History of Cameroon in Timeline

Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a Central African nation bordering several countries, including Nigeria, Chad, and the Republic of the Congo. It has a coastline on the Bight of Biafra. Its location places it at the crossroads of West and Central Africa. Home to approximately 31 million people, Cameroon boasts linguistic diversity, with around 250 native languages spoken alongside English and French. Early history includes the Sao civilization and Baka hunter-gatherers. Portuguese explorers arrived in the 15th century, naming the area Rio dos Camarões, which evolved into Cameroon. The 19th century saw the rise of the Adamawa Emirate in the north and powerful chiefdoms in the west and northwest.

1913: Anglo-German Agreement

In 2002, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) referenced the Anglo-German Agreement of 1913 in its ruling, stating that it gave sovereignty of the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon.

1919: Split into French and British Cameroon

In 1919, Kamerun was split into French Cameroon (French: Cameroun) and British Cameroon as a League of Nations mandate territory.

1932: First protected reserves created in Cameroon

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

March 1934: Establishment of the Waza Reserve

On 24 March 1934, the Waza Reserve was established in Cameroon to preserve wildlife.

1946: League of Nations mandates converted

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

July 1955: Outlawing of the UPC

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

January 1960: Independence of French Cameroun

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

1960: Independence of French-administered Cameroon

In 1960, the French-administered part of Cameroon became independent as the Republic of Cameroun under President Ahmadou Ahidjo.

1960: The military is crucial in supporting Cameroon's authoritarian government

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

October 1961: British Southern Cameroons gains independence and merges

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

1961: Federation with Southern British Cameroons

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

September 1966: CNU becomes sole legal political party

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

1971: Suppression of the UPC

In 1971, even after the suppression of the UPC, Ahidjo concentrated power in the presidency.

1971: End of National Liberation Insurgency

In early 1971, the national liberation insurgency, fought between French and UPC militant forces, ended.

May 1972: Abolishment of federal system of government

On May 20, 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: Change of National Flag

On May 20, 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 as prime minister

In 1975, Paul Biya held office as prime minister.

November 1982: Ahidjo steps down

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

1982: Biya becomes president

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

1982: FIFA World Cup

The national football team of Cameroon had a strong showing in the 1982 FIFA World Cup.

1984: Country renamed Republic of Cameroon

In 1984, the country's name reverted to the Republic of Cameroon by a presidential decree by President Paul Biya.

August 1986: Lake Nyos disaster

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

1986: Decline in petroleum exploitation

Petroleum exploitation in Cameroon has fallen since 1986, significantly impacting the economy.

1987: Dja Faunal Reserve inscribed on UNESCO list

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

December 1990: Legalization of multiple parties

Until December 1990, President Biya's Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM) was the only legal political party.

December 1990: Reintroduction of multi-party politics

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

1990: Forest Cover in 1990

In 1990, forest cover in Cameroon was 22,500,000 hectares.

1990: FIFA World Cup

The national football team of Cameroon had a strong showing in the 1990 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 petitions the International Court of Justice

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

1996: Cease-fire attempted between Cameroon and Nigeria

In 1996, Cameroon and Nigeria attempted to establish a cease-fire regarding the Bakassi peninsula dispute; however, fighting continued for years.

1996: Establishment of Senate

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

1997: Establishment of anti-corruption bureaus

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

1998: Government revenue from logging

As of 1998, logging provided the government of Cameroon 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 rules in favor of Cameroon

In 2002, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the Anglo-German Agreement of 1913 gave sovereignty of the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon, calling for a withdrawal by both countries.

2004: Nigeria fails to meet the deadline to hand over the peninsula

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

2004: Start of public debt reduction in Cameroon

During the 2004–2008 period, public debt in Cameroon was reduced from over 60% of GDP to 10%.

2004: Initiation of Fairtrade cotton production in Cameroon

In 2004, the production of Fairtrade cotton was initiated in Cameroon.

2005: Increase in kidnappings by Central African bandits

Since 2005, kidnappings of Cameroonian citizens by Central African bandits have increased.

