Yabassi is a town and
commune in western
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 ...
, and capital of the
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 ...
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 spoken.
History
At the time of the
German protectorate in Cameroon, Yabassi was a commercial hub and strategic town. The
Battle of Jabassi took place near here during the
Kamerun campaign of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
. The city was once cut in two but not anymore thanks to the bridge that connects the Nkam administrative center in the old neighborhood called
Ndokbele.
Economy
The communal economy relies mainly on rural agriculture. The sector employs over 90% of the population. The main agricultural products are food crops (
cocoyam
Cocoyam is a common name for more than one tropical root crop and vegetable crop belonging to the Arum family (also known as Aroids and by the family name ''Araceae'') and may refer to:
* Taro (''Colocasia esculenta'') - old cocoyam
* Malanga ( ...
,
cassava
''Manihot esculenta'', commonly called cassava (), manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America. Although a perennial plant, cassava is extensively cultivated ...
,
potato
The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae.
Wild potato species can be found from the southern Uni ...
,
yam,
plantain, etc.). In recent years, there has also been a proliferation of oil palm cultivation. This is made possible thanks to the fertile land in the area. Small business, particularly in the main town is the second most important trade. Due to its dense forest, Yabassi is being exploited by loggers, mostly Asian companies.
The city is handicapped by the lack of paved roads, making it difficult to travel the 100 km separating the city from the economic capital of Cameroon,
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 ...
.
See also
*
Communes of Cameroon
The Arrondissements of Cameroon are the third-level units of administration in Cameroon. The arrondissements are organised by divisions and sub divisions of each province (now Regions).
As of 2005 (and since 1996) there are 2 urban comm ...
References
Site de la primature - Élections municipales 2002
Contrôle de gestion et performance des services publics communaux des villes camerounaises Thèse de Donation Avele, Université Montesquieu Bordeaux IV
* Charles Nanga,
La réforme de l’administration territoriale au Cameroun à la lumière de la loi constitutionnelle n° 96/06 du 18 janvier 1996', Mémoire ENA.
Populated places in Littoral Region (Cameroon)
Communes of Cameroon
Palm oil production in Cameroon
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