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| Republic of Cameroon République du Cameroun | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Coat of arms
| |
 | |
| Capital | Yaoundé |
| Largest city | Douala |
| Official languages | English French |
| Government | Unitary presidential republic |
• President | Paul Biya |
• Prime Minister | Joseph Ngute |
• President of Senate | Marcel Niat Njifenji |
• President of National Assembly | Cavayé Yéguié Djibril |
| Area | |
• Total | 475,442 km² |
| Population | |
• 2025 estimate | 30,987,821 |
| Currency | Central African CFA franc (XAF) |
| Calling code | +237 |
| ISO 3166 code | CM |
| Internet TLD | .cm |
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a liberal country in central Africa with a western coast on the Atlantic Ocean. It borders Nigeria to the west, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and the Republic of the Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea to the south. It was formed in 1961 from a union of two former colonies, British Cameroon and French Cameroon. Although it is independent in name, its government is directly controlled by France.[1]
History[edit | edit source]
Colonization[edit | edit source]
Before the First World War, Cameroon had been colonized by Germany, Portugal, and the Netherlands. After the war, the territory was split between France and the United Kingdom. From 1928 to 1931, Africans fought against racism and forced labor in the Kongo-Wara rebellion.[2]
In 1944, unions were legalized. Over 20 workers were killed in a railroad strike in September 1945. In 1948, the left-wing Union of the Peoples of Cameroon was founded, and it had 100,000 members by 1955. French authorities banned the party in 1955 after a rebellion, and the British banned it in 1957.[2]
In 1956, colonial authorities began pacification programs, forcing villagers to leave their land and go to cities where they could be monitored more closely. Up to 120,000 people were killed during this period.[2]
Independence[edit | edit source]
French Cameroon became independent in 1960 with Ahmadou Ahidjo imposed as President by the French in order to allow them to retain control.[3] British Southern Cameroon was briefly part of Nigeria before uniting with French Cameroon. No representatives from South Cameroon approved this union the leaders of the region protested against the French-speaking government. Ahidjo made Southern Cameroonian John Ngu Foncha Prime Minister. In 1972, under pressure from France, Southern Cameroon's autonomous status was revoked and it began to be assimilated.[1]
In 1982 Ahidjo stood down as President and Paul Biya, the prime minister since 1972, took over as constiutional successor. Biya continued to rule with the help of western backing, providing the west with Cameroon's natural resources for cheap prices in return for help keeping him in power. He has continued to rule as a dictator into the modern day with very little complaint from the west about rigged elections and human rights abuses.[3]
In 2015, Cameroon banned Southern Cameroon's common law and teachers and lawyers began to protest. In December 2016, the government began using lethal force against the protests. On 1 October 2017, Southern Cameroon declared independence and formed the Federal Republic of Ambazonia. The Cameroonian government killed over 800 Ambazonians on that day.[1]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Amba Leaks (2022-07-11). "Ambazonia: The Struggle for Liberation in Cameroon" Red Africa. Archived from the original on 2022-07-12. Retrieved 2022-07-12.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Jeff Bigelow (2017-01-12). "Train wreck exposes role of imperialism in Cameroon" Liberation School. Archived from the original on 2021-05-08. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Jeremy Kuzmarov (2025-11-13). "The U.S. Has Supported Cameroonian Dictator Paul Biya—the World’s Oldest President Who Just Won an Eighth Term in a Rigged Election—Since the Reagan Era" CovertAction Magazine. Archived from the original on 2025-11-19.