Cameroon, located on the Gulf of Guinea, is a Central African country with varied relief and fauna. Despite its richness on the green plant, landscapes, and culture, there some amazing facts about this country
Its inland capital, Yaoundé, and its largest city, the seaport of Douala, are transit points to ecotourism sites as well as seaside resorts such as Kribi. Below are some overviews of amazing facts about Cameroon.
1. It’s the only country in the world named after a crustacean. The name Cameroon comes from “Camarões”, the Portuguese word for shrimp. In 1472, Fernando Po, a Portuguese explorer who sailed on the Wouri River, was amazed by the amount of shrimp it contained. He later called it “Rio dos Camarões” – “River of Shrimp”.
2. Cameroon is nicknamed “Africa in Miniature”. This is due to the diversity of landscapes and climates that represent each of the main climatic zones of Africa.
3. The most abundant species of frog in the world is found in Cameroon. The Goliath frog can weigh up to 3.25 kg and can reach 33cm from snout to vent.
4. Cameroon is the 8th most linguistically diverse country in the world and has a linguistic diversity index of 0.942, according to UNESCO. The country has two official languages (French and English) but also has at least 250 other languages.
5. Cameroon is the 6th most ethnically diverse country in the world, with about 250 ethnic groups.
6. The oldest non-royal national leader in the world is Paul Biya, the current president of Cameroon. He served as Prime Minister from 1975 to 1982. He is currently President of the Republic of Cameroon, a position he has held since 1982.
7. Cameroon was the first African country to reach the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup in 1990. Football is the most popular sport here, and Cameroonians are proud of this achievement. The men’s national team is known as the “Indomitable Lions of Cameroon”. They have won Olympic Gold in 2000 and 5 Africa Cup of Nations (the last one in 2017).
8. Joel Embiid, aka “The Process”, a professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers, is originally from Cameroon. And Luc Mbah a Moute, another NBA player, and Pascal Siakam.
9. Samuel Eto’o Fils, a former professional football player, is a Cameroonian. He has won the UEFA Champions League three times (with FC Barcelona and Inter Milan) and the Africa Cup of Nations twice (among other achievements). He is considered one of the greatest African players of all time.
10. A footballer, Roger Milla, a Cameroonian, was the oldest player to ever score a goal in the world cup. Roger Milla may not be very popular with the younger generation, but I can assure you that he is considered one of the best Cameroonian players of all time by those who have watched him play.
11. Last Amazing facts about Cameroon. During the Great Depression, colonial subjects in Cameroon heard tales of starving people in America. They raised money and sent $3.77 to the mayor of New York City in relief.
