The Nord Region of Cameroon is one of the 10 regions in Cameroon. This region makes up about 66,090 km² of the northern half of The Republic of Cameroon. Neighbouring territories include the Far North Region to the north, the Adamawa Region to the south, Nigeria to the west, Chad to the east, and the Central African Republic to the southeast.
The major ethnic groups in this part of Cameroon include the Fula or Fulani (Fula: Fulɓe; French: Peul), who are Islamic pastoralists, and numerous Muslim and animist speakers of Adamawa, Chadic, and Nilo-Saharan languages. French is the language of formal education, and Fulfulde, the language of the Fulbe, is widespread as a lingua franca.
| Capital | Garoua |
|---|---|
| Departments | Bénoué, Faro, Mayo-Louti, Mayo-Rey |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Roger-Moïse Eyène Lom |
| Area | |
| • Total | 66,090 km2 (25,520 sq mi) |
| Population (2015)
|
|
| • Total | 2,442,578 |
| • Density | 37/km2 (96/sq mi) |
The North Region has a typically hot and semi-dry tropical climate. Temperatures are generally very variable in the dry season, ranging from a maximum of 48°C in March to a minimum of about 20°C in December.
The three national game reserves, namely Bénoué, Bouba Ndjidda and Faro, with a combined surface area of 730 000 hectares have made the North Region of Cameroon an archetypal zone where most representative species of the African fauna are concentrated; the big mammals, the primates, the reptiles and the birds.
The North Region is endowed with countless resources, allowing for almost all kinds of tourism activities.
PHOTO SAFARI – CYNEGETIC TOURISM
With more than 600 km of tracks opened every year, the area offers immense opportunities for photo safari and sport tourism (hunting, fishing) in 28 zones specially fitted out and distributed around the national parks.
THE BOUBA NDJIDDA NATIONAL PARK (220 000 HECTARES)
Located some 150 km southeast of Garoua, this game reserve is home to almost all species of animals often found in the Central African Region and offers the best conditions for watching the Giant Eland, the biggest, most majestic but also the wildest of the African antelope species. Other animals found in the game reserve include elephants, giraffes, lions, panthers, buffaloes, hyenas, duikers, warthogs, aardvark, bush bugs, cobs, etc.
THE BENOUE NATIONAL PARK (180 000 HECTARES)
Accessible on road via Mayo Alim, Buffle Noire and Bel Eland, this reserve is located some 175 km to the south of Garoua and about 150 km to the north of Ngaoundere. Almost the same animal species are found here as in the Bouba Ndjidda National Park (lions, giant elands, cobs, defassa waterbucks and elephants). Four camps have been erected in the park to host visitors: Buffle Noir, Bel Eland, Grand Capitaine and Kobas.
THE FARO NATIONAL PARK (330 000 HECTARES)
In addition to most of the animal species found in the Bouba Ndjidda and Benoue national parks, the Faro National Park is also home to a diversified fauna including turtledoves, the grey hornbill, the blackbirds, the roller of Abyssinia, the common guinea fowls, the big hornbills of Abyssinia, the rocks hens, sand grouses, etc. The hippopotamus’s camp is fitted within the park for the convenience of tourists. The vegetation alternates between the savannas and the densely wooded areas, and some of the vegetal species include combretum spp, isoberlinia doka, burkea Africana, anogeissus leicarpus, afzelia Africana, cassia ssp, etc.
