| Cameroon ((in)Cameroon) | |
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| Flag | |
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| Information | |
| Capital city | Yaounde |
|---|---|
| Area | 475 440 km² |
| Population | 18 467 692 hab. (2008) |
| Density | 38,84 inhab./km² |
| Form of State | Republic |
| Official languages | French English |
| Other languages | African languages |
| Change | CFA franc (XAF) |
| Telephone prefix | 237 |
| Internet suffix | .cm |
| Flow direction | Right-hand drive |
| Spindle | UTC 1 |
| Location | |
 6 ° 58 ′ 12 ″ N 13 ° 5 ′ 45 ″ E | |
| Government site | |
| Touristic site | |
The Cameroon is a country ofcentral Africa, frontier of Nigeria, of Chad, of the Central African Republic, of Congo, of Gabon and some Equatorial Guinea.
Although Cameroon is not the largest country in Africa, in a way it is as big as Africa itself. With its nickname of "Africa in miniature" it presents French-speaking and English-speaking regions, regions with a Muslim or Christian majority, the highest mountains of West Africa and landscapes of forests, desert plains, mountains. and highlands.
Understand
Cameroon is made up of 250 to 300 different ethnic groups, which leads to great diversity in culture and behavior.
Regions
 Regions of Cameroon |
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Cities
- 1 Yaounde – the capital of the country and capital of the Central Region
- 2 Douala – the largest city, economic capital and capital of the Littoral Region
- 3 Bafoussam – capital of the Western Region
- 4 Garoua – capital of the Northern Region
- 5 Maroua – capital of the Far North Region
- 6 Ngaoundere – capital of the Adamaoua Region
- 7 Bamenda – capital of the Northwest Region
- 8 Buea – capital of the South-West Region
- 9 Ebolowa – capital of the Southern Region
- 10 Bertoua – capital of the Eastern Region
- 11 Kribi – Coastal town, particularly known for its beautiful white sand beaches and its hotels by the sea. Very popular tourist site and very pleasant to visit. Also visit the falls of the "Lobé" river in 8 km south of Kribi.
- 12 Limbe
- 13 Nkongsamba
- 14 Edea – Coastal city, generally called the industrial capital of Cameroon with the presence of large industries such as Alucam, Aes-Sonel, Socapalm and others. Edéa is also the capital of the department of Sanaga-Maritime.
- 15 Dschang
- 16 Foumban
Other destinations
- See as well: World Heritage in Cameroon
To go
Formalities
In order to obtain entry into Cameroonian territory, a visa application is necessary from the consular services of the Cameroonian embassy in your country of residence.
For this, for any type of visa, you must bring:
- a passport valid for at least 6 months;
- 2 identical and recent identity photos (4 x 4). Scanned photos and photocopies are not accepted;
- stamp fees, the amount of which varies depending on the type of visa requested, either 115 € for transit visas (validity 1 to 5 days), tourism (validity 1 to 30 days) and temporary (validity 1 to 90 days), or 230 € for long-stay visas (validity of 3 to 6 months). This sum must be paid in cash at the counter of the Consulate General (payments by check or credit card are not accepted);
- a plane ticket or a return ticket, or a customs pass.
Additional documents may be required depending on the type of visa requested (check with Cameroonian diplomatic representations).
Nationals of Nigeria, as well as those of the member countries of the CEMAC as the Gabon, the Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo and the Chad, are exempt from visas if they stay in Cameroon for at least 90 days.
The files received are processed within 72 h working days, from the date of filing. However, visa applications in the "express" formula are processed within 2 to 16 h after receipt of the complete files, with 10 € additional costs.
- The submission of visa applications must be made from Monday to Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- After acceptance, visa withdrawals can be made from Monday to Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Parental authorization, accompanied by the parents' identity documents, is required for any request concerning a minor child traveling alone, with one of the parents or accompanied.
Vaccination against yellow fever is compulsory for entry into Cameroonian territory. Preventive anti-malaria treatment is also strongly recommended.
By plane
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Companies that serve Cameroon with regular flights: Camair-Co, Air France, Asky, Brussels Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, RwandAir, Air Côte d'Ivoire.
When making your reservation, do not hesitate to ask your agency about flights to Douala (or even Garoua), even if you plan to start your trip in Yaoundé (and vice versa). Any additional transport and hotel costs will be more than offset by savings that can easily reach 200 or 300 €.
On a boat
By train
Currently there is no international train line to come to Cameroon. However, the extension of the trans-Cameroonian to Chad is under consideration.
