Cameroon
Capital:
Yaounde
Official Language: English and French
Religions:
51% Traditional Beliefs, 33% Christian, 16% Muslim
Currency:
CFA Franc = 100 centimes
Placements:
United Action for
Children
Map
Background
Outside the swelling and modernised cities of Cameroon
(Cameroun), rainforests stretch from the Atlantic Ocean, giving way to savannah
and semi-desert in the north. Elephants and bongos congregate by the hundreds in
some of Africa's best wildlife parks, and beachcombers laze on long, isolated
beaches.
Special Events
Major events
Climate
Cameroon offers severe extremes in climate as the balmy
wetness of the coast and south give way to the arid heat of the north. The
coastal and southen regions of Cameroon are consistently humid and often rainy
during March to November, with temperatures hovering around 25-29°C (77-84°F)
most of the time.
Travel Info
Europe has the best air connections to Cameroon with
international airports in both Yaoundé and Douala. Travellers from North America
will have to connect in Europe or an African hub such as Dakar (Senegal) or
Lagos (Nigeria). The only rail connection is from the Central African Republic,
which puts you at Belabo, about 200km (124mi) north-east of Yaoundé. There's a
departure tax on international flights of around 15.00.
Bush taxis and minibuses are the
most common way of arriving by land. The most common border crossings for
vehicles are Mora from Chad, Mamfé from Nigeria, and Ambam from Gabon and
Equatorial Guinea.
Douala is a
popular port with European freighters, and there are boats making daily runs
between Oron, Nigeria, and Idenao, near Limbe, in Cameroon. The quickest and
most reliable are speedboats, which take about four hours.
Visas
All visitors need visas to enter Cameroon.
Safety
Terrorism
The threat from terrorism is low but you should be
aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be
against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners.
Crime
Incidents of mugging and banditry, often armed, are a
serious problem throughout Cameroon. You should take sensible personal security
precautions and maintain a high level of vigilance in public places. Do not
resist thieves: it is better to lose your property than your life. On 9 February
2006, a European victim died after resisting an attack.
There are regular reports of kidnapping, car
hijackings and robberies, often armed and accompanied by violent acts. These
have occurred most frequently along roads close to Cameroon’s eastern border
with Central African Republic (CAR), in Douala, Yaoundé, Kribi and Maroua as
well as on the Idea-Kribi road. British nationals have been affected. Armed
highwaymen operate in the three provinces of Adamaoua, the North, and the Far
North. You should plan your journey carefully and travel in convoy. There have
been a number of violent robberies by road blockers in the area north of Mount
Cameroon (on the Kumba-Ekondo Titi-Mundemba road).
There have been some serious incidents of car
hijacking and robbery, resulting in several deaths, along the Bamenda-Banyo axis
in the north west. A member of the High Commission staff was attacked and robbed
(along with others) near Foumban at midday in this region in December 2005.
There has also been a series of attacks along the Douala-Bafoussam Road,
especially in the region of Melong, during daylight hours. These roads are best
avoided.
There were more than twenty incidents of robbery and
three rapes committed against the European community in Douala in 2005. Close
and lock all doors and windows, including those above ground level, particularly
at night. Do not rely on height or fly screens for protection. Identify callers
through spy holes before opening doors, especially late at night.
You should avoid carrying valuables or wearing
jewellery in public and avoid isolated or poorer areas of towns (notably, in
Yaoundé, La Briquetterie and Mokolo). Petty theft is common on trains, coaches
and in bush taxis. You should take sensible precautions when using city taxis as
most do not comply with basic security norms, such as seatbelts. Violent
assaults on taxi passengers are not uncommon. You should avoid travelling alone
as far as possible, particularly after dark.
Political situation
There were student disturbances in Yaoundé, Douala and
Dschang in April/May 2005, and further disturbances in Yaoundé in
November/December 2005. In Buea these turned violent and three lives were lost.
The situation is now calmer but it is wise to remain alert in these towns and to
avoid any student gatherings or demonstrations.
You should avoid all political rallies, demonstrations
and large public gatherings.
Local Travel
We advise against all travel to the area bordering
Nigeria in the region of the Bakassi Peninsula. The territory is subject to a
dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon. The demarcation of the disputed border
continues. Tension in the area remains and localised skirmishes between Nigerian
and Cameroonian police and security personnel have occurred with little
warning.
We advise against all travel to the area bordering
CAR, where armed banditry and kidnappings for ransom are common. If you choose
to travel to this area, against our advice, you should consult the local
authorities for their assessment of the current situation immediately before
beginning your journey. You should be aware that the British High Commission’s
ability to assist you in the event of an incident may be constrained by the
prevailing situation.
We advise against all travel to the Belel area in
Adamaoua Province and along the Meiganga-Ngaoundere road due to cases of
banditry (including carjackings). Economic and political pressures with CAR have
driven refugees and combatants over the border into eastern Cameroon. Travel in
this area, especially the Garoua Boulai – Meiganga – Yarimbang/Yatiua triangle
has now become very dangerous. These problems spilt over into the Belel area
(east of Ngaoundre) during the last weekend in February 2006, when armed men,
believed to be operating out of CAR, took nine children and youths hostage.
