Cameroon — books & literature

The story of Cameroon

Cameroon's coast was named by 15th-century Portuguese sailors, who called the Wouri River estuary "Rio dos Camarões" (River of Prawns) after its abundant shrimp , the root of the country's name. Long before European contact, the region was home to kingdoms and chiefdoms such as the Sao civilization near Lake Chad and the Bamum and Bamileke kingdoms of the western highlands, alongside Fulani emirates in the north. Germany established the protectorate of Kamerun in 1884, building railways and plantations before losing the territory after World War I. The League of Nations then split it into French Cameroun and British Cameroons, administered separately for four decades. French Cameroun gained independence on 1 January 1960 under President Ahmadou Ahidjo, and in 1961 the southern part of British Cameroons voted to join, forming a federal republic that later became a unitary state in 1972. Paul Biya, in power since 1982, is now one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world. Known as "Africa in Miniature" for packing rainforest, savanna, mountains, and coastline into one country, Cameroon today balances deep ethnic and linguistic diversity, a French-English bilingual identity, and, since 2017, tension in its Anglophone regions, while remaining a cultural and footballing powerhouse on the continent.

Timeline — key moments

1. circa 1472

   Portuguese sailors reach the Wouri estuary and name it "Rio dos Camarões", the origin of the country's name.

2. 1884

   Germany establishes the protectorate of Kamerun.

3. 1916

   Germany is defeated in Cameroon during World War I; the territory is later split into French and British mandates.

4. 1960

   French Cameroun gains independence (1 January) as the Republic of Cameroon under President Ahmadou Ahidjo.

5. 1961

   Southern British Cameroons votes to join, forming the Federal Republic of Cameroon.

6. 1972

   The federation is abolished; the country becomes the United Republic of Cameroon.

7. 1982

   Paul Biya becomes president after Ahmadou Ahidjo resigns.

8. 1990

   The Indomitable Lions become the first African team to reach a FIFA World Cup quarter-final.

9. 2017-present

   Anglophone crisis emerges in the Northwest and Southwest regions over language and governance.

Top 10 things to know about Cameroon

1. Nicknamed "Africa in Miniature" for packing rainforest, savanna, mountains, and coast into one country.
2. Mount Cameroon, an active volcano near Buea, is the highest peak in West and Central Africa at roughly 4,040 m.
3. Over 250 native languages are spoken, alongside official French and English.
4. The country's name comes from the Portuguese "Rio dos Camarões" (River of Prawns), named for the Wouri estuary's shrimp.
5. The Indomitable Lions were the first African team to reach a World Cup quarter-final, in 1990.
6. The Dja Faunal Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of Africa's largest and best-protected rainforests.
7. Cameroon was ruled by Germany, then jointly administered by France and Britain, before independence in 1960.
8. The goliath frog, the world's largest frog species, lives in Cameroon's rivers.
9. Yaoundé is the political capital; Douala is the largest city and the main port and economic hub.
10. Cameroonian cuisine centres on dishes like ndolé (bitterleaf stew), plantains, and cassava.

Famous people from Cameroon

Say it in Cameroon's language

Did you know?

• ★The country's name comes from the Portuguese word for shrimp, after 15th-century explorers found the Wouri estuary teeming with prawns.
• ★One of the wettest places on Earth sits on the slopes of Mount Cameroon, one of Africa's most active volcanoes.
• ★Cameroon's Indomitable Lions were the first African football team to reach a FIFA World Cup quarter-final, in 1990.

Cameroon culture

• Ndolé, a stew of bitterleaf, groundnuts, and fish or meat, is widely considered the national dish.
• Makossa and bikutsi are two of Cameroon's signature music genres, carried internationally by artists like Manu Dibango.
• More than 250 ethnic groups and languages make Cameroon one of the most culturally diverse nations in Africa.
• Traditional chieftaincies (fons and lamibe) still hold ceremonial and social authority in many regions alongside the modern state.

Why read Cameroon's books

Cameroon's literature grew out of the anti-colonial novel, with writers like Mongo Beti and Ferdinand Oyono giving voice to a generation confronting French rule , a tradition that still shapes the country's books today.