| Adamawa | |
| Province | |
| Country |  Cameroon |
|---|---|
| Divisions | Djérem, Faro-et-Déo, Mayo-Banyo, Mbéré, Vina |
| Capital | Ngaoundéré |
| Area | 63,691 km² (24,591 sq mi) |
| Population | 495,185 (1987) |
| Density | 8 /km² (21 /sq mi) (8th) |
| Governor | Joseph Noutsa |
 Location of Adamawa within Cameroon
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The Adamawa Province (French Province de l'Adamaoua) is a constituent province of the Republic of Cameroon. The Republic of Cameroon is a unitary republic of central and western Africa. Ngaoundéré or N'Gaoundéré is the capital of the Adamawa Province of Cameroon. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people The Republic of Cameroon is a unitary republic of central and western Africa. It borders the Centre and East provinces to the south, the Northwest and West provinces to the southwest, Nigeria to the west, the Central African Republic (CAR) to the east, and the North Province to the north. The Centre Province ( French Province du Centre) occupies 69000 km² of the central plains of the Republic of Cameroon. The East Province (Province de l'Est occupies the southeastern portion of the Republic of Cameroon. The North-West Province (in French Province du Nord-Ouest) is found in the western highlands of Cameroon. The West Province ( French Province de l'Ouest) is 14000 km² of territory located in the central-western portion of the Republic of Cameroon. Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal Central Africa|Central African FederationThe Central African Republic ( CAR) République Centrafricaine ʀepyblik sɑ̃tʀafʀikɛn or Centrafrique) is a Landlocked The North Province ( French Province du Nord) makes up 66000 km² of the northern half of The Republic of Cameroon.
This mountainous area forms the barrier between Cameroon's forested south and savanna north. At almost 64,000 km² in land area, the Adamawa is the third largest of Cameroon's ten provinces. The Republic of Cameroon is divided into ten provinces See also Divisions of Cameroon The land is rugged and sparsely populated, however, as most is devoted to the rearing of cattle. Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family The Muslim Fulbe (Fulani) form the major ethnic group, though Tikar, Gbaya, and other peoples are present in lesser numbers. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Fula or Fulbe or Fulani (the latter being an Anglicisation of the word in their language Fulɓe) are an ethnic group of The Tikar are a group of related Ethnic groups in Cameroon. They live primarily in the northwestern part of the country in the Northwest Province near
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Geography
Land
The Adamawa is one of Cameroon's more geologically diverse areas. The Gotel and Mambila Mountains at the border with Nigeria are largely composed of granite, which gives way to crystalline and metamorphic rock such as mica, schists, and gneiss. Granite (ˈɡrænɪt is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, Felsic, igneous rock. In Materials science, a crystal is a Solid in which the constituent Atoms Molecules or Ions are packed in a regularly ordered repeating Metamorphic rock is the result of the transformation of an existing rock type the protolith, in a process called Metamorphism, which means "change The word "mica" is thought to be derived from the Latin word la micare, "glitteren" in reference to the brilliant appearance of this mineral (especially The schists form a group of medium-grade Metamorphic rocks chiefly notable for the preponderance of lamellar Minerals such as Micas chlorite Gneiss (ˈnaɪs is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from preexisting formations that were originally These are often covered in volcanic basalt, a combination that dominates until the Faro River. Basalt (bəˈsɔːlt ˈbeisɔːlt ˈbæsɔːlt is a common Extrusive Volcanic rock. East of this, granites once again prevail, though sedimentary rock forms the valley of the Mbéré River, and a zone of metamorphic rock surrounds this. Sedimentary rock is one of the three main rock types (the others being igneous and Metamorphic rock) The Lom River also rises in a region of metamorphic rock. The Lom (Лом Almus is a river in northwestern Bulgaria, a right tributary of the Danube flowing into it 1 km east of the town of Lom. Volcanic rock occurs in the northwest just east of the Gotel Mountains and northeast of Ngaoundéré, the provincial capital, along the border with the North Province. Volcanic rock is an Igneous rock of volcanic origin Texture Volcanic rocks are usually fine-grained or Aphanitic to glassy in Ngaoundéré or N'Gaoundéré is the capital of the Adamawa Province of Cameroon.
Soils are mostly made up of brown or brownish-red laterites, the result of the annual shift between dry and wet conditions and soil wash on the mountains. Laterite (from the Latin word "later" meaning brick or tile is a surface formation in hot and wet tropical areas which is enriched in Iron and Aluminium Iron and aluminium content is high, which causes hardpans, duracrust, or cuirasses to form near the surface due to oxidation. Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 WikipediaNaming In Soil science, Agriculture and Gardening, hardpan is a general term for a dense layer of Soil, residing usually below the uppermost Cuirass ( French cuirasse, Latin coriaceus, made of leather from corium, the original breastplate being of Leather) the Redox (shorthand for reduction-oxidation reaction describes all Chemical reactions in which atoms have their Oxidation number ( Oxidation state The soil of the Lom valley is a lightly evolved composition of raw materials, as is that directly northwest of the Mbakaou Reservoir and directly west of the Faro River. The extreme northwest of the province has ferruginous soil instead, and many of the province's mountains, including the Gotels and Mambilas, contain mixtures of several soil types.
