Bazou
Bazou is a town and commune located in the West Region of Cameroon. The town consists of 63 villages, and is one of the three subdivisions of the department of Ndé. Covering around 250 km2, it is located on the high plateau of Bamileke, 950–1400 m above sea level. The name Bazou comes from the Baze expression for walking because of the long migratory marches caused by frequent internal conflicts.
The economy is mainly based on agriculture and petty trade. Local attractions include many sacred sites and the hand-dug war trenches up to 21-km long.
Bazou is 255 km from Douala and 25 km from Bangangté, the main town of the department of Nde. It covers an area of about 250 km2, which is composed of a dense forest through mountains, high plateaus, and valleys on the southern and southwestern part bordering the department of Nkam. At the edge of the Littoral Region, Bazou is made up of large plains and savannas. It is bounded to the north by Balengou village, to the north-west by the villages of Batcha, Batchingou and Bamena, to the northeast by Bangoulap and Bakong villages, to the east by Bassamba village, to the southeast by Banoumga, to the south by Bagnun and Bamaha, and to the west and south-west by the borough of Nord-Makombe.
There is a clear contrast between the long ridgeline from Balengou to Bangoulap and the area of the Bazou hills, with steep slopes and the picturesque sites which were once occupied by the original settlers from the Tikar plain. The land is semi-forested and shrubby with a less dense hydrographic network than those of the surrounding areas. However, there are some rivers, sometimes with a history closely related to that of its people, notably: Nko'ofi (bridge over the tomb), Kouachou, Menondih, Makoua, Touboum, and Tsebon.
The proximity to the department of Nkam has led to the intrusion of traffickers seeking slaves and forced labor.
The climate is a tropical transition type strongly influenced by topography. Local climates range from hot, humid low-altitude areas with high rainfall in the south, to cold, foggy areas in the north. There is a four-month dry season from mid-November to mid-March and an eight-month rainy season from mid-March to mid-November. The average annual rainfall is 1300 mm. The number of days of rain varies between 175 and 220. The average annual temperature is between 15.8 °C and 24.5 °C, with peak temperatures reaching 37 °C.
The economy is mainly based on agriculture and petty trade. Local attractions include many sacred sites and the hand-dug war trenches up to 21-km long.
Bazou is 255 km from Douala and 25 km from Bangangté, the main town of the department of Nde. It covers an area of about 250 km2, which is composed of a dense forest through mountains, high plateaus, and valleys on the southern and southwestern part bordering the department of Nkam. At the edge of the Littoral Region, Bazou is made up of large plains and savannas. It is bounded to the north by Balengou village, to the north-west by the villages of Batcha, Batchingou and Bamena, to the northeast by Bangoulap and Bakong villages, to the east by Bassamba village, to the southeast by Banoumga, to the south by Bagnun and Bamaha, and to the west and south-west by the borough of Nord-Makombe.
There is a clear contrast between the long ridgeline from Balengou to Bangoulap and the area of the Bazou hills, with steep slopes and the picturesque sites which were once occupied by the original settlers from the Tikar plain. The land is semi-forested and shrubby with a less dense hydrographic network than those of the surrounding areas. However, there are some rivers, sometimes with a history closely related to that of its people, notably: Nko'ofi (bridge over the tomb), Kouachou, Menondih, Makoua, Touboum, and Tsebon.
The proximity to the department of Nkam has led to the intrusion of traffickers seeking slaves and forced labor.
The climate is a tropical transition type strongly influenced by topography. Local climates range from hot, humid low-altitude areas with high rainfall in the south, to cold, foggy areas in the north. There is a four-month dry season from mid-November to mid-March and an eight-month rainy season from mid-March to mid-November. The average annual rainfall is 1300 mm. The number of days of rain varies between 175 and 220. The average annual temperature is between 15.8 °C and 24.5 °C, with peak temperatures reaching 37 °C.
Map - Bazou
Map
Country - Cameroon
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| Flag of Cameroon | |
Early inhabitants of the territory included the Sao civilisation around Lake Chad, and the Baka hunter-gatherers in the southeastern rainforest. Portuguese explorers reached the coast in the 15th century and named the area Rio dos Camarões (Shrimp River), which became Cameroon in English. Fulani soldiers founded the Adamawa Emirate in the north in the 19th century, and various ethnic groups of the west and northwest established powerful chiefdoms and fondoms. Cameroon became a German colony in 1884 known as Kamerun. After World War I, it was divided between France and the United Kingdom as League of Nations mandates. The Union des Populations du Cameroun (UPC) political party advocated independence, but was outlawed by France in the 1950s, leading to the national liberation insurgency fought between French and UPC militant forces until early 1971. In 1960, the French-administered part of Cameroon became independent, as the Republic of Cameroun, under President Ahmadou Ahidjo. The southern part of British Cameroons federated with it in 1961 to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. The federation was abandoned in 1972. The country was renamed the United Republic of Cameroon in 1972 and back to the Republic of Cameroon in 1984 by a presidential decree by president Paul Biya. Paul Biya, the incumbent president, has led the country since 1982 following Ahidjo's resignation; he previously held office as prime minister from 1975 on. Cameroon is governed as a Unitary Presidential Republic.
Currency / Language
| ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| XAF | Central African CFA franc | Fr | 0 |
| ISO | Language |
|---|---|
| EN | English language |
| FR | French language |