The Republic of Cameroon, French: Rpublique Camerounaise, is a
unitary republic of central and western Africa. It is bordered
by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central
African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and
the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline
lies on the Bight of Bonny, part of the Gulf of Guinea and the
Atlantic Ocean. The country is called Africa in miniature"" for
its geological and cultural diversity. Natural features include
beaches, deserts, mountains, rainforests, and savannas. The
highest point is Mount Cameroon in the southwest, and the
largest cities are Douala, Yaound, and Garoua. Cameroon is home
to over 200 different ethnic and linguistic groups. The country
is well known for its native styles of music, particularly
makossa and bikutsi, and for its successful national football
team. English and French are the official languages." Early
inhabitants of the territory included the Sao civilisation
around Lake Chad and the Baka hunter-