Douala

Douala is the largest city in Cameroon and its economic capital. It is also the capital of Cameroon's Littoral Region. It was home to Central Africa's largest port, now being replaced by Kribi port. It has the country's major international airport, Douala International Airport (DLA). It is the commercial and economic capital of Cameroon and the entire CEMAC region comprising Gabon, Congo, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic and Cameroon. Consequently, it handles most of the country's major exports, such as oil, cocoa and coffee, timber, metals and fruits. , the city and its surrounding area had an estimated population of 4,346,000, while the city proper had an estimated population of 3,816,500. The city sits on the estuary of the Wouri River and its climate is tropical.

Douala is the largest city in Cameroon and its economic capital. It is also the capital of Cameroon's Littoral Region. It was home to Central Africa's largest port, now being replaced by Kribi port. It has the country's major international airport, Douala International Airport (DLA). It is the commercial and economic capital of Cameroon and the entire CEMAC region comprising Gabon, Congo, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic and Cameroon. Consequently, it handles most of the country's major exports, such as oil, cocoa and coffee, timber, metals and fruits. , the city and its surrounding area had an estimated population of 4,346,000, while the city proper had an estimated population of 3,816,500. The city sits on the estuary of the Wouri River and its climate is tropical.

History

The first Europeans to visit the area were the Portuguese in about 1472. At the time, the estuary of Wouri River was known as the Rio dos Camarões (Shrimp River). By 1650, it had become the site of a town formed by immigrants, said to have arrived from Congo, who spoke the Duala language. During the 18th century it was the center of the transatlantic slave trade. In 1826 Douala appeared to be made of four different villages located in four specific locations: the village of Deido (Dido), of Akwa, of Njo and Hickory-town (today Bonaberi, located on the other side of Wouri River). Between 1884 and 1895 the city was a German protectorate. The colonial politics focused on commerce and some exploration of the unoccupied territories. In 1885, Alfred Saker organized the first mission of the British Baptist Church. In the same year the city known as Kamerun was renamed Douala and became the capital of the territory until 1902, when the capital was moved to Buéa. In 1907 the Ministry of Colonies was established and Douala had 23,000 citizens. After World War I in 1919, the German colonial territories became French and British protectorates. France received a mandate to administer Douala. A treaty was signed with the local chiefs. From 1940 to 1946, it was the capital of Cameroon. In 1955 the city had over 100,000 inhabitants¹. In 1960, Cameroon gained independence as a federal republic, with its capital in Yaoundé. Douala became the major economic city. In 1972, the federal republic became a unitary state. Douala then had a population of around 500,000. In the 1980s, in Cameroon the struggle for liberalization and multi-party democracy grew. Between May and December 1991, Douala was at the center of the civil disobedience campaign called the ghost town operation (ville morte) during which economic activities shut down to make the country ungovernable and to force the government to allow multi-partitism and freedom of expression. ]]

Languages

Cameroon is home to nearly 250 languages or dialects. The local indigenous language is Duala, which shares its name with the city. French and English are official languages, but Douala is primarily lingua franca. In 2014, 63.7% of Douala inhabitants of over 15 years knew how to read and write French, while 76.4% knew how to speak and understand it.

Urbanism and contemporary life

The city of Douala is divided into seven districts (Akwa, Bassa, Bonabéri, Bonapriso, Bonanjo, Deïdo and New Bell) and it has more than 120 neighbourhoods. Some of the neighbourhoods of Douala include Akwa. Akwa is Douala's business district and Bonanjo its administrative district. Plateau Joss is the name used historically for the current district of Akwa. The name of the districts refer to the Douala lineage, as well as the neighborhoods. For example, Akwa was historically divided between Bell and Deido into Bonadibong, Bonamilengue, Boneleke, Bonalembe, Bonejang, Bonamuti, Bonabekombo, Bonaboijan, and Bonakuamuang; the prefix "bona" means "descendant of". File:Monument des rois Akwa 01.JPG|Akwa Kings Monument File:LT32 (8) Monument des roi d'akwa.JPG|Palais Dika Akwa File:Teambeau des roi akwa (1).JPG|Akwa King tomb File:LT 19 TEMPLE DE BONALEMBE.JPG|Bonalembe Baptist church File:Akwa Palace 1.JPG|Akwa Palace Bali, housing area located near Bonanjo administrative area. Bépanda is a very densely populated neighbourhood. It is probably the most inhabited area of the city with many residents having arrived from West Africa and from all parts of the country. The seat of the University of Douala and an important telecommunication centre of Cameroon's telecommunications are located there. Deido is a historical neighborhood located in the north central part of the city. It includes one of the main junctions of the city known as Le Rond-Point Deïdo and the symbol of the city “the Njounjou” (“the monster”). Bonaberi is located on the right bank of the Wouri River. It is primarily an industrial neighbourhood but is gradually becoming a mixed area including more residential and commercial areas. It is connected by the two only bridges of the city. It is also the main opening toward the western anglophone area of the country. Bonapriso is one of the wealthiest area of the city and even of the country. Historically a residential neighbourhood, it has become a mixed area including commercial galleries, restaurants and shops. Bonanjo is the administrative neighborhood, with many large administrations, larger companies and banks offices, with higher buildings than the rest of the city Bonamoussadi is the main housing area located in the northern part of the city. In a first time very residential, it has recently witnessed a significant surge in the installation of malls, supermarkets, restaurants and even night clubs. Kotto is a modern residential neighbourhood next to Bonamoussadi. It developed in the early 1980s with the housing projects of the Société immobilière du Cameroun (SIC) and is now the prime area for the small but increasing middle and upper classes of the city. New Bell is an historical neighbourhood of the city. It was founded in the early 20th century with the expropriation by the Germans of the natives Duala people from the plateau Joss. It has been known since then for housing newcomers in the city from all parts of the country and even from abroad (mainly west Africa). It today a very populous neighbourhood with very tough conditions. Two of the main markets of the city (Central market and Marché Nkololoun) are in the area. Eglise notre de victoire de New bell 2.jpg|Church of Our Lady of Victories LT 38 Mosqué central de new-bell.jpg|central mosque Lycée de New bell 3.JPG|NewBell High School Bassa is a vast area in the eastern part of the city. It is a mixed area including many neighborhoods (some wealthier than others) such as Logbaba, Ndogpassi, Cité des Palmiers, PK 8 and many others. It also includes one of the two major industrial zones of the city (the other being in Bonaberi). File:Nouvelle liberté 2.JPG File:Nouvelle liberté (2).JPG File:Nouvelle Liberté 01.JPG File:La Nouvelle Liberté 3.JPG File:La Nouvelle Liberté 7.JPG File:Nouvelle Liberté.JPG File:LYCEE JOSS DE DOUALA.JPG|Lycée Joss Entrance File:Lycée Joss Douala.JPG|Interior of Lycée Joss File:LT25 (2) Lycée de New-bell.JPG|Lycée de New-Bell Entrance File:Lycée de New bell.JPG|Interior of Lycée de New-Bell File:Lycée de New bell 3.JPG|Lycée de New-Bell Classrooms

