Garoua or Garua (German: Garua) is a port city and the capital of the North Region of Cameroon, lying on the Benue River. A thriving centre of the textiles and cotton industries, the city had 235,996 inhabitants according to the 2005 Census.
Contents
History
Garoua was established by the Fulani emir Modibbo Adama in the first half of the 19th century. During the steamship era, it developed into a major river port.[1]
Geography
Garoua is situated in northern Cameroon, and lies on the Benue River.[2] It serves as the gateway to Benoue National Park.[3] Neighborhoods include Commercial Centre, Lopere, Quartier de Marouaire, and the northwestern suburb of Yelwa, near Garoua International Airport.[2]
Climate
The average temperature in Garoua ranges from 26.0 °C (78.8 °F) in the January to 33.0 °C (91.4 °F) in April.
| Climate data for Garoua | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 34.4 (93.9) |
37.3 (99.1) |
39.8 (103.6) |
39.5 (103.1) |
36.5 (97.7) |
33.2 (91.8) |
31.1 (88) |
30.7 (87.3) |
31.5 (88.7) |
34.2 (93.6) |
36.0 (96.8) |
34.8 (94.6) |
34.9 (94.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.0 (78.8) |
28.9 (84) |
32.2 (90) |
33.0 (91.4) |
30.7 (87.3) |
28.2 (82.8) |
26.6 (79.9) |
26.4 (79.5) |
26.7 (80.1) |
28.1 (82.6) |
27.3 (81.1) |
26.0 (78.8) |
28.3 (82.9) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 17.5 (63.5) |
20.5 (68.9) |
24.7 (76.5) |
26.4 (79.5) |
24.9 (76.8) |
23.2 (73.8) |
22.2 (72) |
22.0 (71.6) |
21.9 (71.4) |
22.2 (72) |
19.2 (66.6) |
17.3 (63.1) |
21.8 (71.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 0.0 (0) |
0.0 (0) |
2.0 (0.079) |
44.1 (1.736) |
108.4 (4.268) |
134.8 (5.307) |
205.3 (8.083) |
247.9 (9.76) |
190.0 (7.48) |
63.3 (2.492) |
1.6 (0.063) |
0.0 (0) |
997.4 (39.268) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 24 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 88 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 275.0 | 252.6 | 260.1 | 245.4 | 256.7 | 224.4 | 194.0 | 187.2 | 204.5 | 261.5 | 279.2 | 286.5 | 2,927.1 |
| Source: NOAA[4] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
In 2005, Garoua had a population of 235,996 people. The city is inhabited by the Fulbe ethnic group.[5] Due to a significant number of Chadian expatriates in the city, there is a Chadian Consulate.[3]
Economy
As the fourth largest port in Cameroon,[6] Garoua is a major center of trade in the country.[7] It developed as a centre for trade in petroleum, cement, hides, peanuts, and cotton, transported on ships along the Benue River, between Burutu in Nigeria.[1] It has long been a thriving centre of the cotton industry and houses several textile processing facilities and factories.[8] The cotton company Sodecoton has one of its major centres in the city.[9] Leatherwork and fishing are also notable industries.[1]
Landmarks
Garoua has a Grand Mosque, known as the "Grande Mosquée de Poumpomeré".[2] The main sports stadium is the 35,000-seater Roumdé Adjia Stadium, the home ground of football club Coton Sport de Garoua.[10] There are several banks and insurance companies, a hospital, and a junior college.[1]
Transport
Garoua is served by Garoua International Airport, with the national airline operating, Cameroon Airlines. [11] The United States military uses the airport as a base to conduct unmanned aerial vehicle operations.[12] The city lies on National Highway 1,[2] at a junction of the road between Maroua and Ngaoundéré.[1] The main road leading north through the town and past the airport is called Rue de la Gendarmerie.[2]
Notable people
- Ahmadou Ahidjo, (1924-1989) first president of Cameroon[13]
- Eldridge Mohammadou (1934-2004) historian, professor at the Maiduguri university.[14]
References
- ^ a b c d e "Garoua". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
- ^ a b c d e Google (29 October 2016). "Garoua" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
- ^ a b Ham, Anthony (2009). West Africa. Lonely Planet. p. 207. ISBN 978-1-74104-821-6.
- ^ "Garoua Climate Normals 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
- ^ Drønen, Tomas Sundnes (31 August 2009). Communication and Conversion in Northern Cameroon: The Dii People and Norwegian Missionaries, 1934-1960. BRILL. p. 40. ISBN 978-90-474-3098-8.
- ^ Trillo, Richard (2 June 2008). The Rough Guide to West Africa. Rough Guides Limited. p. 3028. ISBN 978-1-4053-8068-3.
- ^ Georgia (Republic) Export-Import Trade and Business Directory. International Business Publications. October 2005. p. 97. ISBN 978-0-7397-3267-0.
- ^ Ndenecho, Emmanuel Neba (2011). Decentralisation and Spatial Rural Development Planning in Cameroon. African Books Collective. p. 76. ISBN 978-9956-717-66-8.
- ^ Raimond, Christine (8 October 2013). Ressources vivrières et choix alimentaires dans le bassin du lac Tchad. IRD Editions. p. 202. ISBN 978-2-7099-1576-2.
- ^ Parrish, Charles; Nauright, John (21 April 2014). Soccer around the World: A Cultural Guide to the World's Favorite Sport. ABC-CLIO. p. 58. ISBN 978-1-61069-303-5.
- ^ Africa Review 2003/04: The Economic and Business Report. Kogan Page Publishers. 2003. p. 44. ISBN 978-0-7494-4065-7.
- ^ Hammer, Joshua (2016-02-25). "Hunting Boko Haram: The U.S. Extends Its Drone War Deeper Into Africa With Secretive Base". The Intercept.
- ^ Appiah, Anthony; Gates, Henry Louis (2010). Encyclopedia of Africa. Oxford University Press. p. 73. ISBN 978-0-19-533770-9.
- ^ "Eldridge Mohammadou (1934-2004)" (in French). Africanistes. 29 October 2016.
External links
Media related to Garoua at Wikimedia Commons Coordinates: 09°18′N 13°24′E / 9.300°N 13.400°E