Sangmélima is a town on the Lobo River, and also the chief town of Lobo division ("Dja et Lobo"), in the South Province ('Province du Sud'),

Republic of 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; th ...

, Africa. The language spoken there is Bulu.

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

, is also spoken as it is one of the official languages in Cameroon.

People

The population is of the Bulu clan, part of the

Beti-Pahuin The Beti-Pahuin are a Bantu ethnic group located in rain forest regions of Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and São Tomé and Príncipe. Though they separate themselves into several individual clans, they all share a c ...

tribe. The Bulu migrated to the area during the 19th century, having been slave hunters until the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

sent elements of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fr ...

in 1827 to the coastal areas in bid to stop the

slave trade Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

. Cameroon's President

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.

is a Bulu, from a village near Sangmélima.

Economy

The economy is largely rural, with many chicken farms . Champ de pastèques Sangmélima

Transport

The National Road 9 passes through the town, and National Road 17 begins there. There is an airstrip near the town.

Ecology

The Dja Faunal Reserve ('Réserve du Biosphère du Dja') is a 5,260 km² reserve that extends to the east of the town, and which was designated a

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

in 1984.

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...

calls it: ''"one of the largest and best-protected rainforests in Africa, with 90% of its area left undisturbed"''. There are also said to be ''"vast forested areas"'' to the south of the town.

People

Economy

Transport

Ecology

See also