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Time (in relation to Paris)
Summer: 1 hour less.
Winter: No jet lag.
Even in France hour in winter, and an hour less in summer.
1) Situation
a) General
In the hollow of the Gulf of Guinea, Cameroon is the junction between Central Africa and West Africa. Its location explains the variety of its landscapes, climates and populations which earned him the appellation of "Africa in miniature".
With an area of 475 000 square kilometres (France: 549 000), Cameroon is bordered to the north-west by Nigeria (1 720 km) north by Chad (1 122 km) to the east by the Central African Republic (822 km) south of the Congo (520 km), Gabon (298 km) and Equatorial Guinea (183 km). It has just west of an opening of 364 km over the Atlantic Ocean.
The country is composed of four main geographical regions:
. the coastal region, large one hundred kilometres north, is shrinking southward to form a low and sandy coast with a deep notch, the Bay of Douala. To the south of this city, the east coast area of mangrove (estuary of the Wouri) and, farther south, it is characterized by beautiful beaches.
. The central plateau, stretching from west to east. The plateau Adamawa (1 000 to 1 500 m) down a slope into the valley of the Sanaga, south and north collapsed suddenly on the basin of the Benue. A hilly region covered by equatorial forest extends south of Adamawa. Almost all rivers that criss-cross the Cameroon begin in Adamawa.
. The mountains of the west, will connect the central plateau by a vast area of ancient volcanoes (where Bamboutos Mountains, Manengouba culminate more than 2 000 metres): Bamiléké plateau, plateau Foumban, plateau Bamoun, massive Mandara. This region extends from the western Cameroon where Mount Cameroon rises to 4 094 m.
. The north-Cameroon, a vast region of plains and savannah (plain Garoua) hemmed north-west by mountains of volcanic type, is gradually place, heading north-east, the depression of Lake Chad. Two types of vegetation predominate: the savannah in the north, dense forests to the south.
b) Liaisons with France
6 000 km separate Cameroon from France. The flights are daily between France and Cameroon (duration 6 hours). From Paris, Air France and Cameroon Airlines (4 times a week) provide a service relayed by SN Brussels (via Brussels, 8 hours), Swiss Air (via Zurich, 8 hours) and KLM (via Amsterdam, 8 hours).
The rates range between 600 and 2 000 € according to the companies and seasons.
Flight schedules can be viewed on Minitel by 36.15, access code HORAV (1.29 FF TTC / min.) And on the Internet www.adp.fr
2) Population In 2002, the population of Cameroon was estimated at 15 million. Earth has always passage, the country is a mosaic of over two hundred ethnic groups, mostly Bantu, including Fang and Betis, Bamouns and Bamilékés, Sawas, Fulani (Foulbés) and Pygmies. The current migratory flows result in a general movement from rural to urban areas on one hand (the growth of urban population is 6.5% per annum), and a trend of emigration to Europe, particularly to France.
Population (in millions): 15
Density (people per sq km): 31
Increased natural population: 2.5
Fertility index: 5
Life expectancy (in years): 54
Urbanization (%): 48
3) Climate
Two major seasons rhythm climate:
a rainy season (April to November) and a dry season (November to April).
Temperatures:
Yaounde (centre): 17 ° (in July) to 30 degrees (in March)
Douala (Coastal): 22 ° (in July) to 31 ° (in February)
Garoua (north): 16 ° (in December) to 40 degrees (in April)
Rainfall:
Yaounde: 22 mm (in January) to 300 mm (in October)
Humidity: 20 to 92%
Douala: 50 mm (in December) to 300 mm (in September)
Humidity: 75 to 97%
Garoua: 0 mm (December-February) to 210 mm (August)
Humidity: 10 to 70%
In summary:
In Yaounde, sub-equatorial climate is slightly tempered by altitude, even low (750 m). There has been a long dry season (December-March) interrupted by rare rains, a small dry season (May-August) with some rain and thunderstorm great rainy season
(August-November). The average temperature is 24 degrees; hundred and fifty-three days of rain per year; differences in temperature between day and night can be significant.
A Douala, the climate is hot and humid. The average temperature is 26 degrees; humidity decreases somewhat when it moves away from the coast, the temperature at night is roughly the same as the temperature days, making air conditioners necessary (rather assécheurs humidity that reducing temperature) from November to June. Near the equator, night and day are substantially equivalent to Douala throughout the year with a sunset to eighteen hours.
4) Major Towns
a) Yaounde
The political and administrative capital, located in the centre of the country, with 1.5 million inhabitants. Located in a wooded area in agriculture (cocoa, bananas), Yaounde are some industries. The city is divided into three zones: residential, commercial and administrative matters. It is linked to Douala by road and rail.
b) Douala
Economic capital and main port on the estuary of the Wouri, 24 km from the sea, Douala concentrates 95% of maritime traffic in the country and had officially in 1998, 1.5 million people and probably more than 2 million today, hui. There are industries as diverse as aluminium production, food processing, textiles, wood processing. A 30 km from Douala as the crow flies, Mount Cameroon (4 000 m) is visible from the edges of the Wouri in clear weather, but it is usually hidden in the mists of altitude.
c) Garoua
Port on the Benue (main tributary of the left bank of the Niger) in the north. Prime economic hub of the "Great North", Garoua account 293 000 inhabitants and several industrial units (oil, brewery, textiles).
d) Bamenda
City of the west (north-west of Bafoussam): 252 000 inhabitants.
e) Kousseri
City 233 000 inhabitants on the banks of the Chari border with Chad, N'djamena face.
f) Maroua
Located in the Diamare plain at the foot of a chain advanced Mandara Mountains. This town of 225 000 inhabitants, close to the Waza National Park, home to one of the largest markets of Cameroon.
g) Other cities
Bafoussam: 200 km north-west of Yaounde. 205 000 inhabitants.
Ngaoundéré: 150 km south of Garoua, at an altitude of 1 100 metres. 156 000 inhabitants.
Foumban: 60 km east of Bafoussam, the capital of the Bamoun country is a tourism-oriented of 98 000 people |