History of Cameroon in Timeline

Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a Central African country bordering Nigeria, Chad, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo. It has a coastline on the Bight of Biafra. Situated at the crossroads of West and Central Africa, Cameroon has a population of around 31 million who speak roughly 250 native languages, alongside English and French. Yaoundé is the capital city.

1913: Anglo-German Agreement

The Anglo-German Agreement of 1913 was cited in the 2002 ICJ ruling as the basis for granting sovereignty of the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon.

1919: Division of Kamerun

In 1919, with the defeat of Germany in World War I, Kamerun became a League of Nations mandate territory and was split into French Cameroon (French: Cameroun) and British Cameroon.

1932: First protected reserves

In 1932, the first protected reserves in Cameroon, Mozogo Gokoro Reserve and Bénoué Reserve, were created in the northern region under colonial administration.

March 1934: Establishment of Waza Reserve

On 24 March 1934, the Waza Reserve was established in Cameroon as part of the country's efforts to preserve wildlife.

1946: Conversion to United Nations Trusteeships

In 1946, the League of Nations mandates were converted into United Nations Trusteeships, raising the question of independence in French Cameroon.

July 1955: Outlawing of the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon

On 13 July 1955, France outlawed the pro-independence political party, the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon (UPC), leading to a guerrilla war.

January 1960: Independence of French Cameroun

On 1 January 1960, French Cameroun gained independence from France under President Ahmadou Ahidjo as the Republic of Cameroon.

1960: Independence of French-administered Cameroon

In 1960, the French-administered part of Cameroon gained independence as the Republic of Cameroun, led by President Ahmadou Ahidjo.

1960: Military support post-independence

Since independence in 1960, the military has been crucial in supporting Cameroon's authoritarian government.

October 1961: Independence of British Southern Cameroons

On 1 October 1961, the formerly British Southern Cameroons gained independence from the United Kingdom by vote of the UN General Assembly and merged into the Republic of Cameroon to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon.

1961: Federation of Southern British Cameroons

In 1961, the southern part of British Cameroons federated with the Republic of Cameroun to establish the Federal Republic of Cameroon.

September 1966: CNU becomes sole legal political party

On 1 September 1966, the Cameroon National Union (CNU), Ahidjo's political party, became the sole legal political party.

January 1971: End of national liberation insurgency

In January 1971, the national liberation insurgency between the French Armed Forces and the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon (UPC) came to an end.

1971: Concentration of power in the presidency

In 1971, Ahidjo used the ongoing war with the UPC to concentrate power in the presidency.

May 1972: Referendum to abolish federal system

On 20 May 1972, a referendum was passed to abolish the federal system of government in favor of a United Republic of Cameroon.

1972: Abandonment of the federation

In 1972, the federation was abandoned, and the country was renamed the United Republic of Cameroon.

May 1975: National flag change

On 20 May 1975, the national flag was changed with the two stars removed and replaced with a large central star as a symbol of national unity.

1975: Biya becomes prime minister

In 1975, Paul Biya previously held office as prime minister.

November 1982: Ahidjo steps down

On 4 November 1982, Ahidjo stepped down and left power to his constitutional successor, Paul Biya.

1982: FIFA World Cup success

In 1982, Cameroon's national football team had a strong showing in the FIFA World Cup.

1982: Biya becomes president

In 1982, Paul Biya became the president of Cameroon following the resignation of Ahmadou Ahidjo.

1984: Country renamed to Republic of Cameroon

In 1984, the country was renamed back to the Republic of Cameroon by a presidential decree issued by President Paul Biya.

August 1986: Lake Nyos disaster

On 21 August 1986, Lake Nyos belched carbon dioxide, killing between 1,700 and 2,000 people.

1986: Petroleum exploitation decline

Petroleum exploitation in Cameroon has fallen since 1986, but it remains a substantial sector that significantly affects the economy.

1987: Dja Faunal Reserve inscribed as World Heritage Site

In 1987, Dja Faunal Reserve, Cameroon's first World Heritage Site, was inscribed on the list by UNESCO.

December 1990: Reintroduction of multi-party politics

In December 1990, with the reintroduction of multi-party politics, former British Southern Cameroons pressure groups called for greater autonomy.

December 1990: Multi-party system introduced

President Biya's Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM) was the only legal political party until December 1990. Numerous regional political groups have since formed.

1990: Forest cover decline

In 1990, Cameroon's forest cover was 22,500,000 hectares (ha), declining to 20,340,480 hectares (ha) in 2020.

1990: FIFA World Cup success

In 1990, Cameroon's national football team had another strong showing in the FIFA World Cup.

