YaoundéCapital
Cameroon · Country profile
Yaounde is the green, hilly capital of Cameroon, the government and the university city of the centre of the country that spreads its colonial-era centre, its steep residential ridges, its ministries and its universities across the rolling forested hills of the south. Founded in the late nineteenth century as a trading and a garrison station of the Germans, it became the administrative capital of the country and grew into a serious, leafy African metropolis, cooler and calmer than the commercial giant of the coast to the south. Its cathedral and the basilica on their hills, its national museum in the old presidential palace, the reopened railway of the region and the lively markets of the city carry the day-to-day life, while the interior of the country, with the national parks and the strongholds of the Mount Cameroon and the Sahel ways, spreads outward from the capital. Ordered, diplomatic and quietly tropical, Yaounde is the polished administrative heart of one of the most diverse nations of the continent.
About Yaoundé
Yaoundé is the capital of Cameroon. The city's documented population is around 2,440,462 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Central African CFA franc (XAF) and French and English are spoken; the dialling code is +237.
The Cathedral of the Hill and the Market of the Mokolo
The city climbs and dips over its hills, so the essential visits move between the historic centre with its grand cathedral and its wide government avenue, the villages and the monuments of the hills, the markets and the food stalls of the busier quarters, and the museums of the city. The basilica on its promontory, the museum of the nation in the old palace, the artists quarter and the hillside viewpoints anchor the classic stops, while the parliament buildings, the plantations and the waterfalls of the surrounding region fill the excursions. The days run at a slow official pace, with the evenings given to the grilled fish and the nightlife of the lakeside districts of the modern city.
The Basilica of the Promontory and the Museum of the Nation
The climate is tropical with the altitude softening the heat, so the city sits comfortable through the year with the two rainy seasons and the two drier spells of the equatorial pattern, the forest humidity heavy in the wet months. The franc of the region is the currency and the French the official language alongside the English of the anglophone regions. The centre, the museum and the basilica make the core visits, with the market and the crafts high among the essentials, and the national parks and the peaks of the country beyond the capital worth the road. A light rain shell, mosquito protection and modest dress for the churches and the official spaces complete the simple kit for this green capital.
The Monument of the Reunification and the Quarter of the Artists
The cathedral of the city on its hill by the central market and the grand basilica on its higher promontory, with their twin towers and their views over the green valleys, anchor the spiritual skyline of the capital, while the national museum in the old palace of the first president, with its galleries of the masks, the sculptures and the thrones of the peoples of the country, is the essential cultural stop, and the museum of the art alongside it adds the modern layer. The monument of the reunification, the dramatic tower and sculpture that marks the union of the former French and British territories, stands among the great landmarks of the modern nation, and the quarter of the artists with its galleries and its studios of the painters, and the slopes of the city with their evening food life, give the human warmth of the capital. The interior awaits beyond the ring of the hills: with the great parks of the north, the plantation country of the west and the volcano road, the door of the whole diverse country stands open through this tidy green city. Ordered, leafy and full of character, Yaounde remains the seat where the many voices of Cameroon meet.
Report an error or suggest an update
- Country
- Cameroon
- Population
- 2,440,462
- Capital
- Yaoundé
- Region
- Africa
- Currency
- Central African CFA franc (XAF)
- Languages
- French, English
- Calling code
- +237
- Country code
- CM
Entry requirements for Cameroon
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Cameroon for tourism.
Frequently asked questions
Is Yaoundé the capital of Cameroon?
Yes — Yaoundé is the capital of Cameroon.
What currency do I need in Yaoundé?
The local currency is the Central African CFA franc (XAF). Languages spoken in Cameroon include French and English.
What is the dialling code for Cameroon?
The international dialling code for Cameroon is +237.
Do I need a visa to visit Cameroon?
It depends on your passport. For the origins we track, the current tourism visa status is Morocco (e-visa). Check the entry requirements tool for your own nationality.
Flying out of Yaoundé? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.