The South Region of Cameroon has fair industrial activities with its main commercial activity consisting of logging, timber, mining, and offshore oil drilling. Commercial agriculture is also important in the South, the major cash crops being cocoa and rubber. Cattle rearing and fishing are significant economic components, as well. Much of the population is made up of subsistence farmers.
It is located in the southwestern and south-central portions of the Republic of Cameroon. It is bordered to the east by the East Region, to the north by the Centre Region, to the northwest by the Littoral Region, to the west by the Gulf of Guinea (part of the Atlantic Ocean), and to the south by the countries of Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Congo. The South occupies 47,720 km2 of territory, making it the fourth largest region in the nation. The major ethnic groups are the various Beti-Pahuin peoples, such as the Ewondo, Fang, and Bulu.
This region is almost entirely covered in a rain forest, the exception being a small tract of mangroves on the coast south of Campo. Much of this land has been intensely exploited for logging, however, allowing sunlight to penetrate to the forest floor and for thick undergrowth to flourish.
The majority of the inhabitants of the South are members of various Bantu tribes that are collectively known as the Beti-Pahuin (Béti-Pahouin), the Fang-Beti, or simply the Fang. All of these groups speak various dialects of the Beti language. In addition, most inhabitants of the more populated areas can also speak French.
This region of the Country is divided into four divisions namely;
- Dja-et-Lobo,
- Mvila,
- Océan,
- Vallée-du-Ntem
Further reading on the South region of Cameroon