1992: Labour Code of Cameroon

The 1992 Labour Code of Cameroon gives workers the freedom to belong to a trade union or not to belong to any trade union at all.

1994: Cameroon petitioned ICJ

In 1994, Cameroon petitioned the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to resolve the dispute with Nigeria over the sovereignty of the Bakassi peninsula.

1996: Attempted cease-fire

In 1996, Cameroon and Nigeria attempted to establish a cease-fire in their dispute over the Bakassi peninsula, but fighting continued for years afterward.

1996: Establishment of Senate

The 1996 constitution establishes a second house of parliament, the 100-seat Senate.

1997: Establishment of anti-corruption bureaus

In 1997, Cameroon established anti-corruption bureaus in 29 ministries, but only 25% became operational.

1998: Logging tax revenue

As of 1998, logging provided the government of Cameroon with US$60 million a year in taxes.

2000: Olympics gold medal

In 2000, Cameroon won the gold medal at the Olympics in football.

2002: ICJ ruling on Bakassi peninsula

In 2002, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the Anglo-German Agreement of 1913 gave sovereignty of the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon, denying Cameroon's request for compensation.

2004: Nigeria fails to meet deadline

By 2004, Nigeria had failed to meet the deadline to hand over the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon, as mandated by the ICJ ruling.

2004: Public debt reduction begins

During the 2004–2008 period, Cameroon began reducing its public debt from over 60% of GDP.

2004: Initiation of Fairtrade cotton production

Production of Fairtrade cotton was initiated in Cameroon in 2004.

2005: Increased kidnappings by Central African bandits

Kidnappings of Cameroonian citizens by Central African bandits have increased since 2005.

2005: Increased road banditry

Since 2005, road banditry has intensified along Cameroon's eastern border due to the destabilization of the Central African Republic.

January 2006: Initiation of anti-corruption drive

On 18 January 2006, Biya initiated an anti-corruption drive under the direction of the National Anti-Corruption Observatory.

June 2006: UN-mediated summit agreement

In June 2006, a UN-mediated summit resulted in an agreement for Nigeria to withdraw from the Bakassi peninsula, and both leaders signed the Greentree Agreement.

June 2006: Resolution of territorial dispute over Bakassi peninsula

In June 2006, talks concerning a territorial dispute over the Bakassi peninsula were resolved, resulting in Cameroonian control of the oil-rich peninsula.

August 2006: Withdrawal and handover of Bakassi peninsula

By August 2006, the withdrawal and handover of control of the Bakassi peninsula from Nigeria to Cameroon was completed.

August 2006: Handover of northern Bakassi peninsula

In August 2006, the northern portion of the Bakassi peninsula was formally handed over to the Cameroonian government.

2007: Refugee population

In 2007, Cameroon hosted approximately 97,400 refugees and asylum seekers, primarily from the Central African Republic and Chad.

February 2008: Violent protests in Cameroon

In February 2008, Cameroon experienced its worst violence in 15 years when a transport union strike in Douala escalated into violent protests in 31 municipal areas.

2008: Public debt at 10% of GDP

During the 2004–2008 period, Cameroon reduced public debt to 10% of GDP and official reserves quadrupled to over US$3 billion.

2008: Remainder of Bakassi peninsula left to Cameroon

In 2008, the remainder of the Bakassi peninsula was left to Cameroon.

November 2009: Most militants laid down their arms

In November 2009, While most militants laid down their arms, some carried on fighting for years.

2012: Transparency International ranking

In 2012, Transparency International placed Cameroon at number 144 on a list of 176 countries ranked from least to most corrupt.

2012: Life expectancy at birth

In 2012, the life expectancy at birth in Cameroon was estimated to be 56 years.

2012: Top three deadly diseases

In 2012, the top three deadly diseases in Cameroon were HIV/AIDS, lower respiratory tract infection, and diarrheal diseases.

2013: UNICEF report on FGM

According to a 2013 UNICEF report, 1% of women in Cameroon have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

2013: Fertility and population growth rates

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2013, the fertility rate in Cameroon was 4.8, with a population growth rate of 2.56%.

2013: Primary school enrollment rate

In 2013, the primary school enrollment rate in Cameroon was 93.5%.

2013: Adult literacy rate

In 2013, the total adult literacy rate in Cameroon was estimated to be 71.3%.

May 2014: Cameroon and Chad wage war on Boko Haram

In May 2014, presidents Paul Biya of Cameroon and Idriss Déby of Chad announced they were waging war on Boko Haram, and deployed troops to the Nigerian border.

June 2014: AlertNet report

On 4 June 2014, AlertNet issued a report about an unspecified event.

December 2014: Boko Haram attack in Cameroon

In December 2014, Boko Haram launched several attacks into Cameroon, killing 84 civilians in a raid.