2005: Increased road banditry in eastern Cameroon

Since 2005, road banditry has intensified in eastern Cameroon as the Central African Republic has further destabilised.

January 2006: Initiation of anti-corruption drive

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

June 2006: UN-mediated summit facilitates Greentree Agreement

In June 2006, a UN-mediated summit facilitated an agreement for Nigeria to withdraw from the Bakassi region, 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 control completed

By August 2006, the withdrawal and handover of control of the Bakassi peninsula was completed by Nigeria, resolving the dispute with Cameroon.

August 2006: Handover of northern portion of Bakassi peninsula

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

2007: Refugees and Asylum Seekers hosted by Cameroon

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

February 2008: Violent protests due to transport union strike

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 reduced to 10% of GDP

During the 2004–2008 period, public debt in Cameroon was reduced from over 60% of GDP to 10%, 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, triggering a local separatist insurgency.

November 2009: Most Bakassi militants lay down their arms

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

2012: Corruption ranking by Transparency International

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

2012: Life expectancy in Cameroon

In 2012, life expectancy at birth in Cameroon was estimated to be 56 years, with 48 healthy life years expected.

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 Rate

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the fertility rate in Cameroon was 4.8 in 2013 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: Literacy rates in Cameroon

In 2013, the total adult literacy rate in Cameroon was estimated to be 71.3%. The literacy rate among youths aged 15–24 was 85.4% for males and 76.4% for females.

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.

December 2014: Boko Haram attack

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

December 2014: Cameroon Listed for 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 Cameroon

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 starts operations

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

2014: Contraceptive prevalence rate

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

2014: Arrival of refugees from the 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 Cameroon military has been involved in combating Boko Haram.

January 2015: Defeat of Boko Haram

In January 2015, Cameroon heavily defeated Boko Haram in a raid.

2015: Forest Areas Within Protected Areas

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

November 2016: Protests in English-speaking regions

Since November 2016, protesters from the predominantly English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon have been campaigning for continued use of the English language in schools and courts.

December 2016: Women Africa Cup of Nations hosted

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

2016: HIV/AIDS prevalence rate

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

2017: Cameroon's per capita GDP

In 2017, Cameroon's per capita GDP (Purchasing power parity) was estimated at US$3,700.

2017: Internet shutdown in English-speaking region

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

2017: Agriculture's contribution to GDP

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

2017: Factory-based industry's contribution to GDP

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

2017: Escalation of Ambazonian state tensions

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

2017: Internet shutdown and guerilla war

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

2017: Anglophone population protests and declaration of Ambazonia

In 2017, there were language protests by the Anglophone population in Cameroon, leading to military deployment, deaths, imprisonment, and the declaration of an independent Republic of Ambazonia, evolving into the Anglophone Crisis.

2017: Military handles Anglophone separatist movement

Since 2017, the military in Cameroon has been handling the Anglophone separatist movement.

July 2018: UN expresses concern about human rights violations in Cameroon

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: Corruption ranking by Transparency International

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

July 2019: Cameroon signs joint letter defending China's treatment of Uyghurs

In July 2019, Cameroon, along with UN ambassadors of 37 countries, signed a joint letter to the UNHRC defending China's treatment of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region.

2019: Continued fighting between separatists and government forces

As of 2019, fighting between separatist guerillas and government forces continues in Cameroon.

2019: Unemployment rate in Cameroon

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

February 2020: Parliamentary elections held

The last parliamentary elections in Cameroon were held on February 9, 2020.

June 2020: Internally displaced people as a result of the Anglophone Crisis

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

December 2020: Boko Haram intensifies attacks in Cameroon

Since December 2020, Human Rights Watch claimed that the Islamist armed group Boko Haram has stepped up attacks and killed at least 80 civilians in towns and villages in the Far North region of Cameroon.

2020: African Nations Championship hosted

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

2020: Increased terrorist attacks and government reprisals

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

2020: Cameroon Forest Cover

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

December 2021: Ethnic clashes leading to displacement

In December 2021, more than 30,000 people in northern Cameroon fled to Chad after ethnic clashes over access to water between Musgum fishermen and ethnic Arab Choa herders.