Geography of Cameroon: the 10 regions and their capitals
Cameroon has 10 regions and 58 departments. Each region is run from a regional capital, and each department has its own. Hover over the map to discover a region, or browse the full list below.
The capital of Cameroon is Yaoundé, capital of the Centre region; Douala, in the Littoral region, is its economic capital and largest city. The largest of the 10 regions is the East (109,002 km²), the smallest the West (13,892 km²).
The word "region" dates from 2008: a decree of 12 November 2008 replaced the term "provinces", without changing their number or boundaries.
Hover or tap a region to explore it.
Region boundaries: geoBoundaries (CC BY 3.0), redrawn and simplified for this site.
The 10 regions at a glance
| Region | Regional capital | Departments | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far North | Maroua | 6 | 34,263 km² |
| North | Garoua | 4 | 66,090 km² |
| Adamawa | Ngaoundéré | 5 | 63,701 km² |
| East | Bertoua | 4 | 109,002 km² |
| Centre | Yaoundé | 10 | 68,953 km² |
| South | Ebolowa | 4 | 47,191 km² |
| Littoral | Douala | 4 | 20,248 km² |
| West | Bafoussam | 8 | 13,892 km² |
| North-West | Bamenda | 7 | 17,300 km² |
| South-West | Buéa | 6 | 25,410 km² |
Far North
Regional capital : Maroua
Departments and their capitals (6)
- Diamaré (Maroua)
- Logone-et-Chari (Kousséri)
- Mayo-Danay (Yagoua)
- Mayo-Kani (Kaélé)
- Mayo-Sava (Mora)
- Mayo-Tsanaga (Mokolo)
Dishes linked to this region : Soya, Foléré, Bili-bili, Couscous de mil, Kilichi, Kossam, Sauce aux feuilles de baobab, Sauce tasba, Bouillie de mil
North
Regional capital : Garoua
Departments and their capitals (4)
- Bénoué (Garoua)
- Faro (Poli)
- Mayo-Louti (Guider)
- Mayo-Rey (Tcholliré)
Dishes linked to this region : Soya, Foléré, Bili-bili, Couscous de mil, Kilichi, Kossam, Sauce aux feuilles de baobab, Sauce tasba, Bouillie de mil
Cities on this site in this region : Garoua
Adamawa
Regional capital : Ngaoundéré
Departments and their capitals (5)
- Djérem (Tibati)
- Faro-et-Déo (Tignère)
- Mayo-Banyo (Banyo)
- Mbéré (Meiganga)
- Vina (Ngaoundéré)
Dishes linked to this region : Couscous de mil, Kilichi, Kossam, Sauce aux feuilles de baobab, Bouillie de mil
Cities on this site in this region : Ngaoundéré
East
Regional capital : Bertoua
Departments and their capitals (4)
- Boumba-et-Ngoko (Yokadouma)
- Haut-Nyong (Abong-Mbang)
- Kadey (Batouri)
- Lom-et-Djérem (Bertoua)
Dishes linked to this region : Odontol
Cities on this site in this region : Bertoua
Centre
Regional capital : Yaoundé
Departments and their capitals (10)
- Haute-Sanaga (Nanga-Eboko)
- Lekié (Monatélé)
- Mbam-et-Inoubou (Bafia)
- Mbam-et-Kim (Ntui)
- Méfou-et-Afamba (Mfou)
- Méfou-et-Akono (Ngoumou)
- Mfoundi (Yaoundé)
- Nyong-et-Kéllé (Éséka)
- Nyong-et-Mfoumou (Akonolinga)
- Nyong-et-So'o (Mbalmayo)
Dishes linked to this region : Mbongo tchobi, Okok, Sanga, Vin de palme, Mets de pistache, Ndomba, Mintoumba, Kwem
Cities on this site in this region : Yaoundé
South
Regional capital : Ebolowa
Departments and their capitals (4)
- Dja-et-Lobo (Sangmélima)
- Mvila (Ebolowa)
- Océan (Kribi)
- Vallée-du-Ntem (Ambam)
Littoral
Regional capital : Douala
Departments and their capitals (4)
- Moungo (Nkongsamba)
- Nkam (Yabassi)
- Sanaga-Maritime (Édéa)
- Wouri (Douala)
Dishes linked to this region : Ndolé, Mbongo tchobi, Okok, Koki, Sanga, Vin de palme, Mets de pistache, Kwacoco et banga, Poisson braisé, Mintoumba
Cities on this site in this region : Douala, Nkongsamba, Édéa
West
Regional capital : Bafoussam
Departments and their capitals (8)
- Bamboutos (Mbouda)
- Haut-Nkam (Bafang)
- Hauts-Plateaux (Baham)
- Koung-Khi (Bandjoun)
- Menoua (Dschang)
- Mifi (Bafoussam)
- Ndé (Bangangté)
- Noun (Foumban)
Dishes linked to this region : Poulet DG, Koki, Kondrè, Taro à la sauce jaune, Vin de palme, Nkui, Mets de pistache, Njapche, Pilé de pommes de terre
Cities on this site in this region : Bafoussam, Foumban, Dschang
North-West
Regional capital : Bamenda
Departments and their capitals (7)
- Boyo (Fundong)
- Bui (Kumbo)
- Donga-Mantung (Nkambé)
- Menchum (Wum)
- Mezam (Bamenda)
- Momo (Mbengwi)
- Ngo-Ketunjia (Ndop)
Dishes linked to this region : Eru, Taro à la sauce jaune, Vin de palme, Kati kati, Njama njama et fufu corn
South-West
Regional capital : Buéa
Departments and their capitals (6)
- Fako (Limbé)
- Koupé-Manengouba (Bangem)
- Lebialem (Menji)
- Manyu (Mamfé)
- Meme (Kumba)
- Ndian (Mundemba)
Dishes linked to this region : Eru, Koki, Vin de palme, Kwacoco et banga, Ekwang
Cities on this site in this region : Limbé, Buéa, Kumba, Tiko
Frequently asked questions about the geography of Cameroon
What is the capital of Cameroon?
Yaoundé, capital of the Centre region. Douala, the country's largest city and main port, is its economic capital.
How many regions does Cameroon have?
10 regions, divided into 58 departments. They were called "provinces" until a decree of 12 November 2008 changed the name without altering the boundaries.
What is the largest region of Cameroon?
The East, at 109,002 km², ahead of the Centre (68,953 km²). The smallest is the West (13,892 km²).
Which regions are English-speaking?
The North-West (capital: Bamenda) and the South-West (capital: Buéa). French and English are the country's two official languages.
How big is Cameroon?
About 475,000 km² (475,442 km² in the most widely cited figures), slightly smaller than metropolitan France.
Which countries border Cameroon?
Six countries: Nigeria to the west, Chad to the north-east, the Central African Republic to the east, and the Republic of the Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea to the south. The country also opens onto the Atlantic Ocean, at the far end of the Gulf of Guinea.
What is the highest point in Cameroon?
Mount Cameroon, an active volcano overlooking Buea and Limbe in the South-West. Its height is given as 4,070 m or 4,095 m depending on the source.