Colors and the Meaning of the Cameroon Flag
The flag is composed of Pan-African colors, green, yellow and red, inspired by France’s vertical tricolor flag.
The green color of the strips, which vertically divide the flag into three equal parts, symbolizes the prospect and the rich vegetation in the country. The red color in the middle section, the blood flowing during the struggle for independence and the symbol of sovereignty, the yellow color on the waving side of the flag expresses the sun and the soil color of the savant in the north of the country. The yellow five-pointed star on the red strip in the middle of the flag symbolizes the unity of northern and southern Cameroon, divided between France and England during the colonial period.
History of the Cameroon Flag
After World War I, Cameroon was shared between France and Great Britain, north of the country became part of the French mandate system, and the south became a part of the British mandate system. Although there are doubts about its use in the south, a flag with the British flag at the top left corner has been in use.
In 1961, after the decision to unite the southern section with the northern section, two stars were placed in the upper corner, representing the two regions. In 1972, after the formation of the unitary state structure, the flag which is still up-to-date, was created in 1975 and officially started to be used.
Neighboring Countries of Cameroon
Cameroon, a country located in the central-western part of the African continent, is adjacent to the Atlantic with a 402 km coastline and Nigeria, Chad, Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea.
Main Characteristics of Cameroon
Cameroon is a West African country, known as Little Africa. Most of the population lives in rural areas. There are 286 ethnic groups in the country. The capital, Douala, is a city known as the music capital, which has an important place in the entertainment industry in the country. There are two official languages, English and French. Local African languages are also spoken outside official languages. The currency is the Central African CFA franc.
There is an equatorial climate throughout the country. However, there are differences according to regions. As you go north, the climate becomes dry. Although there is plenty of rain in Middle Cameroon, there is a dry season between 5-7 months. Southern part is one of the world’s most rainfall areas.
| Country | Cameroon |
| Code | CM (CMR) |
| Calling code | 237 |
| Capital city | Yaoundé |
| Currency | central african cfa franc (XAF) |
| Emoji symbol | 🇨🇲 |
| Highest point | Fako on Mount Cameroon (4,040 m) |
| Internet TLD | .cm |
| Population(2017) | 24,053,727 |
| Total area | 475,442 km2 |