protectorate · West Africa
French Cameroon
Origins
British and French troops conquered Kamerun in 1914-1916 and divided it, France taking about four-fifths of the territory. In 1922 the League of Nations confirmed French rule as a mandate, and after 1946 it was a United Nations trust territory. The capital was Yaounde.
Rule and society
French administration used forced labour to build railways and roads and promoted cocoa, coffee and timber exports. In August 1940 the territory rallied to Free France. After 1948 the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon, led by Ruben Um Nyobe, demanded independence and reunification with the British Cameroons. Banned in 1955, it waged an armed revolt that French forces suppressed brutally; Um Nyobe was killed in 1958.
Decline and legacy
France handed power to Ahmadou Ahidjo, and Cameroon became independent on 1 January 1960. In 1961 the Southern Cameroons voted to join it, forming a federal republic, while the UPC insurgency continued into the 1960s.
Lineage
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (2)
- Kingdom of Bamum was part of French Cameroon1916 CE – 1960 CE
- French Cameroon was a protectorate of French Empire1916 CE – 1960 CE
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). French Cameroon. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/french-cameroon
- MLA
- “French Cameroon.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/french-cameroon. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “French Cameroon.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/french-cameroon.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘French Cameroon’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/french-cameroon (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