Cameroon has moved additional security personnel to the area but the security
situation remains unclear. Indiscriminate armed robberies, kidnappings and car
hijackings are common.
You should exercise extreme care if travelling to the
north of Cameroon by road. The difficulties of the eastern route via
Garoua-Balai and Meiganga are explained in the paragraph above. The western
route requires travel along the Bamenda-Banyo axis (please see crime section
above). The central route via Yoko requires travel on very poorly maintained and
largely uninhabited roads and requires passage over a number of bridges in a
poor state of repair. There is no fuel on the route. If you must attempt this,
carry plenty of water and sufficient fuel to enable you to turn back if
necessary.
Visitors to the Lake Chad area in the Far North
Province should report to the local authorities (the Prefet or Sous-Prefet) on
arrival. The local authorities advise visitors to engage a reliable guide, such
as those offered by the larger hotels in Maroua.
The border with the Republic of Congo is closed.
Overland travel out of Cameroon can be difficult. Gendarmerie detachments are
posted along the road between Maroua and the Chadian border.
Roadblocks set up by the police or gendarmerie are
common throughout Cameroon. You may be asked to show your passport, driving
licence or vehicle registration documents. There are regular reports of
uniformed members of the security forces stopping motorists on the pretext of
minor or non-existent violations of local vehicle regulations in order to extort
small bribes. We recommend that you do not pay bribes. Where possible you should
request the officer to provide a ticket, detailing alleged offences of
violations that can be paid at a local court.
You should be cautious when travelling around the Nyos
and Monoun volcanic lakes in the west of Cameroon because of toxic fumes. The
lakes effused poisonous gasses in the 1980's killing many people in the
surrounding area. There were no warning signs that this would happen. The lakes
are being degassed but at a slow rate and the lakes could unexpectedly release
toxic fumes again at any time. You should take this into account when planning
trips to the region.
Road Safety
Roads in Cameroon are generally in poor condition.
Many are badly pot-holed, and street lighting, where it exists, is poor.
Pedestrians and stray animals on roads are a frequent hazard. Many vehicles are
poorly lit and badly driven.
We recommend you avoid driving at night in rural
areas, particularly on the Yaoundé-Douala trunk road, where accidents are
common. Exercise caution when driving at night in urban areas, including Yaoundé
and Douala, and lock your doors.
British driving licences and International Driving
Permits may be used on first arrival, but you should obtain a Cameroonian
licence as soon as possible after arrival. Holders of a British driving licence
can do this by filling in a form at the Delegation of Transport.
Air Safety
There are doubts about the reliability and safety of
some Cameroonian-registered aircraft operating flights within Cameroon. British
Government employees do not use internal flights in Cameroon unless this is
unavoidable. You should bear this in mind when making your travel plans.
Local Laws
and Customs
Homosexuality is not widely accepted in central
African society and some sexual acts between members of the same sex are
illegal.
Penalties for the use
and possession of drugs are severe and usually include a prison sentence.
You should carry identification at
all times (either a residence permit or a certified copy of your passport).
Failure to produce such identification can lead to detention by the police.
Photography of military sites,
government buildings airports and ports is forbidden.
Health
Cameroon experiences regular Cholera outbreaks,
particularly between the months of December and June. The areas most usually
affected are Douala city, Littoral province and the West and South West
provinces. There have also been cases in the capital, Yaoundé. Last season’s
outbreak infected over 1,400 people and 42 people died. Be careful of personal
hygiene and avoid food and drink from sources that you are unsure of.
We
strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance
before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers
you for the activities you want to undertake.
Medical facilities are
poor, particularly in rural areas. Emergency facilities are extremely limited.
For serious medical treatment, medical evacuation to the UK or South Africa
would be necessary. Malaria is endemic. Before travelling, you should take
medical advice on suitable anti-malarial medication, and during your stay in
Cameroon ensure that you take adequate precautions against being bitten by
mosquitoes. HIV/AIDS is also widespread and transmission may also occur through
sub-standard medical facilities. Water-borne diseases are also prevalent, and
you are advised to drink bottled water wherever possible.
You are advised
to take medical advice before travelling and ensure that all appropriate
vaccinations are up to date. For further information visit the Department of
Health’s website at www.dh.gov.uk, advice to travellers
or contact your GP.
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
In March
2006, the Pasteur Institute identified the H5NI (Avian Influenza) virus in a
domestic duck that came from a small poultry farm near to the northern town of
Maroua. The authorities are taking measures to contain the disease. No human
infections have been reported.
The risk from Avian Influenza is believed
to be very low provided you avoid visiting live animal markets, poultry farms
and other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, caged or
wild birds, and ensure that poultry and egg dishes are well cooked.
Injections required
Immunisations advised
Diptheria/Tetanus, Poliomyelitis, Hepatitis A, Typhoid,
Yellow fever
Immunisations that
maybe required
Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, Rabies,
Meningococcal
Malaria Yes
Reciprocal Health Care None.