Drainage
The Adamawa is sometimes dubbed the "water tower" of Cameroon, since a large number of the country's rivers rise in the area. All of these fall into a tropical regime, with a period of high water from May to September during the rainy season, and a period of low water – or even complete dryness – from October to April. Some of these are subject to seasonal flooding as well, such as the Djérem in the area of the Mbakaou Reservoir. The province's rivers fall into three different basins: those that ultimately flow into the Niger River, to Lake Chad, and to the Atlantic Ocean. The Niger River (ˈnaɪdʒɚ NYE-jer) is the principal River of western Africa, extending about 4180 km (2600 miles Lake Chad (in French Lac Tchad) is a historically large shallow lake in Africa, whose size has varied greatly over the centuries
The Mayo Deo River rises in the Gotel Mountains and then flows into the North Province. The Faro River begins a short distance east of the Mayo Deo but follows a wide, arcing course east and north between the Vina division and the Faro and Deo division before entering the North Province (the two rivers eventually join).
Two major rivers represent the Chad basin. The Mbéré rises north of the town of Meïganga and then flows northeast toward the border with the North Province and the Central Africa Republic. The headwaters of the Vina River flow just north of Ngaoundéré before the river enters the North Province. These two rivers eventually merge to form the Logone River. The Logon or Logone River is a major Tributary of the Chari River.
The Mbam, Kim, and Djérem are the major rivers of the Atlantic basin. The Mbam and Kim both rise in the southwest before flowing into the Centre Province. The Djérem forms in eastern and western branches, which converge at the Mbakaou Reservoir. The river then flows south into the East Province. Due to the reservoir (which holds two million cubic metres of water), the Djérem forms an important source of hydroelectric power for Cameroon. Hydroelectricity is electricity generated by Hydropower, ie the production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling water Finally, the Lom rises about 60 km east of Meiganga before flowing south into the East Province. The Djérem eventually becomes the Sanaga River, and these other rivers ultimately empty into it. The Sanaga River is a River of South Province Cameroon, Centre Province Cameroon, and West Province Cameroon.
A long history of volcanism has also created a number of crater lakes in the province, the results of collapsed volcanoes filling with water. Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the Crater Lake is a Caldera Lake located in the US state of Oregon. Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the Among the most well known are Lakes Tison (Tyson, Tisson) and Mbalang near Ngaoundéré.
Relief
Powerful geothermal forces have shaped the Adamawa. The province begins to the south as part of the South Cameroon Plateau. The South Cameroon Plateau or Southern Cameroon Plateau (Plateau Sud-Camerounais is the dominant geographical feature of Cameroon. The land rises gently but unevenly until about 6 degrees latitude. Here begins the Adamawa Plateau, a band of terrain that ranges from 1,000 to 2,000 m in altitude (averaging about 1,100 m) and stretches from Nigeria to the CAR. The Adamawa Plateau (also spelled Adamaoua) is a Plateau region in west-central Africa stretching from south-eastern Nigeria through north-central Altitude dips to as low of 500 m in the Djérem and Mbéré valleys and at the border north of Ngaoundéré. The plateau continues to about 8 degrees north before descending to the Benué Depression in abrupt cliffs and active volcanoes (though this transitional zone is mostly in the North Province).
Faults also cut across the area, the major one being the Cameroon Fault, dating from the Cretaceous Period. In Geology a fault, or fault line, is a planar rock fracture which shows evidence of relative movement The Cretaceous (kriːˈteɪʃəs, usually abbreviated 'K' for its German translation "Kreide" is a geologic period and system, reaching from the end of The Mbang Mountains follow this fault in a rough cut toward the east. Other mountains dot the province, as well. The Mambilas stretch into the extreme southwest from Nigeria and the Northwest and West Provinces. The Gotels are north of these along the border with Nigeria. All of these mountains form part of the Cameroon Ridge. Tchabal Mbabo, in the Gotels, is the highest peak at 2,460 m.
Climate
The province's high elevation lends it a relatively cool climate average between 22 and 25 degrees Celsius. However, specific conditions vary between the South Cameroon and Adamawa Plateaus. The former experiences an equatorial climate of the Guinea type with four seasons: a long, dry period from December to May, a short, wet period from May to June, a short, dry season from July to October, and finally a long, wet season from October to November. An equatorial climate is a type of Tropical climate in which there is no Dry season – all months have mean Precipitation values of at least 60 mm
The climate of the Adamawa Plateau is classified as tropical of the Sudan type. A tropical climate is a kind of Climate typical in the Tropics. It has only two seasons; November begins the dry period, and April the wet. Rainfall here averages 900 to 1,500 mm per year and decreases further north. May and June are the wettest, with occasional tornadoes; August is another rainfall peak. A tornado is a violent rotating column of air which is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a Cumulonimbus cloud or in rare cases the base of a Cumulus In addition, temperatures dip from November to January, as conditions similar to those that cause winter in temperate climes take at least a tentative hold. Winter is one of the four Seasons of Temperate zones Calculated astronomically, it begins on the Solstice and ends on the Equinox Temperatures rise due to the Harmattan beginning in January, reaching a high in April. The Harmattan is a dry and dusty West African Trade wind. It blows south from Sahara into the Gulf of Guinea between the end of November and the Torrential rains in May and June bring temperatures down once again.
