Country history · Africa

History of Cameroon

13 recorded states lay in what is now Cameroon, from Kwararafa (1350 CE). 5 outside powers ruled here.

ProfileState (capital or seat)1 without a known seat not shownOpen in the atlas →

Empires that ruled here

Timeline

14th century

  1. Kwararafa1350 CE – 1800 CE · kingdom
  2. Kingdom of Bamum1394 CE – 1923 CE · kingdom

15th century

  1. Kingdom of Nso1400 CE – 1902 CE · kingdom

16th century

  1. Kotoko kingdoms1500 CE – 1900 CE · city state
  2. Mandara Kingdom1500 CE – 1902 CE · sultanate

17th century

  1. Duala kingdoms1650 CE – 1884 CE · chiefdom

18th century

  1. Kingdom of Bafut1700 CE – 1907 CE · kingdom

19th century

  1. Adamawa Emirate1809 CE – 1901 CE · emirate
  2. Bali-Nyonga1835 CE – 1891 CE · kingdom
  3. Lamidate of Ngaoundere1835 CE – 1901 CE · emirate
  4. Kamerun1884 CE – 1916 CE · protectorate

20th century

  1. French Cameroon1916 CE – 1960 CE · protectorate
  2. British Cameroons1922 CE – 1961 CE · protectorate

In the encyclopedia

Shared histories

States that also lay in other present-day countries:

States of West Africa → All country histories →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). History of Cameroon. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/cameroon
MLA
“History of Cameroon.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/cameroon. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “History of Cameroon.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/cameroon.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘History of Cameroon’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/cameroon (Accessed: ).