 About
the size of Spain or California and shaped a bit like a boot, Cameroon
is bordered by Nigeria to the north and west, Chad and the Central African
Republic to the east, Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea to the south and
the Atlantic Ocean to the west.
Cameroon
is one of the most geographically diverse countries in Africa, comprising
three major zones: the northern savannah, the
southern and eastern rain forests,
and the north-western hill region near Nigeria. Rich volcanic soils near
the towns of Bafoussam and
Bamenda in the west have permitted
much higher rural population densities than elsewhere in the country. The
west is coffee and cocoa country and home to nearly a quarter of the population.
The hot, dry north is home to Lake Chad, the major game reserves, rocky
escarpments and the broad Bénoué
River.
The variations
in rainfall from one region to the next are amazing - from barely enough
rain to support agriculture in the extreme north to over 500cm (200in)
in the south-west around Mt Cameroon and Limbe. In the north, the rainy
season is from June to September; in the south, light rains in March and
April are followed by downpours from May to November. Humidity soars in
the south in July and August. The warmest months are March to May, when
the average daily high is 30°C (86°F) in Yaoundé; Douala
is cooler but gets much more rain. So bring a rain jacket and prepare to
be HOT!! |