A third climate type characterises the Adamawa's southwest corner (most of the Mayo-Banyo division). This region experiences an equatorial climate of the Cameroon type. Rainfall is within 1,500 to 2,000 mm with a long dry period followed by a long wet period.
Plant and animal life
The Adamawa's vegetation has been shaped greatly by man. It was once highly forested, but repeated brush burning and cattle trampling have changed the terrain. In the south, this is Guinean savanna, a transitional zone between Cameroon's forested south and desert north. On the plateau itself, the savanna continues, though it is less wooded. Grass cover is consistent and thick, and the original vegetation still survives in the river valleys.
What few trees dot the landscape are evergreen and deciduous until about 1800 m altitude, when ferns and bamboos become prevalent. In Botany, an Evergreen plant is a plant having leaves all year round Botany Autumn leaf color. See --> In Botany and Horticulture, deciduous Plants, including A fern is any one of a group of about 20000 Species of Plants classified in the phylum or division Pteridophyta, also known as Filicophyta Bamboo is a group of Woody perennial Evergreen Plants in the True grass family Poaceae, subfamily Grasses are the dominant form of plantlife throughout except in the few forested areas and in some regions of scrubby bush. In addition, the southwestern half of the Mayo-Banyo division is a more heavily forested woodland savanna.
The Adamawa has two national reserves. The first of these is the Parc National du Mbam et Djérem, which protects 4165 km² in both the Adamawa and East Provinces. The park is notable for containing both large tracts of savanna and forest. In addition, a small portion of the Parc National de Boumba Ndjida extends into the territory from the North Province.
Demographics
Settlement patterns
The Adamawa is sparsely populated. Large swathes of land are devoted almost entirely to the use of Fulbe cattle herders, this pasture punctuated only by occasional settlements. The Cameroonian government has made efforts to persuade Fulbe herdsmen to adopt sedentary ways, but the nomadic traditions show little signs of change. Because the savanna has been pushing south, however, there is now a substantial amount of immigration to the Centre and East Provinces.
Ngaoundéré is one of Cameroon's fastest growing cities due to its location at the terminus of Cameroon's north-south railroad. The modern city is thus a sprawling mass of winding streets surrounding the traditional town. It is also a microcosm of the province's ethnic diversity, as representatives of most of the Adamawa's peoples can be found there.
The Mayo-Banyo division in the southwest has a slightly higher population density than the rest of the province, largely due to the highly concentrated Mambila and Konja of the Mambila Mountains and the Vute and Kutin of the Gotel Mountains. The Mambila or Mambilla people of Nigeria and Cameroon live on the Mambila Plateau (in Taraba State in Nigeria) and on The northern border also has a slightly higher population density than the Fulbe interior.
People
Language provides the most convenient means of categorising the Adamawa's ethnic groups. The greatest number of peoples speak various Southern Bantoid languages. In the classification of African languages, Southern Bantoid (or South Bantoid is one of the two branches of the Bantoid subfamily of the Niger-Congo These Bantoid peoples primarily occupy the province's western third, in the Faro and Deo and the Mayo-Banyo divisions. The Ndoro are the northernmost, living on the Nigerian border on the upper Mayo Deo. To their south lie the Suga in the northern third of Mayo-Banyo division and along the west bank of the Meng River. The Meng River originates from the " Red Wall " - Gorge at 2390 meters above sea level The Vute live south of them on the Nigerian border and in a second population centre on the southwestern bank of the Mbarkaou Reservoir. The Mambila inhabit the southwestern border, and the Konja lie inland from them along the Banyo-Bankim road. The Tikar are at the province's southwestern corner, with territories extending into the neighbouring provinces.
Those peoples who speak Adamawa languages constitute the next major grouping. The Adamawa languages are a putative family of languages scattered across the Adamawa Plateau in central Africa in Nigeria, Cameroon, and Chad The Kutin are farthest west of these, living in three main concentrations. The first is at the province's northwest, north of Mayo-Baleo town. They have another centre at the village of Paro south of Tignère, and their third grouping on the Meng River. The Meng River originates from the " Red Wall " - Gorge at 2390 meters above sea level The Kali at the province's northeast, along the North Province border centred at Bélél. The Mbum (Mboum) are the last group, occupying the town of Ngaoundal and its environs. Mbum is an Benue-Congo language that is spoken by about 51000 people and along with French, English and other languages is the official language of Ngaoundal is a Town in the Adamawa Province of Cameroon. It is located at 6° 30" North 13° 16" East East of Ngaoundéré are the Dii, who have larger territories in the North Province. The Dii (also Dioi) were an independent Thracian tribe Swordsmen, who lived among the foothills of Mount Rhodope in Thrace
As speakers of an Ubangi language, the Gbaya make up another important grouping. Their territory spans the whole of the Mbéré division as well as a small area at the southwest of the Vina division. They continue south into the East Province.
