Cameroon

 Cameroon: 

====      Cameroon was taken over by Germany on July 14th, 1884. Cameroon is located in the West of Africa, and it is the 53rd largest country in the world. It is also called "Africa in miniature" for its geological and cultural diversity. The land area varies, with coastal plains in the southwest, plateaus in the center, mountains in the west and plains in the north. It's highest point is Mount Cameroon in the southwest, and the largest cities are Douala, Yaounde, and Garoua. Because of Cameroons highly varied ecology and environment, it is one of the best endowed, or best equipped areas around. It is better suited for agricultural and forestry use rather than industry, there are also a good number of mineral resources but they are not all mined. It had natural resources such as beaches, deserts, mountains, rain forests, and savannas. Its agricultural conditions are favorable and its abundant forests make substantial mineral and oil reserves. It's climate varies upon location, it is tropical along the coast and hot in the north. It is also the central African nation on the Gulf of Guinea. Cameroons has distinct cultural, religious and political traditions. The earliest people to live in Cameroon were probably the Baka. They still live there today, in forests in the south and east. People who spoke Bantu, originally from Cameroons highlands were one of the first groups to move out before the German invaders came. Cameroon is home to over 200 different ethnic and linguistic groups. English and French are the official languages. Cameroon was mainly colonized for its agricultural use and good location. ====

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  To picture to the left resembles a small, yet beautiful part of Cameroon. Oddly enough, not all parts may look as nice as they do here.



 <span style="font-size: 160%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> To the right shows the healthy environment that is suitable for good agriculture.

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Positive and Negative Effects of German Imperialism;

> Germany wanted African possessions to contribute to the wealth of their own country. This required modern farms and mining to be developed. It also needed modern port facilities to be built to ship food and materials that were being produced. Railways were also very important for transporting goods, safe and efficiently. Germany made huge contributions and technical investments to African colonies so they could have all these new advancements. African colonies benefited greatly from all these improvements. > The Germans wanted to create new opportunities for their new colonies. To do that, they have to educate their colonial people. Germany made schools throughout Africa. The standard of education for Africans in Germany's colonies became much higher rather than areas not in rule of Germany.
 * Economic Development (positive)
 * Education (positive)

> Germany relied on superiority and force to halt its African colonial possessions. The only other European nation with a worse record for brutality toward native populations was Belgium. If any person was resistant to a German authority they were paying the price. Native people were forced into manual labor, much like salves were treated. They were forced to build harbors and railways, clear land to farm in and dig mines.
 * Brutal Exploitation (negative)

This picture sums up how the Germans felt during this time. They thought of themselves as being superior to every other colony and that is was their duty to civilize the uncivilized.