Home

Cameroons

Cameroons is a historic term for the Central African region that includes the former German colony of Kamerun and the territories partitioned after World War I. It is located along the Gulf of Guinea, bordering Nigeria to the west, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of the Congo to the south and west.

In 1884, Germany established Kamerun as a colonial territory. During World War I, Allied forces occupied the

French Cameroon achieved independence in 1960 as the Republic of Cameroon. In 1961, following plebiscites, Southern

Today, the term Cameroons is primarily encountered in historical contexts. The modern nation is officially known

area,
and
after
the
war
the
League
of
Nations
mandated
its
division
into
French
Cameroon
(administered
by
France
as
Cameroun)
and
British
Cameroons
(comprising
Northern
Cameroons
and
Southern
Cameroons
under
British
administration).
Cameroons
joined
Cameroon,
while
Northern
Cameroons
joined
Nigeria.
The
country
operated
as
a
federal
state
from
1961
to
1972;
in
1972
a
referendum
established
a
unitary
state
and
the
country
was
renamed
the
United
Republic
of
Cameroon.
In
1984
the
name
was
shortened
to
the
Republic
of
Cameroon.
as
Cameroon.