Transport in Cameroon explained

This article provides a breakdown of the transportation options available in Cameroon. These options are available to citizens and tourists such as railways, roadways, waterways, pipelines, and airlines. These avenues of transport are used by citizens for personal transportation, of goods, and by tourists for both accessing the country and traveling.

Railways

See main article: Rail transport in Cameroon.

Railways in Cameroon are operated by Camrail, a subsidiary of French investment group Bolloré. As of May 2014, Camrail operated regular daily services on three routes:[1]

There are no rail links with neighboring countries except Republic of the Congo.

Roadways

Total highways: 50,000 km
Paved: 5,000 km
Unpaved: 45,000 km (2004)

Cameroon lies at a key point in the Trans-African Highway network, with three routes crossing its territory:

Cameroon's central location in the network means that efforts to close the gaps in the network across Central Africa rely on Cameroon's participation in maintaining the network, and the network has the potential to profoundly influence Cameroon's regional trade. Except for the several relatively good toll roads that connect major cities (all of them one-lane) roads are poorly maintained and subject to inclement weather, since only 10% of the roadways are tarred. It is likely that within a decade, a great deal of trade between West Africa and Southern Africa will be moving on the network through Yaoundé.

National highways in Cameroon:

Yaoundé - Bertoua - Ngaoundéré - Garoua - Maroua - Kouséri, border with Chad.

Yaoundé - Mbalmayo - Ebolowa - Woleu Ntem, border with Gabon.

Yaoundé - Edéa - Douala - Idenau.

Yaoundé - Bafia - Bafoussam.

Douala - Nkongsamba - Bafang - Bafoussam.

Ejagham, border with Nigeria - Bamenda - Bafoussam - Tibati - Lokoti.

Edéa - Kribi.

Mutengene - Kumba - Mamfé.

Mbalmayo - Nki, border with Congo.

Yaoundé - Bertoua - Batouri - Kenzou, border with the Central African Republic.

Prices of petrol rose steadily in 2007 and 2008, leading to a transport union strike in Douala on 25 February 2008. The strike quickly escalated into violent protests and spread to other major cities. The uprising finally subsided on 29 February.[5]

Waterways

2,090  km; of decreasing importance. Navigation mainly on the Benue River; limited during the rainy season.

Seaports and harbors

Pipelines

888  km of oil line (2008)

Airports

The main international airport is the Douala International Airport and a secondary international airport at Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport. As of May 2014, Cameroon had regular international air connections with nearly every major international airport in West and Southwest Africa and several connections to Europe and East Africa.

In 2008 there were 34 airports, only 10 of which had paved runways.

Airports - with paved runways


total:10
over 3,047 m:2
2,438 to 3,047 m:4
1,524 to 2,437 m:3
914 to 1,523 m:1 (2008)

Airports - with unpaved runways


total:24
1,524 to 2,437 m:4
914 to 1,523 m:14
under 914 m:6 (2008)

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Cameroon, seat61, Iron Ore railway.
  2. Timetable, 2014, http://www.camrail.net/h_dla_kum.html
  3. Timetable, 2014, http://www.camrail.net/h_dla_yde.html
  4. Timetable, 2014, http://www.camrail.net/h_dla_nge.html
  5. Nkemngu, Martin A. (11 March 2008). "Facts and Figures of the Tragic Protests", Cameroon Tribune. Retrieved 12 March 2008.