December 2014: Child labor in cocoa production

In December 2014, a List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor issued by the Bureau of International Labor Affairs mentioned Cameroon among the countries that resorted to child labor in the production of cocoa.

2014: Poverty rate

In 2014, 23.8% of the population in Cameroon was living below the international poverty threshold of US$1.90 a day.

2014: Healthcare expenditure

In 2014, just 4.1% of total GDP expenditure in Cameroon was allocated to healthcare.

2014: Kribi Deepwater Port operations begin

In 2014, the Kribi Deepwater Port in Cameroon started operations.

2014: Contraceptive prevalence rate

In 2014, the contraceptive prevalence rate in Cameroon was estimated to be just 34.4%, impacting women's and girls' health.

2014: Refugees from Central African Republic

In the first months of 2014, thousands of refugees fleeing the violence in the Central African Republic arrived in Cameroon.

2014: Military combats Boko Haram

Since 2014, the military in Cameroon has been involved in combating Boko Haram.

January 2015: Cameroon defeats Boko Haram in raid

In January 2015, Cameroon suffered a heavy defeat in a raid.

2015: Forest area under public ownership

Around 15% of the forest area in Cameroon was found within protected areas, and for the year 2015, 100% of the forest area was reported to be under public ownership.

November 2016: Protests in English-speaking regions

Since November 2016, protesters from the English-speaking regions of Cameroon have been campaigning for continued use of the English language, leading to arrests and deaths.

December 2016: Host of the Women Africa Cup of Nations

In November–December 2016, Cameroon was the host country of the Women Africa Cup of Nations.

2016: HIV/AIDS prevalence rate estimated at 3.8%

In 2016, the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in Cameroon was estimated at 3.8% for those aged 15–49. 46,000 children under age 14 were estimated to be living with HIV. 29,000 deaths due to AIDS occurred in both adults and children in 2016.

2017: Government blocks internet access

In 2017, Biya's government blocked the regions' access to the Internet for three months and separatists started a guerilla war for the independence of the Anglophone region as the Federal Republic of Ambazonia.

2017: Internet shutdown in English-speaking region

In 2017, President Biya shut down the Internet in the English-speaking region for 94 days.

2017: Agriculture percentage of GDP

In 2017, agriculture comprised an estimated 16.7% of Cameroon's GDP.

2017: Factory-based industry contribution to GDP

In 2017, factory-based industry accounted for an estimated 26.5% of Cameroon's GDP.

2017: Anglophone protests and Ambazonia declaration

In 2017, language protests by the Anglophone population against perceived oppression led to military deployment, killings, imprisonment, and the declaration of an independent Republic of Ambazonia.

2017: Escalation of tensions in English-speaking territories

In 2017, tensions in the English-speaking territories of Cameroon escalated into open warfare due to the creation of an Ambazonian state.

2017: Anglophone separatist movement

In 2017, the military became involved in handling the Anglophone separatist movement.

July 2018: UN expresses concern over human rights violations

On 25 July 2018, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein expressed deep concern about reports of violations and abuses in the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon.

September 2018: Cameroon declares victory over Boko Haram

In September 2018, Cameroon declared victory over Boko Haram on Cameroonian territory.

2018: Transparency International ranking

In 2018, Transparency International ranked Cameroon 152 on a list of 180 countries.

July 2019: Joint letter to UNHRC

In July 2019, Cameroon, along with 36 other countries' UN ambassadors, signed a joint letter to the UNHRC defending China's treatment of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region.

2019: Fighting between separatist guerillas and government forces continues

In 2019, fighting between separatist guerillas and government forces continues.

2019: Unemployment rate

In 2019, unemployment in Cameroon was estimated at 3.38%.

February 2020: Parliamentary elections held

The last parliamentary elections were held on 9 February 2020.

June 2020: Internal displacement due to Anglophone Crisis

It is estimated that by June 2020, 740,000 people had been internally displaced in Cameroon as a result of the Anglophone Crisis.

December 2020: Boko Haram increased attacks

Since December 2020, Human Rights Watch reported that Boko Haram has increased attacks and killed at least 80 civilians in towns and villages in the Far North region of Cameroon.

2020: Terrorist attacks and government reprisals

During 2020, numerous terrorist attacks and government reprisals led to bloodshed throughout the country.

2020: Host of the African Nations Championship

In 2020, Cameroon was the host country of the African Nations Championship.

2020: Forest cover statistics

In 2020, forest cover in Cameroon was around 43% of the total land area, equivalent to 20,340,480 hectares, with naturally regenerating forests covering 20,279,380 hectares and planted forests covering 61,100 hectares.