Buea

Quality 0.50 · 3 views · Updated 2 months ago

Capital of Southwest Region, Cameroon

title: "Buea" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["buea", "communes-of-cameroon", "mount-cameroon", "ambazonia", "former-colonial-capitals", "communes-of-southwest-region-(cameroon)"] description: "Capital of Southwest Region, Cameroon" topic_path: "general/buea" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buea" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Capital of Southwest Region, Cameroon ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
nameBuea
settlement_typeTown and commune
image_skylineBuea from Fako.jpg
imagesize300px
image_captionBuea from the foot of Mount Cameroon
pushpin_mapCameroon
mapsize150px
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameCameroon
subdivision_type1Region
subdivision_name1Southwest Region
subdivision_type2Division
subdivision_name2Fako
elevation_m870
population_as_of2013
population_footnotes
population_totalabout 300,000
coordinates
blank_nameClimate
blank_infoCfb
::

| name = Buea | settlement_type = Town and commune | image_skyline = Buea from Fako.jpg | imagesize = 300px | image_caption = Buea from the foot of Mount Cameroon | pushpin_map = Cameroon | mapsize = 150px | map_caption = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Cameroon | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Southwest Region | subdivision_type2 = Division | subdivision_name2 = Fako | government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = | leader_name = | established_title = | established_date = | elevation_m = 870 | elevation_ft = | population_as_of = 2013 | population_footnotes = | population_total = about 300,000 | population_density_km2 = | population_density_sq_mi = | coordinates = | blank_name = Climate | blank_info = Cfb ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Silicon_Mountain_as_seen_in_Buea,_Cameroon_on_26-06-2019.jpg" caption="Buea city with a view of Mt Cameroon"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Vacant_street.jpg" caption="Empty street in Buea On Monday"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Urban_settlement_in_buea.jpg" caption="How houses are constructed in Buea"] ::

Buea is the capital of the Southwest Region of Cameroon. The city is located in Fako Division, on the eastern slopes of Mount Cameroon, and has a population of about 47,300 inhabitants as of 2025. It has two Government Hotels, the Mountain Hotel and Parliamentarian Flats Hotel located around The Government Residential Area.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Schloss_von_Puttkamer.jpg" caption="von Puttkamer]] in Buea"] ::

Buea, originally "bue", was founded by a hunter who came from the Bomboko area. Coming from the Bomboko side of the mountain, he named the new-found land in amazement as "a Bue", meaning literally a "son of bué". A prominent King of the tikar clashes with German troops during invasion. Resistance remain popular folklore; currently ruled by the Endeleys. Tea growing is an important local industry, especially in Tole. Buea was the colonial capital of German Kamerun from 1901 to 1919, the capital of the Southern Cameroons from 1949 until 1961 and the capital of West Cameroon until 1972, when Ahmadou Ahidjo abolished the Federation of Cameroon. The German colonial administration in Buea was temporarily suspended during the eruption of Mount Cameroon from 28 April until June 1909. Originally, Buea's population consisted mainly of the Bakweri people. However, owing to its status as a university town and the regional capital, there are significant numbers of other ethnic groups.

Ambazonian secession

In September 2017, the Federal Republic of Ambazonia declared its independence from Cameroon, with Buea as its claimed capital. In late-June 2018, the Ambazonia Defence Forces began approaching Buea, and on 29 June they invaded the Mile 16 neighborhood. On 1 July, separatists invaded the Muea neighborhood and battled Cameroonian troops.

Notable institutions

Buea hosts the University of Buea, Cameroon's first anglophone university. It is the site of several other higher institutes of learning, including St Francis Schools of Nursing and Midwifery presently known as Biaka University Institute of Buea (BUIB) and one of Cameroon's three Catholic universities.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/UB_Junction.jpg" caption="UB Junction"] ::

A handful of colonial era buildings are surviving, notably the palatial former residence of the German governor Jesko von Puttkamer. Other German colonial buildings are still standing, but some of them suffer from lack of maintenance and old age.

The Nigerian Consulate in anglophone Cameroon and the main operational hub of the Naigahelp medical aid organisation are in Buea.

Buea hosts an annex of the National Archives of Cameroon, whose main location is Yaoundé. Next door to the annex is the Cameroon Press Photo Archive, which has been permanently closed since 2001.

Economy

The economy of Buea is heavily influenced by its status as a technology hub. Many young people come to the town to study at the University of Buea, and this has created a thriving environment for experimentation, innovation and risk-taking. As a result, the town has become a hotspot for startups, particularly in the technology sector.

The University of Buea's influence has also attracted investors to the town, leading to the establishment of various tech incubators and hubs. For instance, LimbeLabs, which was founded around 2006–2008, was a precursor to ActivSpaces, one of the leading tech hubs in the country. ActivSpaces was launched in 2009 by Ebot Tabi, Bill Zimmerman, Valery Colong, Otto Akama, and Fua Tse. The hub currently has Rebecca Enonchong as Chairman.

Buea's status as a technology hub has also had a positive impact on the town's tourism industry. Mount Cameroon is a popular attraction for tourists, and the town's proximity to the mountain has made it a preferred destination for visitors who want to explore the mountain and its surroundings.

In addition, the town's small size makes it easy to meet and connect with people. It also has considerably light traffic congestion, which makes it easy to move around the town quickly. The proximity of Buea to Douala, which has the largest seaport and the international airport, has also made it an attractive location for businesses.

Transport

Transportation to Buea is possible by land with the use of transport buses or private cars. Within Buea, the primary means of transportation are taxis. The closest airport is the Tiko Airport, however due to its lack of activity and proper infrastructure management, the Douala International Airport (DLA), is the most accessible.

