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Batouri

Batouri is a town found in the East Province of Cameroon. It is the second largest municipality in the province after the provincial capital Bertoua. It is located on the main (though unpaved) road connecting Bertoua to the Central African Republic and to the Cameroonian town of Yokadouma. It had an estimated population of 33,500 as of 2012.

Batouri lies in an area ethnically known as Kako. A large percentage of the population speak the Kako language. However, several other ethnic groups, such as the Baya, Yangélé, and the Mézimé are also native to the area. In addition, there are many recent immigrants to the Batouri area. Many come from other parts of southern Cameroon and speak other Bantu languages. There is a large Muslim population in this town living mainly in the Mokolo quarter. Most people speak French though Fulfulde serves as a lingua franca for much of the Muslim community and is spoken widely throughout the town. There are a number of other language groups, notably Hausa and a small number of Arabic speakers. There are a number of Cameroonian English and Cameroonian Pidgin speakers as well; Pidgin, Hausa, and Arabic form part of the Niger–Congo family.

Batouri lies on the South Cameroon Plateau at an elevation of about 653 m (2142 ft). It has a Guinea type climate which is hot and humid for most of the year and dry season from mid November to early March, then another small one in July. The mostly wet times of the year are April and May and then August through to October. October is the wettest month with an average of 240.6 mm (9.5 in) of rain and January is the driest with an average of 17.3 mm (17.3). The average annual precipitation is 1479.4 mm (789.6 in).

Temperature extremes are greatest during the dry season with the highest average of high temperatures recording 32.1°C (89.8°F) in February and the lowest average lows of 17.1 C (62.8 F) in January. Meanwhile the wet season produces more tempered average daily temperature fluctuations with both July and August having average highs of 27.4°C (81.3°F), and average lows of 27.4 C (66.0 F).

Like Bertoua, Batouri lies in an area of transition of vegetation and climatic zones. The Guinea savannah vegetation lies north of the town while the lowland rainforest vegetation lies south of the town. However, much of the forest around Batouri is severely degraded. Wooded areas lie northward of the rivers and extend many miles into the surrounding Guinea vegetation.

The topography consists mostly of gently rolling hills. There is a large granite outcrop called Mt. Pandi about 25 km (15.5 mi) north of town, just west of the P5 road to Ngoura.

The Kadéï River flows just west of town (3.5 km or 2 mi). The area all drains into the Kadéï and is part of the large Congo River basin.

Batouri is home to a Post Office, 3 health centers (a government hospital, an Adventist hospital, and a Centre de Santé Catholique). It is the seat of the prefecture for the Kadey Department and it is the seat of a Catholic Dioceses and 3 parishes - St. Martin, St. John and Notre Dame.

Batouri Map
Location on the Map