Travel the World - Cameroon

I started a 50-week series in 2019 that I called Travel the World. Each week of the series I visited a randomly-selected country, sharing bits of information about that country. I then chose one tidbit of information about that week's country as inspiration for a card. As I explored those 50 countries in 2019, I knew I would continue on until I've visited every one of the 195 countries in the world. By the end of 2021, I'd virtually traveled to 145 countries and plan to complete my journey to all 195 countries by visiting the last 50 this year.

This week's country is...

Cameroon

Cameroon is one of the 54 countries on the continent of Africa.

Its neighbors are Nigeria to the west and north, the Central Africa Republic to the East, Chad to the northeast, and Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Congo to the south. Cameron also lies along the Atlantic Ocean, the Bight of Biafra, and part of the Gulf of Guinea.

Cameroon is a Portuguese word meaning River of Pawn.

In area, Cameroon is twice the size of Oregon.

Cameroon has different climates throughout the country, with the northern region being a desert plain, mountains in the middle and rain forest in the southern region of the country.

The official languages spoken in Cameroon are French and English because Cameroon was colonized by France and Britain. However, there are still up to 230 other languages that are spoken there.

Cameroon is a central African country. Other central African countries are Angola, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, São Tomé and Príncipe.

The country has 250 miles of coastline.

Douala beaches in Cameroon are unique in the world for their chocolate-colored sand which comes from volcanic rock.

Cameroon has one of three waterfalls in Africa that empties directly into the ocean. The Chute de La Lobé, also named the Lobé Waterfalls, is in the beach town of Kribi, and it flows into the sea. These falls are of great significance to the locals and is also a well-known tourist attraction for people visiting.

Sanaga River is the longest river in Cameroon. However, it is not navigable.

Lake Chad – once one of the world’s largest lakes – sits on the border of Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and Nigeria. The lake has shrunk by 90% since the 1960s due to climate change, population increase and unregulated irrigation.

Cameroon is home to Africa's oldest forest. The Korop National Part Forest is 60 million years old, making it the oldest remaining forest in Africa. It’s located in the southwestern province, near the Nigerian border. There are an estimated 4509 herbs, 600 tree species and shrubs growing in the first. 

The forest is home to more than 100 species of mammals, 435 bird species, 170 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 140 kinds of fish. This includes several species of primates such as chimpanzee, red-capped mangabey, red-eared monkey, red colobus monkey, baboons and the endangered drill among others. Other mammals in the park include leopards, duikers, buffalos and elephants. Many of the species are under extinction and are threatened by poaching and other human activities.

The rain forests in the south of Cameroon are home to screaming red and green monkeys, chimpanzees, and gorillas, as well as rodents, bats, and a great diversity of birds—from tiny sunbirds to giant hawks and eagles.

A few elephants can be found in the forest and in the grassy woodlands, where baboons and several types of antelope are the most common animals.

Cameroon is home to the highest peak in the sub-Saharan and central Africa. Mount Cameroon is 14,435 feet high and extends 14 miles from the Gulf of Guinea inland. It covers 14 miles inland and forms a boundary between Nigeria and Northern Cameroon. 

Mount Cameroun is among the largest volcanoes in Africa. It is still active with the last eruption occurring in 2012.

Tragically, in 1986, poisonous gas was discharged from Lake Nyos killing around 1,800 people and 3,500 livestock as well as innumerable birds and insects. Carbon dioxide from a pocket of volcanic magma below the Earth’s crust slowly accumulates on the bottom of the lake before eventually discharging. Scientists have now installed pipes to safely vent the gas.

The world’s rarest great ape, the Cross-River gorilla, lives in a few of the forests in Cameroon. This ape was unknown to science till the early 20th century. 

Waza National Park is probably the most visited park in Cameroon, permitting guests to see lions, hippopotamuses, monkeys, giraffes, buffalo, elephants, and more.

In Cameroon, you’ll have the opportunity to see all the variety of flora and fauna available in tropical Africa. 

The country is home to over 409 species of mammals and 165 species of birds.

The world’s largest frog can be found in Cameroon. The goliath frog (Conraua goliath) can grow up to 13 inches long, weigh over 7 pounds and builds their own ponds using heavy rocks.

The Waza National Park in Cameroon is one of the most visited places in the country.

Cameroon is one of the wettest countries in the world.

Subsistence farming plays a vital role in the life of poor Cameroonians.

Cameroon is known for its coffee, cotton, bananas, oilseeds and cocoa.

In 2010, Cameroon earned $600 million just from exporting cocoa around the world. In fact, it's the world's sixth biggest producer of cocoa beans.

Cameroon also exports timber, tea, peanuts, rubber, cotton, coffee and bananas.

Cameroon has the second most successful African football team after Egypt. They have won the Africa Cup of Nations championship five times and have been runners up twice.

Food in Cameroon is generally bland and starchy. They are eaten with spicy sauces.

One of the core parts of Cameroonian culture is music and dance. There are choreographed dances to accompany all the festivals, ceremonies and gatherings, ranging from entertainment only to religious rituals.

Cameroon has fewer than 2 doctors for every 10,000 people

The average minimum wage of a Cameroonian is $44 per month. About 50% of the inhabitants of Cameroon makes lower than $2 per day.

My inspiration for this week's card is based on this fact about Cameroon... The lion is the national animal in Cameroon.

Here is the inside:

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp Set: Inky Antics BaZooples 1 stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Paper: Accent Opaque 120# White and SU Wild Wasabi CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: MFT Stitched Tag-Corner Rectangles, Pink & Main Stitched Arches, and Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics

Embellishments: Kat Scrappiness Aquamarine Glass Bubbles Mix