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 has approximately 436,899 inhabitants in 2018.^[1]

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.^[2]

The population of the city was 30,000 in 1967.^[3]

Geography

Garoua is situated in northern Cameroon, and lies on the Benue River.^[4] It serves as the gateway to Benoue National Park.^[5] Neighborhoods include Commercial Centre, Lopere, Quartier de Marouaire, and the northwestern suburb of Yelwa, near Garoua International Airport.^[4]

Climate

Garoua has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw). 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.