By bus
By car
Circulate
On a boat
By plane
By train
The train generally runs well, but delays are frequent, and derailments are not uncommon. Rather, inquire twice about booking tickets and the actual departure time of the trains. Ticket reservation Yaounde - Ngaoundere (night train, berths, 1st class, 2nd class) is quite restrictive: a pre-reservation 72 h in advance (with payment of part of the ticket), collection of tickets on the morning of the trip (with payment of the supplement) and departure in the evening (for Yaoundé 18 h 20). The Yaoundé - Ngaoundéré trip is therefore done at night. It is an economical alternative to the plane. First-class travelers have the choice of a two-berth cabin, four-berth cabin or a seat. A cabin allows most travelers to sleep better and thus reduce the perceived duration of the journey. Another significant advantage is that the traveler can close the door of his cabin and thus prevent the risk of theft.
Water reserves are useful: running water failures are frequent in cars. But specialty companies such as MTA have food and drinks for sale.
The Camrail is now owned by Bollore, which grows freight and negotiates passenger transport with the help of government and donors.
By bus
Means widely used by Cameroonians for major trips. Troubling, because of the overcrowding, the overload, and the sometimes random state of the vehicles.
In large cities, an entire neighborhood is often devoted to rental agencies. Most of them work in cooperatives, the owner of a vehicle making it available to the agency for a flat rate, including maintenance costs and administration costs, the price paid by the passenger coming back to him. almost entirely.
If you have the means and depending on the regions you want to travel, renting a small bus and its two drivers can be worth it: it's often cheaper than renting a personal car. Example: 450 000 XAF for 9 days of walking. For two families, for example, it can be interesting. If you are going through parks, and if you plan to stop at a camp in the middle of the bush, find out in advance how to accommodate the drivers.
By car
If you are considering tourism in the capital Yaoundé, the most used means of transport is the taxi. In Cameroon, unlike many countries, it is public transport. The fare is in fact negotiated with the "taximan" (hear the taxi driver, as they are called) depending on the distance to be traveled, but you cannot offer less than 250 XAF. But for foreigners in tourism, it would be advisable to take a taxi "in the race" (you indicate to him places of the city and he will show you around them). You negotiate the price of the trip with the taxi driver and off you go! Of course, this mode of travel costs more; depending on the distances and the duration of the journey, this may vary from 5 000 XAF at 10 000 XAF, see more.
If you rent or own a vehicle, for a European, a North American or a Maghreb, driving a car in Cameroon can be an adventure in itself. If you are used to driving on flat roads, know that in Yaoundé, called the city of Seven Hills, the roads perfectly follow the shapes of the hills! In other words, you will find yourself walking up and down slopes very often. AT Douala for example, there is often no signage, even when two major boulevards intersect. Everyone uses their horn in the middle of motorcycles, pedestrians and other cars. On main roads, you can expect damaged pavement and signage giving no idea which way to go. Secondary roads are often dirt or sand, and they quickly become impassable during the rainy season.
Going from the south to the north of the country (for example from Yaoundé to N'Gaoundéré) is not recommended, even in a 4x4 truck. The state of the roads makes the journey very long, and the risks of meeting brigands are too high. This distance is best covered by train or plane.
In the north and far north of the country, some agencies offer the rental of a 4x4 truck with driver.
Speak
French is widely spoken (almost everywhere). TheEnglish is however predominant in the west of the country. If you go to the north of the country, French is spoken quite fluently there, but it is highly recommended to be accompanied by someone who speaks Foufouldé (a language widely used in the north of the country). The main thing is to take the time to talk (about the heat, where you come from, where you are going) with everyone, and especially with the gendarmes if they stop you on the side of the road for a while. ride (simple routine check). Asking a gendarme from which region he comes from is almost guaranteed to attract his sympathy!
Anglophones being a minority, they always appreciate being spoken to in their language, even if they understand and speak French very often.
Buy
Change
Countries using the CFA franc: 
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The official currency of the countries forming the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) is the CFA franc. The issuing institution is the Bank of Central African States (BEAC).
The CFA franc is written for short in FCFA or F CFA, and its ISO code is XAF. The CFA franc exchange rate was 1 XAF = 0,01 FRF which gives a fixed parity with the euro of 1 € = 655,957 XAF but banks and exchange bureaus may charge a commission on the transaction.
The member countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union use another CFA franc whose code is XOF.
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Purchases
The vast majority of things are bought after bargaining. But be aware that even after years spent in Cameroon, you may still pay 3 times the normal price without realizing it. Do not hesitate to haggle for a long time, this creates conviviality if the seller loses he will not sell, unless there is an imperative need for money.
Remember to ask for "the gift" at the end of your negotiation.
Prices are very rarely displayed (except in restaurants), and when they are, it is generally possible to haggle.
However, do not go and negotiate the price of "Lotus" (handkerchiefs that are sold to you in the street), or even donuts for which the prices are standardized, without being displayed.
Eat
Have a drink / Go out
Cameroonians like to get together for a drink, so it's relatively easy to find somewhere to drink.
The most consumed drink is beer which can cost 500 XAF in a neighborhood bar, until 1 500 XAF in a cabaret or even several thousand CFA francs in a trendy nightclub.
