(Redirected from Adamawa Province, Cameroon)The 'Adamawa Province' (
French ''Province de l'Adamaoua'') is a constituent province of the
Republic of Cameroon. It borders the
Centre and
East provinces to the south, the
Northwest and
West provinces to the southwest,
Nigeria to the west, the
Central African Republic (CAR) to the east, and the
North Province to the north.
This mountainous area forms the barrier between Cameroon's forested south and savanna north. At over 64,000 km² in land area, the Adamawa is the third largest of
Cameroon's ten provinces. The land is rugged and sparsely populated, however, as most is devoted to the rearing of
cattle. The
Muslim Fulbe (Fulani) form the major ethnic group, though
Tikar,
Gbaya, and other peoples are present in lesser numbers.
Geography
Land
The Adamawa is one of Cameroon's more geologically diverse areas. The
Gotel and
Mambila Mountains at the border with Nigeria are largely composed of
granite, which gives way to
crystalline and
metamorphic rock such as
mica,
schists, and
gneiss. These are often covered in volcanic
basalt, a combination that dominates until the
Faro River. East of this, granites once again prevail, though
sedimentary rock forms the valley of the
Mbéré River, and a zone of metamorphic rock surrounds this. The
Lom River also rises in a region of metamorphic rock.
Volcanic rock occurs in the northwest just east of the Gotel Mountains and northeast of
Ngaoundéré, the provincial capital, along the border with the North Province.
Soils are mostly made up of brown or brownish-red
laterites, the result of the annual shift between dry and wet conditions and
soil wash on the mountains.
Iron and
aluminium content is high, which causes
hardpans,
duracrust, or
cuirasses to form near the surface due to
oxidation. The soil of the Lom valley is a lightly evolved composition of raw materials, as is that directly northwest of the
Mbakaou Reservoir and directly west of the Faro River. The extreme northwest of the province has
ferruginous soil instead, and many of the province's mountains, including the Gotels and Mambilas, contain mixtures of several soil types.
Drainage
The Adamawa is sometimes dubbed the "water tower" of Cameroon, since a large number of the countries rivers rise in the area. All of these fall into a
tropical regime, with a period of high water from May to September during the rainy season, and a period of low water – or even complete dryness – from October to April. Some of these are subject to seasonal flooding as well, such as the
Djérem in the area of the Mbakaou Reservoir. The province's rivers fall into three different basins: those that ultimately flow into the
Niger River, to
Lake Chad, and to the
Atlantic Ocean.
The
Mayo Deo River rises in the Gotel Mountains and then flows into the North Province. The Faro River begins a short distance east of the Mayo Deo but follows a wide, arcing course east and north between the Vina division and the Faro and Deo division before entering the North Province (the two rivers eventually join).
Two major rivers represent the Chad basin. The Mbéré rises north of the town of
Meïganga and then flows northeast toward the border with the North Province and the Central Africa Republic. The headwaters of the
Vina River flow just north of Ngaoundéré before the river enters the North Province. These two rivers eventually merge to form the
Logone River.
The
Mbam,
Kim, and Djérem are the major rivers of the Atlantic basin. The Mbam and Kim both rise in the southwest before flowing into the Centre Province. The Djérem forms in eastern and western branches, which converge at the Mbakaou Reservoir. The river then flows south into the East Province. Due to the reservoir (which holds two million cubic metres of water), the Djérem forms an important source of
hydroelectric power for Cameroon. Finally, the Lom rises about 60 km east of Meiganga before flowing south into the East Province. The Djérem eventually becomes the
Sanaga River, and these other rivers ultimately empty into it.
A long history of
volcanism has also created a number of
crater lakes in the province, the results of collapsed
volcanoes filling with water. Among the most well known are Lakes
Tison (Tyson, Tisson) and
Mbalang near Ngaoundéré.
Hills and savanna near Ngaoundal
Relief
Powerful geothermal forces have shaped the Adamawa. The province begins to the south as part of the
South Cameroon Plateau. The land rises gently but unevenly until about 6 degrees latitude. Here begins the
Adamawa Plateau, a band of terrain that ranges from 1,000 to 2,000 m in altitude (averaging about 1,100 m) and stretches from Nigeria to the CAR. Altitude dips to as low of 500 m in the Djérem and Mbéré valleys and at the border north of Ngaoundéré. The plateau continues to about 8 degrees north before descending to the
Benué Depression in abrupt cliffs and active volcanoes (though this transitional zone is mostly in the North Province).
Faults also cut across the area, the major one being the
Cameroon Fault, dating from the
Cretaceous Period. The
Mbang Mountains follow this fault in a rough cut toward the east. Other mountains dot the province, as well. The Mambilas stretch into the extreme southwest from Nigeria and the Northwest and West Provinces. The Gotels are north of these along the border with Nigeria. All of these mountains form part of the
Cameroon Ridge.
