Population: 13, 341, 000

Area: 121,800 square miles

Language: French and English. French is the language of choice here. Do not expect everyone to understand your English.

Time: + 6 hours from New York

Electricity: 220 Volts AC

Geography: The country is bordered by NIgeria to the northwest, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic tot he east and the Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea to the south. The Atlantic Ocean is to the west. A chain of mountains runs along the border with Nigeria. Many of these are currently active volcanos. The center of the country is composed of high savannah.

International Airports

Douala - The airport is about 6 miles from the city. Taxi as are the best source of transport and takes about 15 minutes.

Yaounde - The airport is conveniently located 4 miles from the city. Busses and taxis are available. Transit time is 15 minutes.

Tipping: The locals do not do this and it is not expected. Staff in upscale restaurants have learned that American tip and you might find that leaving loose change is sufficient.

Shopping: Shops are open at 9 in the morning and close at 5:30 and sometimes later. Expect many shops to be closed at the lunch hours.

Food and Drink: Many restaurants carry menus with good food. In general the whole country is a good place to have a good meal even though the prices are somewhat steeper than on average in the region. In general the water is good. Soft drinks are plentiful and beer is inexpensive. Wine and hard liquor is imported and so is expensive.

Social: The country has been relative free from strife and so even though the citizenry is very mixed, everyone gets along. Although English is understood here, it is rarely spoken. You may find that some French will be a good language to brush up on before arriving. Although it will be a temptation in the heat to wear shorts, it is considered impolite to wear them in public.

Business: Business hours are 8:30 to 12:30 and 2 pm until 6 pm. Business suits are recommended. Most business transactions are conducted in French. English is often understood, but don't depend on it. Business cards in French are strongly recommended.

Tours

Yaounde - The Musee d'Art Cameroonais is a great little museum that should be on the top of anyone's list. The Musee National is home to a collection of primitive art that is quite interesting.

Bafoussam -This is a very crowded city that is known for pickpockets and purse snatchers. Be wary. The main attraction here is the Chief's Compound outside of town which is very impressive. The people speak no English here and would be wise that you do not due to internal political conflicts.

Bamenda - This is a friendly town which speaks English and very little French. It is a popular resort town in the highlands. The town has good handicrafts. About 15 miles from town is the village of Bafut which has an interesting palace built about 100 years ago.

Douala - This city is the largest city in the Cameroon and is the main industrial center as well. The architecture is a mixture of very new and colonial decay. It is a charming city that has the ambiance of a town which is about to emerge into its own. It has a tempo that is very up beat. If you are not here on business the only thing to do is to gaze upon the Palais du Roi de Douala because you can not go inside.

Foumban - The town is fairly near Bafoussam. There are old houses here which reflect the architecture of the late 1800s. The Palais Royal has an excellent museum of mementos of the last 100 years. Many items are one of a kind pieces which are marked very well but not in English. Also in town is the Musee des Arts which has free admission. A good time to be in Foumbanis at the end of Ramadan when the celebration is very colorful and worth the visit.

Garoua - This place has nothing of particular interest but that it is the commercial center of the northern part of the country.

Kribi - The main attraction here is the waterfall known as Chutes de la Lobe outside of town. The falls run off of a cliff into the sea and is quite impressive. There are also beaches in the area which are beautiful but are overlorded by thieves. Go only as a group during the day and absolutely never at night.

Limbe - The Botanical Gardens are quite good. They were part of the country's German past which has been well maintained. The town is a pleasant distraction from Douala which is not far away. It is an upscale town where many go to get away from the press of the city.

Maroula - This is the nicest town in the country. Its pace of life, architecture, scenery and natural wonders should not be missed. There is a market which takes place daily which has excellent leatherwork. There is also a museum in town which has artifacts from various villages from before the colonial times. In the area there are many fascinating village which are free to visit. Remember no pictures of the people unless you ask in advance!

N'Gaoundere - The main item of interest here is the unusual meeting of the elders of the town which occurs with ceremony every Friday and Sunday morning. Costumes included, the spectacle is one you won't forget. The whole thing takes place at the Palais du Lamido which is near the Grand Mosquee.

Waza National Park - This is a wonderful park which is open from mid-Novemeber until mid-June. There you can see gazelle, hippo, elephants, ostrich, giraffe, antelope and of course lots of birdlife. Lions are best seen in April.

Money and Banks

Banking: Banks usually open at 8:00 am and close by noon. There are no weekend hours.

Currency: Central African Franc (CFA)

Money Exchange: Best at banks

Credit cards: Bad place for credit cards. They are only accepted at the airport and perhaps at some travel agencies. They are not accepted at hotels, restaurants etc.

Climate

The country is divided in to weather regions consisting of the region north and northwest of the capital city of Doala and the region south of Douala. The area above Douala and close to the Nigerian border is mountainous and much cooler due to the altitude. South of the capital is lowland area which is tropical and very wet. The northwest of the country close to the border of Nigeria is mountainous and due to the higher altitude is much cooler. The northeast and east of the Cameroon is near desert conditions and lower in altitude, hence it is hot and dry.