The Fulbe make up an estimated 60% of the Adamawa's population. They are further subdivided into two subgroups: the sedentary, or town, Fulbe and the pastoral Fulbe, or Bororo. The sedentary Fulbe are more numerous and inhabit most of the province's major towns, including Banyo, Tibati, Tignère, and Ngaoundéré, the capital. Banyo is a town in Adamawa Province, Cameroon. It is located at around,and is predominately Muslim Over years of intermixing with native populations, they have come to physically resemble their Sudanese neighbours. Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. The pastoral Fulbe create only temporary settlements, preferring instead to range across the province and beyond with large herds of cattle. These Fulbe are lighter skinned than their town brethren, tall and thin, with Arab-looking features.
The Fulbe speak a Cameroonian dialect of the Senegambian language Fulfulde. The Fula language is a language of West Africa, spoken by the Ful{{IPA|ɓ}}e (Fula or Fulani people from Senegambia and Guinea to Due to their historical hegemony of the territory, it also serves as a lingua franca. Other major languages include Bitare, Dii, Gbaya, Mambila, and Tikar. The Gbaya language is largely spoken in the Central African Republic, although groups speaking it also exist in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo Most educated inhabitants also speak French.
Religion
Islam reigns supreme in the Adamawa, especially among the Fulbe majority. Even among them, however, there is a noted difference between the sedentary Fulbe, who are more religious, and the nomadic Bororo, who are often only nominally Muslim. Christianity has made some inroads, though Christians are in a distinct minority. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Many of the tribes retain animist, or "pagan", beliefs, particularly in the mountains near the Nigerian border. Animism (from Latin anima ( Soul, Life) commonly refers to a religious belief that Souls or Spirits exist in Animals Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller rustic" is a word used to refer to various religions and religious beliefs from across the world
Economy
Livestock
The Adamawa's economy is based almost entirely on one single thing: cattle, a Fulbe monopoly. Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family The region's low population, high humidity, and vast fields of grass make it ideal for grazing. Herdsmen rotate pastures, and they often construct watering holes or wells for themselves and their animals.
The close relationship between the Bororo and their herds lends a great cultural importance to a Fulbe's number of cattle, and the more heads of cattle a man has, the wealthier he is. This often leads herders to never kill their animals, however, and to keep sick animals alive for fear of losing a portion of one's net worth. Nevertheless, many Fulbe herders transport their cattle to the big markets of Yaoundé and Douala for sale (some make it as far as Gabon and Congo). Yaoundé, (jɑːuːnˈdeɪ is the Capital city of Cameroon and second largest city in the country after Douala. Douala is the largest city in Cameroon and the capital of Cameroon's Littoral Province. Gabon (gəˈbɒn or /gaˈbõ/ in French) is a country in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Republic The Republic of the Congo (République du Congo Kongo: Repubilika ya Kongo; Lingala: Republiki ya Kongó) also known as Congo-Brazzaville The major transhumance paths are in the western third of the province and at the border with Chad. Transhumance is a term with two accepted usages Older sources use transhumance for vertical seasonal Livestock movement typically to higher
Most of these animals are of the humpbacked zebu breed. Zebus ( Bos primigenius indicus) sometimes known as 'humped Cattle ' or 'indicus' cattle are a type of cattle better-adapted to tropical environments Near Ngaoundéré and Banyo, these are called Peul zebu, large and meaty animals with dark-brown hides and white spots. The nomadic Fulbe, on the other hand, herd Bororo zebu. These are leaner, lighter-coloured beasts that are better able to travel long distances.
The government-run Institut de Récherche Zootechniques (IZR) and SODEPA have established a handful of modern cattle ranches, as well. The major ones are near the villages of Laro, Wakwo and Ndokayo. Laro is an ethnic minority in Sudan. The population of this minority is at several 10000 Here, ranchers have bred new breeds of cattle by mixing native Fulbe animals with the American Brahmin. Animal husbandry, also called Animal science, stockbreeding or simple husbandry, is the agricultural practice of breeding Brahmin ( Brāhmaṇa, sa ब्राह्मणः is the class of educators scholars and preachers in Brahminical Hinduism. Government initiatives have also been instrumental in the eradication of the tsetse fly in the region. This page is about the insect For other meanings see Tsetse (disambiguation.
Many ranchers and Bororo also raise horses and donkeys. The horse ( Equus caballus) is a hoofed ( Ungulate) Mammal, one of eight living species of the family Equidae. The donkey or ass, Equus asinus, is a member of the Equidae or horse family and an odd-toed ungulate. In addition, the Adamawa has more goats and sheep than any other province, as these can live even in the larger towns. The domestic goat ( Capra aegagrus hircus) is a subspecies of goat Domesticated from the Wild goat of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe Pigs, however, are much less common due to the prevalence of Islam in the region. Pigs, also called hogs or' swine', are Ungulates which have been domesticated as sources of food leather and similar products since ancient times
Agriculture
Nearly all farming in the province is done at the sustenance level. Subsistence agriculture is self-sufficient farming in which farmers grow only enough food to feed the family and to pay taxes or feudal dues Millet is the mainstay, though maize, and manioc are also important. The millets are a group of small- Seeded Species of Cereal crops or grains widely grown around the world for Food and Fodder Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica The cassava, yuca, manioc, or mandioca ( Manihot esculenta) is a woody Shrub of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge family native Other crops, grown in smaller quantities, include cocoyams, yams, and groundnuts. Yam is the common name for some species in the genus Dioscorea (family Dioscoreaceae)
The Gbaya, Mbum, and Dourou are the region's most prolific farmers, though even the herdsmen farm in the rainy season. Farms are typically small plots that are cleared or burned out of the brush and then planted during the dry season. Crops grow during the rainy season, when they are harvested. Because the dry season is so long, crops must be preserved, so most are transformed into grain, which is pounded by hand with mortar and pestle.
