  The warmest month in Cameroon is February.

Key People

• Samuel Eto
• Ahnadou Ahidjo
• Joel Embiid

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  Cuisine

  Due to Cameroon’s location in between the north, south, and central parts of Africa, the country’s cuisine is one of the most varied on the continent. A wide variety of fruits and vegetables are grown in Cameroon, including plantain, cassava, corn, eggplant, bananas, and okra. The national dish of Cameroon is Ndolé, which consists of stewed nuts, ndoleh, and fish or beef.

  The picture is a picture of Ndolé, the national dish of Cameroon.

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  Sports

  Like many countries, football is the most popular sport in Cameroon. The Cameroonian Football team has won five African Cup of Nations titles. Other, more traditional sports are quite popular as well, including wrestling, tug-of-war, and canoe racing. In the northwest, dance competitions are a common activity, and in the north horseracing is an important recreation.

  The picture is a picture of a Cameroon player at the football world cup finals.

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  Culture

  The culture of Cameroon is very rich and diverse. There are over 250 indigenous populations in Cameroon, and over 300 languages are spoken in the country. The landscape is also very diverse, which impacts the culture and lifestyle of residents based on their surroundings. There are many different religions in Cameroon, the most prominent being Christianity, Islam, and many indigenous religions. Fashion is an important part of Cameroonian culture and mixes both traditional and contemporary elements. Other important aspects of Cameroonian culture are music, dance, and visual arts.

  The picture is a picture of Cameroonian fashion / culture.

   

   

  Cameroon is a beautiful country with wonderful people.

   

  Download questions about Cameroon here: Cameroon (answers are on this page)

  Teachers. For more in depth work sheets on Cameroon . Click on Kidskonnect Worksheets

  For further reading and more info on the Cameroon visit https://kids.kiddle.co/Cameroon