City (pop., 2001 est.: urban agglom., 1,481,000), capital of Cameroon.
It was founded in 1888 while Cameroon was a German protectorate. The area came under French control, and it was declared the capital of French Cameroun in 1922. In 1940–46 it was replaced as the capital by Douala , but, after Cameroon achieved independence in 1960, it again became the seat. It contains several small manufacturing and processing industries (sawmills and printing presses), and it is the area's agricultural market.