Cash crops play a small role in the region's economy. In Agriculture, a cash crop is a crop which is grown for Money. SODEBLE grows wheat on 100 km² at Wassandé, near Ngaoundéré. Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. The southwestern Mayo-Banyo division also has some coffee plots. CoFFEE is an Open source Software for computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL in a digital classroom Other interests have established groundnut, millet, and wheat plantations in recent years. Fundamentally a plantation is usually a large Farm or estate, especially in a tropical or semitropical country on which Cotton, Tobacco
Industry
The Adamawa has a bit of industry, most located in the capital. For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious" Much of this is tied to the region's cattle-based economy. For example, leatherworking is an important industry in Ngaoundéré, as evidenced by the Société des Tanneries et Peausseries du Cameroun (STPC) factory. Leather is a material created through the Tanning of hides and Skins of Animals primarily Cattlehide The Tanning process Rubber, perfume, and dairy products are also processed in the capital. Perfume is a mixture of fragrant Essential oils and Aroma compounds Fixatives and Solvents used to give the human body animals objects and living Dairy products are generally defined as Foodstuffs produced from Milk. Handicrafts, including woodworking and mat weaving, form another sector. Woodworking is the process of building making or carving something using Wood. This article describes textile weaving For other senses of this word see Weaving (disambiguation. Tin is mined near Mayo Darlé and the Nigerian border and southwest of Banyo, and bauxite is mined near Ngaoundal and Minim-Martap. Tin is a Chemical element with the symbol Sn (stannum and Atomic number 50 Mining is the extraction of valuable Minerals or other geological materials from the earth usually (but not always from an Ore body Bauxite is the most important Aluminium Ore. It consists largely of the minerals Gibbsite Al(OH3 Boehmite γ-AlO(OH and Ngaoundal is a Town in the Adamawa Province of Cameroon. It is located at 6° 30" North 13° 16" East Mineral water is obtained at Doungué. In many places mineral water is often colloquially used to mean Carbonated water (which is usually carbonated mineral water as opposed to tap water
Transport
Ngaoundéré is the gateway to the province, and it is most easily accessible from southern Cameroon via the "Transcam II" rail line. The trip takes between 12 and 30 hours, but the presence of couchettes makes the journey bearable for those who can afford them. Other passengers are crammed into all available seats, however, including those in the dining car. Due to the overcrowded conditions, thieves are another hazard.
Road travel from the south is also possible, but this is limited to poor roads from the Centre Province or else a long detour through the East Province, where the roads are not much better. Roads within the Adamawa itself are mostly unpaved and are often in poor condition (particularly south of Ngaoundéré) due to little maintenance. The road north from Ngaoundéré into the North Province is paved, however, meaning that those traveling via train can continue to the North and Far North without too much discomfort. National Road 6 enters the province from Foumban in the West Province and continues on to Banyo, Tibati, and Meïganga. Foumban or Fumban is a city in Cameroon, lying north east of Bafoussam. National Road 15 comes from Sangbé in the Centre Province to Tibati and on to Ngaoundéré.
A regional airport services Ngaoundéré with flights to Yaoundé, Douala, Garoua, and Maroua. A regional airport is an Airport serving traffic within a relatively small or lightly populated geographical area Garoua is the capital of the North Province of Cameroon, lying on the Benue River. Maroua is the capital of the Far North Province of Cameroon, on the Ferngo and Kaliao Rivers The city has an estimated 299600 inhabitants Tignère, Banyo, Ngaoundal, Tibati, and the Mbakaou Reservoir all have airstrips. An airport is a location where Aircraft such as airplanes, Helicopters and blimps take off and land
Tourism
Most travellers see the Adamawa only briefly as they transition at Ngaoundéré from the train to a bus further north. The province does see some visitors who are interested in the region's rich cultural history. A number of lamidos allow tourists to visit their palaces, for example, such as the ruler of Ngo, who receives nobles every Friday and Sunday. Lamido (plural Lamibe) is the Anglicisation of a term from the Fula language or Fulfulde used to refer to a ruler The province also has numerous scenic destinations ranging form crater lakes to caves and waterfalls.
Administration and social conditions
What social inequalities exist in the Adamawa largely stem from the region's high level of cultural homogeneity. Most people in the province are Muslim Fulbe, and those who are not often fall prey to racism and discrimination, especially in more rural areas. The Cameroonian government has made efforts to encourage the region's nomads to settle, but so far has made little progress.
