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Douala

Douala is the largest city in Cameroon, the capital of Cameroon's Littoral Region and the richest city among the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) region of six countries. This city has Cameroon's largest port and its major international airport, Douala International Airport and it is also the commercial capital of the country. Consequently, it handles most of the country's major exports, such as oil, cocoa, coffee, timber, metals and fruits. As of 2010 the city and its surrounding area had an estimated population that surpasses 3,000,000 inhabitants.

The city sits on the estuary of the Wouri River and its climate is tropical. The city was already inhabited long before the arrival of the Portuguese, British, and Germans; however, it was during the German colonization that the city began to develop rapidly as a commercial and political hub of the German colonial administration. During World War I, series of battles were fought to take control of Douala. By the time the war ended, the British and the French had seized the city from the Germans. A joint Anglo-French condominium governed the city until a comprehensive agreement ceded it (and much of Cameroon) to the French. After the independence of Cameroon, Douala has grown rapidly in local industries, trade and so on. Other opportunities in the area have attracted an extraordinary influx of migrants, especially from the western region of Cameroon. People from neghbouring countries such as Nigerian, Chad, and Mali have also migrated to the city. In recent times city authorities have been overwhelmed by rapid increase in population in this town putting pressure on the limited facilities available. Douala is the 27th most expensive city to live, in the world and the most expensive in Africa. It is ranked 27th for 2009, up from 34th in 2008. In 2007, it was ranked 24th in the world and 1st in Africa. Douala is the first city in tropical Africa to have a piped natural gas supply (presently serving only industrial customers). The first Europeans to visit the area were the Portuguese in the year 1472. At the time the estuary of the Wouri River was known as the Rio dos Camarõns. By 1650, it had become a town formed by immigrants from the interior region from the country who spoke the Douala language. During the 18th century it was the center for the transatlantic slave trade. In 1826, Douala appeared to be made of four different villages located in four specific locations: the village of Deido (Dido), Akwa, Njo and Hickory-town now Bonaberi.

Between 1884 and 1895, the city was under the German protectorate. The colonial politics focused on commerce and some explorations of the territory without the occupation. In 1885, Alfred Saker organised the first mission of the British Baptist Church and in the same year the city known as Kamerun was renamed Douala, and it became the capital of the protectorate until 1902, when the capital was moved to Buea. In 1907 the Ministry of Colonies was established - population here at the time was 23,000.

After World War I, in 1919, the German colonial territories became French and British colonies. France received a mandate to govern Douala; a treaty was signed with the local chiefs to that effect.

From 1940 to 1946, it was the capital of Cameroon, by the year 1955 the city had grown in population recording over 100, 000 inhabitants.

In the year 1960 Cameroon became independent thus a federal republic with Yaoundé as its capital. Douala then became the major economic city. In 1972, the federal republic emanated to a unified State.

The 1980’s in Cameroon saw the struggle for liberalization and multi-partisan; between May and December 1991 Douala is at the centre of the civil disobedience campaign called the ghost town operation (ville morte) during which economic activities shut down to make the country ungovernable and to force the government to allow multi-partisan and freedom of expression.

With the arrival of the Portuguese in the 15th century, the area was known as Rio dos Camarõns before the coming under German rule in 1884. The town was also known as Cameroons town; thereafter it became Kamerunstadt ("Camaroon City"), the capital of German Kamerun. It was renamed Douala in 1907 and became part of the French Cameroons in 1919.

The city is located on the banks of the Wouri River linked by Bonaberi Bridge. The city of Douala is divided into 7 districts (Akwa, Bassa, Bonabéri, Bonapriso, Bonanjo, Deïdo and New Bell) and it has more than 120 neighbourhoods. Akwa is Douala's business district and Bonanjo is the administrative district. Plateau Joss, is the historical name for the current district of Akwa. For example Akwa was historically divided between Bell and Deido into Bonadibong, Bonamilengue, Boneleke, Bonalembe, Bonejang, Bonamuti, Bonabekombo, Bonaboijan, Bonakuamuang; the prefix “bona” means “descendent of”.

Douala features a tropical monsoon climate with relatively constant temperatures throughout the course of the year. The city typically features warm and humid conditions with an average annual temperature of 27.0 °C (80.6 °F) and an average humidity of 85%. Douala sees plenty rainfall during the course of the year, experiencing on average 3,600 millimetres (140 in) precipitation of rainfall per year. Its driest month is December where on average 28 millimetres (1.1 in) of precipitation falls while its wettest month is August when on the average is nearly 700 millimetres (28 in) of rain falls.

 

View of Douala
A view of Doua

 

Douala on Map
Location on the Map