YAOUNDé

'Yaoundé', (), is the capital city of Cameroon and second largest city in the country after Douala. It lies in the centre of the nation at about 750 metres above sea level.

Contents

History

Economy

Places of interest

Transportation

Markets

Sports

Education

References

External links

History

Yaoundé was founded in 1888 by German traders as a base for the ivory trade and an agricultural research station. It was occupied by Belgian troops during World War I and, following the war, became the capital of French Cameroon. It has continued as the capital of the Republic of Cameroon until the present day.

Economy

Major industries in Yaoundé include cigarettes, dairy products, breweries, clay, glass goods, and lumber. Yaoundé is a regional distribution center for coffee, cacao, copra, sugar cane, and rubber.

Places of interest

The city centre houses government offices, some large (and expensive) hotels, and the central market. The exclusive Bastos neighbourhood is home to foreign embassies, a large expatriate European community (drawn mainly from the diplomatic corps), and luxury houses belonging to the very wealthiest of Cameroonians. The presidential palace and compound is in the Etoudi neighborhood.
Also found in Yaoundé are the Cameroon Art Museum (located in a former Benedictine monastery), the Cameroon National Museum (located in the former presidential palace), and the Afhemi Museum. There is a small zoo in the Mvog-Betsi neighbourhood.
Yaoundé has an assortment of nightclubs and restaurants. The city also boasts some unusual and surprisingly modern architecture, particularly with regards to many of the government ministries.

Transportation

Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport is a major civilian hub, while nearby Yaoundé Airport is used by the military. Railway lines run south to the port city of Douala and north to N'Gaoundéré. Many bus companies operate from the city, particularly in the Nsam and Mvan neighborhoods. Frequent express buses run along the unusually well-maintained motorway between Yaoundé and Douala. Traffic in the city can be heavy.

Markets

Mokolo is among the biggest of the numerous markets in the city. There is also a large supermarket ("Score") situated in the city centre.

Sports

The national football (soccer) team plays frequent matches in the Ahmadou Ahidjo (or Omnisport) stadium.

Education

Yaoundé is the site of several universities, including the University of Yaoundé I, University of Yaoundé II (on a campus outside of town), and the Catholic University for Central Africa (UCAC).

References

External links

★ Rail Map (red dots)

★ Image of Yaoundé from Google Earth