Twin towns – sister cities

Douala is twinned with the following places: Strasbourg, France Akhisar, Turkey Dakar, Senegal Newark, United States Philadelphia, United States Windhoek, Namibia

References

Further reading

Brooke, James (1987). "Informal Capitalism Grows in Cameroon." The New York Times. November 30. Derrick, Jonathan (1977). "Review of Douala: ville et histoire by René Gouellain." Africa: Journal of the International African Institute. 47:4. Diwouta-Kotto, Danièle (2010). Suites architecturales: Kinshasa, Douala, Dakar. Épinal: Association VAA. Elate, Som Simon (2004). "African Urban History in the Future." In Steven Salm and Toyin Falola (eds), Globalization and Urbanization in Africa. Trenton: Africa World Press. Gouellain, René (1969). Douala, ville et histoire. Paris: Institut d'ethnologie Musée de l'homme. Hance, William (1964). The Geography of Modern Africa. New York: Columbia University Press. Lambi, C. M. and Hombe, L. F. (2002). "Environmental Hazards and Landuse Planning for Sustainable Development: the Douala Unstable Coastal Region." In R. G. Macinnes and Jenny Jakeways (eds), Instability: Planning and Management. London: Thomas Telford. Lauber, Wolfgang (1988). Architectures allemandes au Cameroun 1884-1914. Stuttgart: Karl Kramer Verlag. Levine, Victor (1971). The Cameroon Federal Republic. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Mainet, Guy (1985). Douala, croissance et servitudes. Paris: L'Harmattan. Njoh, Ambe (2003). Planning in Contemporary Africa. Aldershot: Ashgate. Séraphin, Gilles (2000). "Vivre à Douala. L'imaginaire et l'action dans une ville africaine en crise". Paris: L'Harmattan. Simone, A. M. (2004). For the City Yet to Come: Changing African Life in Four Cities. Durham: Duke University Press. Soulillou, Jacques (1989), Douala, un siècle en images. Paris: L'Harmattan. Schler, Lynn (2008), The Strangers of New Bell: Immigration, Public Space and Community in Colonial Douala 1914–1960 (Pretoria: Unisa). Brooke, James (1987). "Informal Capitalism Grows in Cameroon." The New York Times. November 30. Derrick, Jonathan (1977). "Review of Douala: ville et histoire by René Gouellain." Africa: Journal of the International African Institute. 47:4. Diwouta-Kotto, Danièle (2010). Suites architecturales: Kinshasa, Douala, Dakar. Épinal: Association VAA. Elate, Som Simon (2004). "African Urban History in the Future." In Steven Salm and Toyin Falola (eds), Globalization and Urbanization in Africa. Trenton: Africa World Press. Gouellain, René (1969). Douala, ville et histoire. Paris: Institut d'ethnologie Musée de l'homme. Hance, William (1964). The Geography of Modern Africa. New York: Columbia University Press. Lambi, C. M., and Hombe, Hombe (2002). "Environmental Hazards and Landuse Planning for Sustainable Development: the Douala Unstable Coastal Region." In R. G. Macinnes and Jenny Jakeways (eds), Instability: Planning and Management. London: Thomas Telford. Lauber, Wolfgang (1988). Architectures allemandes au Cameroun 1884-1914. Stuttgart: Karl Kramer Verlag. Levine, Victor (1971). The Cameroon Federal Republic. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Mainet, Guy (1985). Douala, croissance et servitudes. Paris: L'Harmattan. Njoh, Ambe (2003). Planning in Contemporary Africa. Aldershot: Ashgate. Séraphin, Gilles (2000). "Vivre à Douala. L'imaginaire et l'action dans une ville africaine en crise". Paris: L'Harmattan. Simone, A. M. (2004). For the City Yet to Come: Changing African Life in Four Cities. Durham: Duke University Press. Soulillou, Jacques (1989), Douala, un siècle en images. Paris: L'Harmattan.

External links

Official Douala website Satellite image of Douala from Google Earth Duala Language website jw . org

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