Tchabal Mbabo, in the Gotels, is the highest peak at 2,460 m.
Climate
The province's high elevation lends it a relatively cool climate average between 22 and 25 degrees Celsius. However, specific conditions vary between the South Cameroon and Adamawa Plateaus. The former experiences an
equatorial climate of the
Guinea type with four seasons: a long, dry period from December to May, a short, wet period from May to June, a short, dry season from July to October, and finally a long, wet season from October to November.
The climate of the Adamawa Plateau is classified as
tropical of the
Sudan type. It has only two seasons; November begins the dry period, and April the wet. Rainfall here averages 900 to 1,500 mm per year and decreases further north. May and June are the wettest, with occasional
tornadoes; August is another rainfall peak. In addition, temperatures dip from November to January, as conditions similar to those that cause
winter in temperate climes take at least a tentative hold. Temperatures rise due to the
Harmattan beginning in January, reaching a high in April. Torrential rains in May and June bring temperatures down once again.
A third climate type characterises the Adamawa's southwest corner (most of the Mayo-Banyo division). This region experiences an equatorial climate of the
Cameroon type. Rainfall is within 1,500 to 2,000 mm with a long dry period followed by a long wet period.
Plant and animal life
The Adamawa's vegetation has been shaped greatly by man. It was once highly forested, but repeated brush burning and cattle trampling have changed the terrain. In the south, this is
Guinean savanna, a transitional zone between Cameroon's forested south and desert north. On the plateau itself, the savanna continues, though it is less wooded. Grass cover is consistent and thick, and the original vegetation still survives in the river valleys.
What few trees dot the landscape are
evergreen and
deciduous until about 1800 m altitude, when
ferns and
bamboos become prevalent. Grasses are the dominant form of plantlife throughout except in the few forested areas and in some regions of scrubby bush. In addition, the southwestern half of the Mayo-Banyo division is a more heavily forested
woodland savanna.
The Adamawa has two national reserves. The first of these is the
Parc National du Mbam et Djérem, which protects 4165 km² in both the Adamawa and East Provinces. The park is notable for containing both large tracts of savanna and forest. In addition, a small portion of the
Parc National de Boumba Ndjida extends into the territory from the North Province.
Downtown Ngaoundéré
Demographics
Settlement patterns
The Adamawa is sparsely populated. Large swathes of land are devoted almost entirely to the use of Fulbe cattle herders, this pasture punctuated only by occasional settlements. The Cameroonian government has made efforts to persuade Fulbe herdsmen to adopt sedentary ways, but the nomadic traditions show little signs of change. Because the savanna has been pushing south, however, there is now a substantial amount of immigration to the Centre and East Provinces.
Ngaoundéré is one of Cameroon's fastest growing cities due to its location at the terminus of Cameroon's north-south
railroad. The modern city is thus a sprawling mass of winding streets surrounding the traditional town. It is also a microcosm of the province's ethnic diversity, as representatives of most of the Adamawa's peoples can be found there.
The Mayo-Banyo division in the southwest has a slightly higher population density than the rest of the province, largely due to the highly concentrated
Mambila and
Konja of the Mambila Mountains and the
Vute and
Kutin of the Gotel Mountains. The northern border also has a slightly higher population density than the Fulbe interior.
People
Language provides the most convenient means of categorising the Adamawa's ethnic groups. The greatest number of peoples speak various
Southern Bantoid languages. These Bantoid peoples primarily occupy the province's western third, in the Faro and Deo and the Mayo-Banyo divisions. The
Ndoro are the northernmost, living on the Nigerian border on the upper Mayo Deo. To their south lie the
Suga in the northern third of Mayo-Banyo division and along the west bank of the
Meng River. The
Vute live south of them on the Nigerian border and in a second population centre on the southwestern bank of the Mbarkaou Reservoir. The Mambila inhabit the southwestern border, and the Konja lie inland from them along the Banyo-Bankim road. The Tikar are at the province's southwestern corner, with territories extending into the neighbouring provinces.
Territories of ethnic groups of the Adamawa Province
Those peoples who speak
Adamawa languages constitute the next major grouping. The Kutin are farthest west of these, living in three main concentrations. The first is at the province's northwest, north of Mayo-Baleo town. They have another centre at the village of
Paro south of
Tignère, and their third grouping on the
Meng River. The Kali at the province's northeast, along the North Province border centred at
Bélél. The
Mbum (Mboum) are the last group, occupying the town of
Ngaoundal and its environs. East of Ngaoundéré are the
Dii, who have larger territories in the North Province.