Limbe was served by a gauge plantation railway to Limbe, of the West African Planting Society Victoria.

Geography

About 300,000 people live in Buea (including the villages of Bokwaongo, Muea; Bomaka; Tole; Mile 16 (Bolifamba); Mile 17; Mile 15; Mile 14 (Dibanda); Bova; Bonjongo; Likombe; Buasa; Great Soppo; Molyko; Small Soppo; Bwitingi; Mile 18 (Wonyamavio); Lower farms; Bokwai; Bonduma; Sandpit, Wonyamongo, Bulu; Bokova and surrounding villages).

Climate

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Tourists_climbing_Mount_Cameroon.jpg" caption="Tourists climbing [[Mount Fako]] in Buea"] ::

Buea has a subtropical highland climate (Köppen Cfb) closely bordering on a tropical rainforest climate (Af). The average high temperature is about 70 °F and the average low around 61 °F, with the hottest month being February and the coldest August. It has an average monthly rainfall of 14.7 inches.

Because of its location at the foot of Mount Fako, the climate in Buea tends to be humid, with neighbourhoods at higher elevations enjoying cooler temperatures while lower neighbourhoods experience a hotter climate. Extended periods of rainfall, characterized by incessant drizzle, which can last for weeks, are common during the rainy season as are damp fogs, rolling off the mountain into the town below.

|location = Buea |single line = Yes |metric first = Yes |width = auto |temperature colour = pastel |Jan mean C = 18.3 |Feb mean C = 18.9 |Mar mean C = 19.0 |Apr mean C = 19.0 |May mean C = 18.6 |Jun mean C = 17.4 |Jul mean C = 16.6 |Aug mean C = 16.5 |Sep mean C = 17.0 |Oct mean C = 17.7 |Nov mean C = 18.2 |Dec mean C = 18.2 |year mean C = |Jan high C = 21.6 |Feb high C = 22.1 |Mar high C = 22.1 |Apr high C = 21.9 |May high C = 21.3 |Jun high C = 19.7 |Jul high C = 18.8 |Aug high C = 18.6 |Sep high C = 19.4 |Oct high C = 20.2 |Nov high C = 21.0 |Dec high C = 21.2 |year high F = |Jan low C = 16.2 |Feb low C = 16.8 |Mar low C = 17.2 |Apr low C = 17.3 |May low C = 17.1 |Jun low C = 16.1 |Jul low C = 15.4 |Aug low C = 15.3 |Sep low C = 15.7 |Oct low C = 16.2 |Nov low C = 16.6 |Dec low C = 16.3 |year low F = |rain colour = green |Jan rain mm = 80 |Feb rain mm = 114 |Mar rain mm = 235 |Apr rain mm = 292 |May rain mm = 339 |Jun rain mm = 417 |Jul rain mm = 561 |Aug rain mm = 570 |Sep rain mm = 504 |Oct rain mm = 459 |Nov rain mm = 248 |Dec rain mm = 101 |year rain mm = |source 1 = Climate-Data.org |url =https://en.climate-data.org/africa/cameroon/southwest/buea-3985/ |title = Climate Buea |publisher=Climate Data |year=2022 |access-date= 12 May 2022}}

Gallery

File:Bismarck Fountain, Buea.jpg|Bismarck Fountain File:Reunification monument in Buea.jpg|Buea Reunification Monument File:Our Lady of Grace Grotto, Sasse-Buea.jpg|Our Lady of Grace Gretto, Sasse-Buea File:Old German Tombs, Buea.jpg|Old German Tombs in Buea File:Post office, Buea.jpg|Old German Post Office File:Holy Spirit Fountain.jpg|Holy Spirit Fountain, Sasse-Buea File:Holy Family Chapel, Sasse-Buea.jpg|Holy Family Chapel, Sasse-Buea

Notable people

References

References

  1. Helders, Stefan. "Buéa". World Gazetteer.
  2. [http://cameroonjournal.com/2017/09/10/breaking-news-adc-lands-ground-troops-in-southern-cameroons-declares-war-on-lrc/ ADC Lands Ground Troops in Southern Cameroons, Declares War on LRC]{{Dead link. (April 2019)
  3. [https://www.journalducameroun.com/en/panic-grips-buea-soldiers-battle-separatists/ Panic grips Buea as soldiers battle separatists], Journal du Cameroun, 29 June 2018. Accessed 29 June 2018.
  4. [https://www.journalducameroun.com/en/muea-lockdown-soldiers-battle-separatists/ Muea in lockdown as soldiers battle separatists], Journal du Cameroun, 1 July 2018. Accessed 2 July 2018.
  5. Nsah, Solomon Kekeisen. (June 2017). "The Cameroon Press Photo Archive (CPPA) Buea in Crisis 1955-2016". Vestiges: Traces of Record.
  6. "Cameroon's high-tech hub". BBC News.
  7. CAMEROON, ORANGE. "Silicon Mountain Conference 2022 – Orange Cameroun reinforces its promise to the tech innovation industry".
  8. Odunowo, Olanrewaju. (2018-08-10). "Cameroon's Silicon Mountain: Its History, Resilience and Future".
  9. http://www.gouverneur-ebermaier.de/english/narrow_gauge_railways.htm{{dead link. (July 2017)
  10. "Buea Climate, Weather By Month, Average Temperature (Cameroon) - Weather Spark".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

bueacommunes-of-cameroonmount-cameroonambazoniaformer-colonial-capitalscommunes-of-southwest-region-(cameroon)