With its low population, the Adamawa holds little import to Cameroonian politicians. However, the Fulbe tribe is spread throughout the country, especially in the three northern provinces, and together they form a significant bloc that Cameroonian politicians cannot easily ignore. This is one way that Cameroon's greater north is able to oppose policies more favourable to the south.
Government
The Adamawa is composed of five divisions or departments (departements). In the Terminology of Political geography and Historiography a National department (département departamento is an administrative A presidentially appointed prefect (prefet), or senior divisional officer, governs each of these. Prefect (from the Latin praefectus, perfect participle of praeficere: "make in front" i The president also appoints the governor, whose offices are in Ngaoundéré. A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government The departments are the Djérem division, with its capital at Tibati, the Faro et Déo division, with its headquarters in Tignère, the Mayo-Banyo division, with its capital in Banyo, the Mbéré division, headed from Meïganga, and the Vina division, governed from Ngaoundéré.
Traditional political organisation
Lamidos, traditional Muslim rulers, still hold great sway over their Fulbe subjects. Most large towns in the province have a lamido, and many smaller villages do as well. The various lamidos elect councilors to serve them; these may come from both Fulbe and other tribal groups. The Cameroonian government permits these rulers to hold their own courts and to keep their own jails, something human rights groups have pointed to as problematic.
Most other tribes in the region are nominally under the rule of a chief. A traditional tribal chief is the leader of a Tribe, or the head of a tribal form of self-government However, these men are mostly just figureheads today. Among the Tikar, however, these individuals still hold a substantial amount of power. A group of advisers, or "Council of Notables", serves each Tikar chief. Below them are various ward heads (sous-chefs) who govern a specific portion of a village or town. The quarter chiefs (chefs de quartier) hold sway over a particular neighbourhood.
Education
The Adamawa's education level is generally very low. The nomadic Bororo rarely send their children to school. Meanwhile, town Fulbe often marry their daughters off early into puberty, and married girls do not go to school. The province has an estimated 80% illiteracy rate. traditional definition of literacy is considered to be the ability to read and write or the ability to use Language to read, write, listen,
Another obstacle is lack of schools and teachers. Most schools are located in larger towns or in the capital, meaning that students often must travel long distances or live away from home, particularly at the secondary level. Australia See also Education In addition, Cameroonian teachers who are assigned to the province often refuse to go on account of its remoteness.
Health
Most of the Adamawa's towns have some form of health provider, if only a small clinic. The capital also has a hospital. The region's major health concern is lack of sanitation. Sanitation is the hygienic means of preventing human contact from the hazards of wastes to promote health This is especially pronounced in the increasingly urbanised Ngaoundéré. Another concern is HIV and AIDS. Human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV) is a Lentivirus (a member of the Retrovirus family that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome Official government figures give the province an HIV-infection rate of 17%, the highest in the country. These numbers come from samples in Ngaoundéré only, however, and infection rates in more rural areas are probably lower.
Cultural life
The Adamawa maintains a lively traditional culture. One notable example is the Menang, a Tikar dance. Performers may dance for any number of reasons, from aiding warriors to celebrating women's sensuality. Births, funerals, and weddings are often occasion for grand celebration among the region's non-Muslim populations, as well.
History
Early population movements
The Adamawa's oldest populations were various Paleo-Sudanese peoples. These were mostly displaced or absorbed by invading Sudanese groups in the 8th or 9th century. The 8th century is the period from 701 to 800 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. The 9th century is the period from 801 to 900 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. These included the Mbum (Mboum), Ndoro (Dourou), Kutin, (Koutine), Laka-Mbere, Chamba, Doayo, Fali, Mundang (Moundang), and Tupuri (Toupouri). The Fali are an indigenous tribe of about 23200 people, living in the Adamawa mountains in North Cameroon (Northern-central Africa) The Tupuri are an Ethnic group in Cameroon and Chad. They speak a language called Tupuri, which had 125000 speakers in Cameroon at an unspecified
The Kanem-Bornu Empire of Lake Chad had relations with these tribes. The Kanem Empire (700 - 1376 was located in the present countries of Chad and Libya. They called the area Fumbina or Mabina (a name which denoted the present province as well as territories in present-day Nigeria and the Central African Republic). The Kanem-Bornu also introduced Islam to the region between 1349 and 1385 by way of the Islamic centre at Kano in present-day Nigeria. Kano is the administrative center of the Kano State and the third largest City in Nigeria, in terms However, no more than a few rulers, nobles or merchants ever converted.
