Geography & environment — Cameroon
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Cameroon: Africa
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Africa
- Geographic Coordinates
6 00 N, 12 00 E
- Total Area
183,567 Square Miles 475,440 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
182,513 Square Miles 472,710 Square Kilometers
- Water Area
1,054 Square Miles 2,730 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
2,853 Miles 4,591 Kilometers
- Border Countries
Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km
- Coastline
250 Miles 402 Kilometers
Physical geography
- Terrain
Diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in the west, plains in the north
- Highest Point
4,095 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Fako (on Mount Cameroon) 4,095 m
- Lowest Point Location
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
- Natural Resources
Petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower
- Irrigated Land
99 Square Miles 256 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Climate
- Climate
Cameroon's climate is as varied as its geography. High humidity and temperatures with little seasonal variations characterize the coast and southern lowlands. In the north, extremely high temperatures and little or no humidity are normal, although seasonal fluctuations occur. In Yaounde, humidity and temperatures are lower but fluctuate daily. Two rainy seasons are interspersed with two relatively dry periods. April and May bring the "mango rains." These moderately heavy rains average 8 inches monthly, then taper off into the drier months of June and July. Rainfall then increases to more than 12 inches monthly from August through November and recedes to as little as 2 inches monthly during the dry season of December through March. During the dry season temperatures may peak above 100°F and dust is a serious problem.
- Terrain
Diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in the west, plains in the north
- Location
Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria
- Total Area
183,567 Square Miles 475,440 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km
Environment
- Environment - Current Issues
Water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing
- Environment - International Agreements
Party To: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
