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Capital of Cameroon: Yaoundé — Facts & 5-Question Quiz

The capital of Cameroon is Yaoundé. Cameroon sits in Africa, has a population of 27,914,536, and uses the XAF. Official languages include French, English.

Quick facts

  • Capital: Yaoundé
  • Continent: Africa
  • Population: ~27,914,536
  • Area: 475,442 km²
  • Population density: 58.7 people per km²
  • Official languages: French, English
  • Currency: XAF
  • ISO code: CM

How big is Cameroon?

By population, Cameroon ranks 53rd in the world, holding roughly 0.35% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 53rd.

Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Cameroon has 58.7 people per square kilometre, which is close to the world average of 59.4. Its population and area ranks line up exactly, which is uncommon.

Within Africa, Cameroon is the 17th most populous country of 54.

Countries of a similar size

The two countries closest to Cameroon in population are Ivory Coast (28,160,542) and Venezuela (28,301,696).

By land area, its closest counterparts are Papua New Guinea (462,840 km²) and Turkmenistan (488,100 km²).

Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.

Language and currency

French is spoken officially in 30 countries in this dataset, including Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi and Canada, and 24 others.

The XAF is not unique to Cameroon — it is also used by Central African Republic, Chad, Congo and Equatorial Guinea, and 1 other. Shared currencies usually mark a monetary union or a long-standing peg, and they are a useful shortcut in quizzes: get one country's currency and you often get several.

How to remember Cameroon

Yaoundé is the capital, but the port city of Douala is bigger, so Douala is the classic wrong answer. On the flag the star sits in the middle of the red stripe: a star of unity in the heart of the flag.

The flag of Cameroon: green, red and yellow, with a yellow star

🇨🇲 The flag is three vertical stripes of green, red and yellow, with a small yellow five-pointed star in the middle of the red stripe. Red stands for unity, yellow for the sun, happiness and the northern savannas, and green for hope and the southern forests. The star is called the 'star of unity'.

Region and neighbours

Cameroon is a country in Central Africa, at the crossroads between West and Central Africa, with a coast on the Gulf of Guinea and Lake Chad at its northern border. It shares land borders with 6 countries: Nigeria, Chad, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Three facts about Cameroon

  1. Cameroon is often called 'Africa in miniature' because it has coast, desert, mountains, rainforest and savanna.
  2. Mount Cameroon, near the coast, is the highest point in sub-Saharan western and central Africa.
  3. Cameroon has two official languages, French and English.

Sources: Wikipedia: Cameroon, Wikipedia: Flag of Cameroon, Wikipedia: Yaoundé, Wikipedia: Mount Cameroon, CIA World Factbook.

Quiz yourself on Cameroon

Cameroon capital quiz

  1. What is the capital of Cameroon 🇨🇲?

    • Tunis
    • Porto-Novo
    • Yaoundé
    • Port Louis
    Show answer

    Yaoundé

  2. What is the capital of Ivory Coast 🇨🇮?

    • Praia
    • N'Djamena
    • Yamoussoukro
    • Kigali
    Show answer

    Yamoussoukro

  3. What is the capital of Madagascar 🇲🇬?

    • Cairo
    • Antananarivo
    • Niamey
    • Juba
    Show answer

    Antananarivo

  4. What is the capital of Niger 🇳🇪?

    • Lusaka
    • Lilongwe
    • Bangui
    • Niamey
    Show answer

    Niamey

  5. What is the capital of Mozambique 🇲🇿?

    • Maputo
    • Juba
    • Bangui
    • Algiers
    Show answer

    Maputo

Cameroon in Africa

The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Africa is the block Cameroon belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.

Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Cameroon.

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Cameroon?

The capital of Cameroon is Yaoundé.

What is the population of Cameroon?

About 27,914,536, making it the 53rd most populous country in the world.

How big is Cameroon?

475,442 square kilometres, ranking 53rd by land area, at a density of 58.7 people per square kilometre.

What currency does Cameroon use?

The XAF, shared with 5 other countries.

What are the colours of the Cameroon flag?

The flag of Cameroon is three vertical stripes of green, red and yellow, with a small yellow five-pointed star in the middle of the red stripe. Red stands for unity, yellow for the sun, happiness and the northern savannas, and green for hope and the southern forests. The star is called the 'star of unity'.

Which countries border Cameroon?

Cameroon shares land borders with Nigeria, Chad, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

How can I remember the capital of Cameroon?

Yaoundé is the capital, but the port city of Douala is bigger, so Douala is the classic wrong answer. On the flag the star sits in the middle of the red stripe: a star of unity in the heart of the flag.

More capitals to learn

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