The Littoral Region (french: Région du Littoral) is a

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...

. Its capital is

Douala Douala is the largest city in Cameroon and its economic capital. It is also the capital of Cameroon's Littoral Region. Home to Central Africa's largest port and its major international airport, Douala International Airport (DLA), it is the com ...

. , its population was 3,174,437.Cameroon at GeoHive
Its name is due to the region being largely

littoral The littoral zone or nearshore is the part of a sea, lake, or river that is close to the shore. In coastal ecology, the littoral zone includes the intertidal zone extending from the high water mark (which is rarely inundated), to coastal a ...

, and associated with the sea coast. The

Douala Edéa Wildlife Reserve Douala is the largest city in Cameroon and its economic capital. It is also the capital of Cameroon's Littoral Region (Cameroon), Littoral Region. Home to Central Africa's largest port and its major international airport, Douala International Ai ...

is in the region.

2008 presidential decree abolishes provinces

The President of the Republic of Cameroon,

Paul Biya Paul Biya (born Paul Barthélemy Biya'a bi Mvondo; 13 February 1933) is a Cameroonian politician who has served as the president of Cameroon since 6 November 1982.

, signed decrees in 2008 abolishing "Provinces" and replacing them with "Regions". Hence, all of the country's ten former provinces are now known as Regions.

Demographics

Divisions

The region is divided into four departments (''départements''): # Moungo, with its capital at Nkongsamba. #

Nkam Nkam is a department of Littoral Province in Cameroon. The department covers an area of 6,291 km and as of 2001 had a total population of 66,979. The capital of the department lies at Yabassi. Subdivisions The department is divided admin ...

, with its capital at

Yabassi Yabassi is a town and commune in western Cameroon, and capital of the Nkam department. Its population in 2001 was estimated at 12,000. The main dialect spoken is the Yabassi. However, there are also other dialects originating in the Nkam which are ...

. # Sanaga-Maritime, with its capital at Édéa. # Wouri, forming the area around the major city of

. These are in turn broken down into subdivisions. Presidentially appointed senior divisional officers (''préfets'') and subdivisional officers (''sous-préfets'') govern each. Traditional leaders, usually referred to as ''chiefs'' in English, often preside over particular ethnic groups or villages; nevertheless, many of these wield very little power today. Mémorial de Gustav Nachtigal 1

Culture

Traditional Dance

File:Danse sawa7.jpg File:Danse sawa3.jpg File:Danse sawa8.jpg File:Danse sawa1.jpg File:Danse sawa2.jpg File:Danse sawa4.jpg File:Danse sawa6.jpg File:Danse sawa9.jpg File:FestivalMbogLiaa35.jpg File:FestivalMbogLiaa36.jpg

Traditional musical instruments

File:Instrument sawa.jpg File:Danse sawa.jpg File:Danse sawa10.jpg

Traditional dance accessories

File:Instrument sawa1.jpg

Traditional clothes

File:Ning Kum Prosper 3.jpg, ''Sanja'' wear by King Kum Prosper III GedAutoriteNgondo.JPG, Traditional hat File:KdfkabaNgondo.JPG, Kaba Ngondo scarf File:KdfKabacerac.JPG, Women with Kaba Ngondo Hair style and head covers File:KdfKaba02.JPG File:Kdfsawawomen02.JPG File:KdfSawa11.JPG Monuments in the Region File:Deido.JPG, Statue of Liberty, Douala File:Temple du centenaire de Douala.JPG, Temple du Centenaire, Douala File:Ma cathédral 4.JPG, Cathedral in Edea File:PALAIS DES ROIS BELL (2).JPG, Kings Bell Palace, Douala File:Caveau des rois bell.jpg, King Bell's Monument File:Mandessi bell la merveille.jpg, Villa Mandessi File:CATHEDRLE St PIERRE & PAUL DE DOUALA...JPG, Inner view of the St Peter & Paul Cathedral in Douala File:Monument au Général Leclerc.JPG, Monument of General Leclerc in Douala File:Temple de Bonalembe de Douala.JPG, Bonalembe Temple, Douala File:Les benedictins1k.JPG, The Benedictine File:Ancienne résidence du chef de circonscription à Douala.JPG, Ancient Residence of the District Chief in Douala File:LT 16 (1) Ancien résidence du chef de circonscription.JPG, Former residence of the head of constituency File:Monument Gustave Nachtigal 1.JPG, Monument of Gustav Nachtigal, Douala File:Mausolée de Din Ngosso 04.JPG, Monument of Ngosso Din, Douala File:LT4 (1) Chambre de commerce.JPG, Chamber of Commerce, Douala File:Cathédrale st Engelbert (1).JPG, St Engelbert Cathedral File:Teambeau des roi akwa (1).JPG, Tomb of King Akwa in Douala File:Église Notre-dame des Victoires de New Bell I 1.JPG, Our Lady Victories in New Bell, Douala File:LT 16 (3) Ancien résidence du chef de circonscription.JPG, Former residence of the head of constituency File:LT 43 Mosqué central de new-bell.jpg, New Bell Central Mosque File:Monument des rois Akwa 01.JPG, Monument of King Akwa in Douala Common Dishes in the Region File:Ndolè à la morue.jpg, Ndole File:Bâtons de manioc de Tayap.JPG, Soaked cassava flour (Bobolo) File:Sauce d'arachides au pisson fumé.jpg, Groundnut soup

Wildlife

Animals in the Douala Edea Wildlife Reserve File:Singe de la réserve de faune de Douala - Edea 01.jpg, Chimpanzee File:Singes de la réserve de faune de Douala - Edea 15.jpg, Chimpanzees File:Singes de la réserve de faune de Douala - Edea 21.jpg, Chimpanzees File:Singes de la réserve de faune de Douala - Edea 11.jpg, Chimpanzees File:Loxodontacyclotis.jpg, Adult and young elephants File:Chimpanzé, R.F Douala-édea,Mouanko.png, Chimpanzee

Notes and references

{{Authority control Regions of Cameroon