Many more tribes entered the territory from the region of Chad between the 14th and 17 centuries. As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar These included the Semi-Bantu tribes, such as the Bamileke, Bamun, Kom, Nso, Tikar, Widikum, and Wimbam. Semi-Bantu or Grassfields Bantu refers to a group of related African languages spoken by the inhabitants of the Western grassfields of Cameroon "Bazu" redirects here For the Romanian aviator see Constantin Cantacuzino. Kom or KOM can refer to KOM (BBS, a type of text-based BBS system KOM, Kosovo Diplomatic Observer Mission The Nso are a people of the Grasslands region in the Northwest Province of Cameroon. The Bantu came as well, examples being the Beti-Pahuin and Maka and Njem. Bantu may refer to Bantu expansion, a series of migrations of Bantu speakers Bantu languages Bantu people The Beti-Pahuin are a group of related peoples who inhabit the Rain forest regions of Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea The Maka or Makaa are an Ethnic group inhabiting the southern Rain forest zone of Cameroon. The Njem (or Ndjem) are an Ethnic group inhabiting the Rain forest zone of southern Cameroon and northern Republic of the Congo Other groups who came were the Gbaya, from the present CAR, and the Vute, from the Lake Chad region. The Vute were region's first iron workers, and they founded the towns of Mbamnyang (present Banyo) and Tibaré (present Tibati). The Semi-Bantu peoples gradually moved south before settling near the headwaters of the Mbam River sometime between the 17th and 19th centuries. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The Bantu settled east of them, south of the Adamawa Plateau. One or all of these populations founded Banyo, Tibati, and Ngaoundéré.
Meanwhile, the Bantu and Semi-Bantu invasions drove the longer-established Sudanese peoples north. The Mbum, Ndoro, Kutin, and Laka-Mbere moved to the present-day province's northern reaches, while the other Sudanese migrated even farther. This period marked the highest population for the Adamawa territory until modern times. However, one event had drastic consequences for the region: the arrival of the Fulbe.
Fulbe jihads
Early Fulbe settlers entered the Adamawa from present-day Nigeria or northern Cameroon as early as the 13th century. These settlers and nomads were never numerous, however, and they often held subservient status to other tribes. Over time, however, the steady stream of Fulbe immigrants allowed Fulbe communities to spring up in many areas. These early Fulbe converted to Islam sometime in the 17th century, beginning with the settled, or town, Fulbe.
In 1804, Fulbe in the territory and beyond were growing disenchanted with submission to pagan tribes. Year 1804 ( MDCCCIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a They were also hungry for larger territories that they could use for cattle grazing. The Fulbe leader Usman Dan Fodio responded to this sentiment and called a jihad. Shaihu Usman dan Fodio (عثمان بن فودي ، عثمان دان فوديو (also referred to as Shaikh Usman Ibn Fodio, Shehu Uthman Dan Fuduye or Shehu Usman dan Fodio Jihad (جهاد ʤɪhæːd an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. Usman named his lieutenant Modima Adam Al-Hasan, or Modibo Adama, lamido of Fumbina, and Adama quickly raised an army in the territory. Adama bi Ardo Hassana (c 1786 – c 1847 more commonly known as Modibo Adama, was a Fulani Scholar and holy warrior
Adama's forces proved all but unstoppable. He conquered major Vute centres at Mbamnyang and Tibaré in 1835, which he renamed Banyo and Tibati. Year 1835 ( MDCCCXXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common At Adama's death in 1847, Fulbe horsemen controlled territory from the Niger River to the west and the Logone to the east and from the Sahara to the north and the Sanaga River to the south to form the Sokoto Empire. Year 1847 ( MDCCCXLVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The Sahara (الصحراء الكبرى aṣ-ṣaḥrā´ al-kubra, "The Great Desert" is the world's largest hot Desert and the world's second largest The Sokoto Caliphate is an Islamic spiritual community in Nigeria, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’adu Abubakar. Adama's emirate was divided into districts under governors; the Adamawa Plateau fell into the Ngaoundéré subdivision.
Fighting against native peoples continued for many years. Around 1830, the Fulbe conquered the Mbum village of Delbé, which they renamed Ngaoundéré, after a nearby hill. For the game see 1830 (board game. Year 1830 ( MDCCCXXX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display Many Mbum converted to Islam and remained, though many others migrated north. The town became the seat of the lamidat of Ardo Ndjobdi.
Beginning around 1835, Fulbe immigrants streamed into the newly conquered territories in large numbers. By 1850, the Fulbe were firmly entrenched in northern Cameroon. For the game see 1850 (board game. 1850 ( MDCCCL) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link Native populations were subjugated and placed under the rule of the local lamidos. Native populations were forced to convert to Islam, face enslavement, or flee. Fulbe merchants accepted salt and horses from North Africa in exchange for slaves for sale in the Muslim empires to the north. North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan A smaller number of slaves went south for the trans-Atlantic market.
Those groups who resisted had no choice but to flee to the unforgiving mountains or else to the jungle south. Those groups who were immediate neighbours to the warring Fulbe, such as the Vute and Gbaya, dislodged others who lay in their path, such as Cameroon's Bantu peoples. The Fulbe jihads thus served as the single most important event in the peopling of southern Cameroon. The jihad only served to depopulate Cameroon's north, however. The Fulbe invaders did not set up new settlements. Rather, they used their conquered lands as pasture for their cattle. Many of these groups were still migrating when they came into contact with Cameroon's new colonisers: The Germans. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.
