Cameroon — Overview
While referring to Cameroon as ‘Africa in miniature' has become a bit of a cliché, this statement certainly rings true: everything you would expect from the African continent seems to be consolidated in this diverse slice of land. The south boasts tropical rainforests and deserted golden beaches; the northern parts are awash with great expanses of desert, lakes and savannah; volcanic mountains dominate the southwest and northwest, and game-viewing areas scattered throughout the country offer ample opportunity to observe impressive wildlife, including elephants and lions.
Trouble spots
Poverty blights much of Cameroon's infrastructure, meaning transport and accommodation are underdeveloped. Outstanding border disputes with Cameroon's powerful neighbor Nigeria (linked in part with control of the oil-rich Niger delta) mean relations are somewhat awkward. While a key dispute, involving the Bakassi Peninsula, has been officially resolved, the border region is still considered unsafe. The areas bordering Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR) are also unstable.
Unique appeal
Aside from certain no-go areas, Cameroon offers a wealth of activities and beautiful destinations to keep the adventurous traveler enthralled. From its verdant rainforests to its powerful creatures, this country is bursting with life; go, before it becomes 'discovered'.
Geography
Situated on the west coast of Africa, Cameroon is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Guinea, to the northwest by Nigeria, to the northeast by Chad (with Lake Chad at its northern tip), to the east by the Central African Republic and to the south by Congo-Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo), Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
The far north of the country is a semi-desert broadening into the vast Maroua Plain, with game reserves and mineral deposits. This is bordered to the west by the lush Mandara Mountains; the Benue River rises here and flows westwards into the Niger.
The country to the northwest is particularly striking: volcanic peaks covered by bamboo forest rise to over 2,000m (6,500ft), with waterfalls and villages scattered over the lower slopes. Further to the south and west are savannah uplands, while dense forest covers the east and south. The highest peak, at 4,095m (13,434ft) is Mount Cameroon, which lies close to the coast. The humid coastal strip is tropical, with a mixture of rainforest and farmland.
The River Wouri, which flows southwest into the Gulf of Guinea, inspired the country's name after 15th-century Portuguese sailor Fernando Po's spoke of the Rio dos Cameroes (river of shrimps).