The most popular beers in Cameroon are those produced by:
- Brasseries du Cameroun: 33 Export, Castel Beer, Amstel Beer, Beaufort light, Mutzig, Isenbeck, Tuborg ... whose average price is 700 XAF
- Guinness: Guinness (large and small), Guinness Smooth, Smirnoff Ice, Pilsner, Gordon Spark ... whose average price is 700 XAF
Be careful, beer bottles are still 66 cl, which requires some practice, unless you share with someone else. But you can also easily find sodas in various colors called "Top" (Pineapple, Lemon, Grenadine, Grapefruit ...). For your drink to be cold, ask for the "ice cream".
Housing
If you decide to go to Yaoundé, you will find very attractive hotels there. In particular the "Hilton hotel", the "Djeuga palace", the hotel "Franco", or the hotel"Merina". These are all located around downtown Yaoundé. There are of course many others (Hotel"Pyramid", ...). If, however, you want to get away from it all, the hotel"Mount Febe"will be perfect for you, because located on the sides of the mountain"Febe"on the edge of the city center. Note that almost all hotels have swimming pools.
The city of Douala also has many very pleasant hotels. We can cite "Le Méridien Hotel", the hotel "Tropicana Arcade", the "Minotel", the hotel "Aquarius", the hotel "Sawa", l"Akwa Palace", and many others. These hotels are generally, as in Yaoundé, equipped with swimming pools.
Learn
Yaoundé secondary schools:
- Victor Hugo Institute
- Vogt College
- Yaoundé Bilingual High School
- Bonabéri Multipurpose High School
To work
Hours
Monday to Friday from 7 h 30 - 15 h 30. However, the shops remain open until 18 h even on Saturdays.
- Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training
- Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization
- Ministry of Tourism
security
 | Emergency telephone number: Police :17 Ambulance:119 Firefighter :18 |
Pay attention to your luggage, especially around train stations and airports.
- The highways (paved roads and bush tracks) in the provinces of Adamaoua (Ngaoudere) in the North (Garoua), and in the Far North are dangerous due to periodic attacks by armed bands (coupeurs de route ), at night but also, recently, during the day.
- Travel to the Bakassi Peninsula region, which is the subject of a still unresolved dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon, is strongly advised against, resulting in a climate of tension and the risk of clashes.
- Since the kidnapping of the French Moulin-Fournier family with their four children, the by Nigerian terrorists of the Islamist movement Boko Haram, the French Embassy in Yaoundé is formally advised against getting closer to 30 km from the Nigerian border along its entire length, from the far north (Lake Chad) to the coastal regions (Bakassi).
- It is strongly advised to avoid the border area with the Central African Republic and Chad, where attacks by armed gangs are particularly to be feared (the Bertoua-Ngaoundere area is currently the most affected by this phenomenon).
- It is also advisable to avoid visiting the Ekom Falls (near Bafang in the southwest of the country), near which hooded bandits armed with hunting rifles and machetes have recently and repeatedly assaulted and robbed. French tourists.
- In general, hunters who are going to North Cameroon are strongly recommended to contact the French Consulate in Garoua to make themselves known and to get information before deciding on an itinerary.
Government travel advice
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Belgium (Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) 
Canada (Government of Canada) 
France (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) 
Swiss (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs)
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Health
The major risk is represented by malaria throughout the territory. Taking preventive drugs must be accompanied by drastic protective measures against mosquito bites, vectors of the disease (repellent creams, long clothing in the evening, mosquito nets for sleeping, etc.).
Vaccination against yellow fever is the only one compulsory to enter the territory, but we can also advise meningitis and hepatitis B. It is not recommended to bathe in still water because of possible cases of bilharzia. Cities like Yaoundé or Douala are well endowed with care structures, which is far from being the case in the north. Repatriation insurance can be a good precaution.
Respect
Politics
As in many African countries, you should as much as possible avoid public speaking about the president or the government. This is often not well received, especially by the police and the military.
Religion and Tradition
Religion is important in Cameroon. If you happen to see people praying, even in a public place, don't stare at them.
Communicate
Phone
International code (TEL / FAX): 237, the nine digits of local dialing.
Local telephone operators: Orange Cameroon , MTN Cameroon and Nexttel Cameroon for mobile telephony; Camtel for fixed telephony.
If you want to make regular calls (internal or external calls) to Cameroon during your stay, you should first check with your telephone operator about international rates. Alternatively, you can also buy a cell phone in Cameroon (the cheapest you can find won't cost more than 10 000 XAFor even less). Indeed, the credit card recharge system is very widespread there and it could prove to be less costly for you.
Note that all these operators offer internet solutions that you can negotiate with them depending on the length of your stay.
Manage the day-to-day
Electricity
Current at 220 V, sockets identical to European standards.
Time zone
In winter, no time difference compared to France. In summer, one hour less than the hour in France. Time zone: GMT 1