As speakers of an
Ubangi language, the Gbaya make up another important grouping. Their territory spans the whole of the Mbéré division as well as a small area at the southwest of the Vina division. They continue south into the East Province.
The Fulbe make up an estimated 60% of the Adamawa's population. They are further subdivided into two subgroups: the sedentary, or town, Fulbe and the pastoral Fulbe, or
Bororo. The sedentary Fulbe are more numerous and inhabit most of the province's major towns, including
Banyo,
Tibati,
Tignère, and Ngaoundéré, the capital. Over years of intermixing with native populations, they have come to physically resemble their
Sudanese neighbours. The pastoral Fulbe create only temporary settlements, preferring instead to range across the province and beyond with large herds of cattle. These Fulbe are lighter skinned than their town brethren, tall and thin, with Arab-looking features.
The Fulbe speak a Cameroonian dialect of the
Senegambian language Fulfulde. Due to their historical hegemony of the territory, it also serves as a lingua franca. Other major languages include
Bitare,
Dii,
Gbaya,
Mambila, and
Tikar. Most educated inhabitants also speak French.
Religion
Islam reigns supreme in the Adamawa, especially among the Fulbe majority. Even among them, however, there is a noted difference between the sedentary Fulbe, who are more religious, and the nomadic Bororo, who are often only nominally Muslim.
Christianity has made some inroads, though Christians are in a distinct minority. Many of the tribes retain
animist, or "
pagan", beliefs, particularly in the mountains near the Nigerian border.
Economy
Livestock
The Adamawa's economy is based almost entirely on one single thing:
cattle, a Fulbe monopoly. The region's low population, high humidity, and vast fields of grass make it ideal for grazing. Herdsmen rotate pastures, and they often construct watering holes or wells for themselves and their animals.
The close relationship between the Bororo and their herds lends a great cultural importance to a Fulbe's number of cattle, and the more heads of cattle a man has, the wealthier he is. This often leads herders to never kill their animals, however, and to keep sick animals alive for fear of losing a portion of one's net worth. Nevertheless, many Fulbe herders transport their cattle to the big markets of
Yaoundé and
Douala for sale (some make it as far as
Gabon and
Congo). The major
transhumance paths are in the western third of the province and at the border with Chad.
Most of these animals are of the humpbacked
zebu breed. Near Ngaoundéré and Banyo, these are called
Peul zebu, large and meaty animals with dark-brown hides and white spots. The nomadic Fulbe, on the other hand, herd
Bororo zebu. These are leaner, lighter-coloured beasts that are better able to travel long distances.
The government-run
Institut de Récherche Zootechniques (IZR) and
SODEPA have established a handful of modern cattle ranches, as well. The major ones are near the villages of
Laro,
Wakwo and
Ndokayo. Here, ranchers have
bred new breeds of cattle by mixing native Fulbe animals with the American
Brahmin. Government initiatives have also been instrumental in the eradication of the
tsetse fly in the region.
Many ranchers and Bororo also raise
horses and
donkeys. In addition, the Adamawa has more
goats and
sheep than any other province, as these can live even in the larger towns.
Pigs, however, are much less common due to the prevalence of Islam in the region.
Agriculture
Nearly all farming in the province is done at the
sustenance level.
Millet is the mainstay, though
maize, and
manioc are also important. Other crops, grown in smaller quantities, include
cocoyams,
yams, and
groundnuts.
The Gbaya, Mbum, and
Dourou are the region's most prolific farmers, though even the herdsmen farm in the rainy season. Farms are typically small plots that are cleared or burned out of the brush and then planted during the dry season. Crops grow during the rainy season, when they are harvested. Because the dry season is so long, crops must be preserved, so most are transformed into
grain, which is pounded by hand with mortar and pestle.
Cash crops play a small role in the region's economy.
SODEBLE grows
wheat on 100 km² at
Wassandé, near Ngaoundéré. The southwestern Mayo-Banyo division also has some
coffee plots. Other interests have established groundnut, millet, and wheat
plantations in recent years.
Industry
The Adamawa has a bit of
industry, most located in the capital. Much of this is tied to the region's cattle-based economy. For example,
leatherworking is an important industry in Ngaoundéré, as evidenced by the
Société des Tanneries et Peausseries du Cameroun (STPC) factory.
Rubber,
perfume, and
dairy products are also processed in the capital. Handicrafts, including
woodworking and mat
weaving, form another sector.
Tin is
mined near
Mayo Darlé and the Nigerian border and southwest of Banyo, and
bauxite is mined near
Ngaoundal and
Minim-Martap.
Mineral water is obtained at
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