Cameroon: History

Cameroon becomes part of the western African colony of the German Empire and is called Kamerun.

Cameroon forces Germany out with the help of British and French forces.

The London Declaration divides Cameroon into French (80%) and British administrative zones (20%). The British zone is divided into Northern and Southern Cameroons.

French Cameroon granted independence and becomes the Republic of Cameroon.

Following a UN-sponsored referendum, British Southern Cameroon joins the Republic of Cameroon to become the Federal Republic of Cameroon, while Northern Cameroon joins Nigeria. 

Cameroon becomes a unitary state and is named the United Republic of Cameroon.

The business monitor, Transparency International, classifies Cameroon as the most corrupt country in the world.

The World bank approves funding for oil and pipeline project in Cameroon and Chad.

The Paris Club, a group of major lending nations, agrees to cancel almost all of Cameroon's $3.5 bn debt.

With Cameroon facing multiple threats and kidnappings from an Islamist group known as Boko Haram, Chad pledges their military support against these attacks.