European contacts
British explorers were the first Europeans to enter Adamawa territory when they came in 1822. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands Year 1822 (MDCCCXXII was a Common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Sunday of the The German Dr. Gustav Nachtigal was the first Westerner to explore the region extensively, which he did between 1869 and 1873. Gustav Nachtigal ( February 23, 1834 – April 20, 1885) was a German explorer in Central Africa. Year 1869 ( MDCCCLXIX) is a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Year 1873 ( MDCCCLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Nachtigal kept a keen eye out to notice what groups lived in the region, what their relations were like with their neighbours, and what resources could possibly be exploited from the area. The British Eduard E. Flegel followed Nachtigal in 1882. Year 1882 ( MDCCCLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common He explored the Adamawa emirate, setting up trade and reaching as far south as Banyo. He died in 1883, however, still on expedition, and peaceful contact between the West and the Fulbe empire came to an end. Year 1883 ( MDCCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Instead, Germany annexed part of Adama's empire in 1884, and other part became part of British Nigeria. Year 1884 ( MDCCCLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year As far as Europe was concerned, the Adama emirate no longer existed.
German administration
The Fulbe fiercely opposed German hegemony. The German governor Jesko Von Puttkamer sent soldiers under Captain Von Kamptz to suppress the uprisings, and on 7 May 1899, Banyo became the first major town to surrender. Events 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses Year 1899 ( MDCCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Tibati fell a month later, and Ngaoundéré followed on 20 September 1901. Events 451 - The Battle of Chalons takes place in North Eastern France. Year 1901 ( MCMI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting The Adamawa Plateau was now largely pacified, and the Germans pushed north toward the important trade town of Garoua.
Germany eventually prevailed against the Fulbe, and the present Adamawa fell into the Ngaoundéré administrative area, or "residency". From 1902 to 1903, Germany allowed most lamidos to stay in power, albeit under German supervision; rulers who refused to cooperate were replaced. Year 1902 ( MCMII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Year 1903 ( MCMIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar or a Common year starting The colonials also encouraged the Islamisation of the area's non-Muslim inhabitants, as this would place them under the rule of the lamidos, who were already submissive to the German governor.
French administration
Germany's 1916 defeat in Africa in World War I eventually gave control of the territory to the French, the region's third occupying force in less than a century. Year 1916 ( MCMXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The new governors placed the region in the Mora-Garoua administrative area with its capital at Garoua.
French colonial policies varied little from their German predecessors. Lamidos were left in nominal power, though they were expected to carry out French policies. France also did away with recalcitrant rulers, and by 1936, the region had 39 lamidos and one sultan. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Sultan (سلطان is an Islamic title with several historical meanings France's main contribution to the region was its improvements to infrastructure. Road construction, in particular, accelerated during French rule, and the colonials had a road built from Foumban to Garoua via Banyo, Tibati, and Ngaoundéré.
In 1956, France made all of its West African colonies self-governing. Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. André-Marie Mbida became the first premier of Cameroon. Andre-Marie Mbida (1917-1980 was the first Prime Minister of pre-independent Cameroon, from May 1957 to January 1958 Mbida quickly alienated the Muslim north, however, when he introduced his Abong-Mbang Resolutions. One of these called for the "democratisation" of northern Cameroon, which the Muslim rulers feared was code for bringing an end to their influence. Muslim leaders thus threatened to secede from Cameroon and join French Chad unless the resolutions were recalled. Secession (derived from the Latin term secessio is the act of withdrawing from an organization union or especially a political entity The events eventually led to Mbida's expulsion from the prime ministry and his replacement by Ahmadou Ahidjo, a Muslim from the country's north. Ahmadou Babatoura Ahidjo ( 24 August 1924 - 30 November 1989) was the first President of Cameroon from 1960 until 1982
Post-independence
Ahidjo became Cameroon's first president after the country's independence on 1 January 1960. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He devoted substantial resources to developing his northern homeland, such as the extension of a road north from Yaoundé to better link Cameroon's north and south. The railroad followed soon thereafter, construction beginning in 1961 and reaching Ngaoundéré ten years later. Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
The northern Muslims largely viewed the arrival of Cameroon's second president, Paul Biya, suspiciously. Paul Biya (born 13 February 1933) has been the President of Cameroon since November 6, 1982. This was largely due to an Ahidjo partisan named Moussa Yaya, whom Biya and the press accused of trying to turn the lamidos against the new leader. Biya enjoys some support in the province today, but his popularity is nowhere near as strong as in Cameroon's south. Part of this is because Biya's main activities in the north have been minimal. He split the North Province into three parts in 1983, thus creating the Far North, North, and Adamawa Provinces as they exist today. Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) The Far North Province, also known as the Extreme North Province (from French Province de l'Extrême-Nord) is the northernmost constituent province of He also absorbed the University of Ngaoundéré into the national system.
References
- Fanso, V. G. (1989) Cameroon History for Secondary Schools and Colleges, Vol. 1: From Prehistoric Times to the Nineteenth Century. Hong Kong: Macmillan Education Ltd, 1989.
- Neba, Aaron, Ph. D. (1999) Modern Geography of the Republic of Cameroon, 3rd ed. Bamenda: Neba Publishers.
- Ngoh, Victor Julius (1996) History of Cameroon Since 1800. Limbé: Presbook, 1996.
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