Mount Cameroon is an active

volcano A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most often found where tectonic plates ...

in the

South West The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sep ...

region of

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the ...

next to the city of

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 300,000 (at the 2013 Census). It has two Government Hotels, the Mountain Hotel and ...

near the

Gulf of Guinea The Gulf of Guinea is the northeasternmost part of the tropical Atlantic Ocean from Cape Lopez in Gabon, north and west to Cape Palmas in Liberia. The intersection of the Equator and Prime Meridian (zero degrees latitude and longitude) is i ...

. Mount Cameroon is also known as Cameroon Mountain or Fako (the name of the higher of its two peaks) or by its indigenous name ''Mongo ma Ndemi'' ("Mountain of Greatness"). It is the highest point in sub-Saharan western and central Africa, the fourth-most prominent peak in Africa, and the 31st-most prominent in the world. The mountain is part of the area of volcanic activity known as the Cameroon Volcanic Line, which also includes Lake Nyos, the site of a disaster in 1986. The most recent eruption occurred on February 3, 2012.

Description

Mount Cameroon is one of

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

's largest volcanoes, rising to above the coast of west Cameroon. It rises from the coast through tropical

rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

to a bare summit, which is cold, windy, and occasionally dusted with snow. The massive steep-sided volcano of dominantly basaltic-to-trachybasaltic composition forms a volcanic horst constructed above a basement of

Precambrian The Precambrian (or Pre-Cambrian, sometimes abbreviated pꞒ, or Cryptozoic) is the earliest part of Earth's history, set before the current Phanerozoic Eon. The Precambrian is so named because it preceded the Cambrian, the first period of th ...

metamorphic rocks covered with

Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of ...

Quaternary The Quaternary ( ) is the current and most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS). It follows the Neogene Period and spans from 2.58 million year ...

sediments. More than 100 small cinder cones, often fissure-controlled parallel to the long axis of the massive volcano, occur on the flanks and surrounding lowlands. A large satellitic peak, ''Etinde'' (also known as Little Mount Cameroon), is located on the southern flank near the coast. Mount Cameroon has the most frequent eruptions of any West African volcano. The first written account of volcanic activity could be the one from the Carthaginian

Hanno the Navigator Hanno the Navigator (sometimes "Hannon"; xpu, 𐤇𐤍𐤀 , ; ) was a Carthaginian explorer of the fifth century BC, best known for his naval exploration of the western coast of Africa. The only source of his voyage is a '' periplus'' trans ...

, who may have observed the mountain in the 5th century BC. Moderate explosive and effusive eruptions have occurred throughout history from both summit and flank vents. A 1922 eruption on the southwestern flank produced a lava flow that reached the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

coast. A lava flow from a 1999 south-flank eruption stopped 200 m (660 ft) from the sea, cutting the coastal highway.

Flora

The mountain's natural vegetation varies with elevation. The main plant communities on the mountain include:''The Management Plan of the Mount Cameroon National Park and its Peripheral Zone, 2015 - 2019''. The Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, Republic of Cameroon. * Lowland rain forest predominates on the lower slopes, from sea level to 800 meters elevation. The lowland forests are part of the Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forests ecoregion. They are composed of evergreen trees with a dense canopy 25 to 30 meters high, with taller emergent trees rising above the canopy. Many trees have

buttress roots Buttress roots also known as plank roots are large, wide roots on all sides of a shallowly rooted tree. Typically, they are found in nutrient-poor tropical forest soils that may not be very deep. They prevent the tree from falling over (hence t ...

. The forests are diverse and species-rich, with numerous

liana A liana is a long- stemmed, woody vine that is rooted in the soil at ground level and uses trees, as well as other means of vertical support, to climb up to the canopy in search of direct sunlight. The word ''liana'' does not refer to a t ...

s. Much of the lowland forest has been converted to agriculture and agroforestry, including

oil palm ''Elaeis'' () is a genus of palms containing two species, called oil palms. They are used in commercial agriculture in the production of palm oil. The African oil palm '' Elaeis guineensis'' (the species name ''guineensis'' referring to its c ...

plantations. * Lower montane forest, also known as submontane forest or cloud forest, grows between 800 and 1,600 meters elevation. The lower montane forests are composed of evergreen trees, which form a 20 – 25 meter-high canopy that is either closed or discontinuous. There are scattered areas of meadow and scrubland, with grasses, herbs, tall herbaceous plants (including

Acanthaceae Acanthaceae is a family (the acanthus family) of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing almost 250 genera and about 2500 species. Most are tropical herbs, shrubs, or twining vines; some are epiphytes. Only a few species are distributed in tem ...

), tree ferns, woody shrubs, and low trees. Frequent clouds and mists sustain profuse

epiphyte An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

s, including mosses, ferns, and orchids. The lower montane forests are diverse and species-rich, with characteristic

Afromontane The Afromontane regions are subregions of the Afrotropical realm, one of the Earth's eight biogeographic realms, covering the plant and animal species found in the mountains of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. The Afromontane regions of ...

plants and

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

species. '' Impatiens etindensis'' and '' I. grandisepala'' are herbaceous epiphytes endemic to the montane forests of Mount Cameroon. The lower montane forests, together with the higher-elevation forests, scrub, and grasslands, are part of the Mount Cameroon and Bioko montane forests ecoregion. * Upper montane forest grows from 1,600 – 1,800 meters elevation. Trees up to 20 meters high form an open-canopied forest with numerous epiphytes. The upper montane forests are less species-rich than the lower-elevation forests, and fires are more frequent. * Montane scrub grows between 1,800 and 2,400 meters elevation. Low trees of 1 to 15 meters form open-canopied forests, woodlands, and shrublands, with an understory of small shrubs, herbs, ferns, and climbers. * Montane grassland occurs between 2,000 and 3,000 meters elevation. The dominant vegetation is tussock grasses, with scattered fire-tolerant shrubs and low trees. * Sub-alpine grassland is found at the highest elevations, from 3,000 to over 4,000 meters. Frost-tolerant tussock grasses, dwarf trees and shrubs, and crustose, foliose, and fruticose lichens predominate.

Fauna and flora

Large mammals on the mountain include the African forest elephant (''Loxodonta cyclotis''), with a population of over 100 individuals. Other herbivores include red river hog (''Potamochoerus porcus''),

bushbuck The Cape bushbuck (''Tragelaphus sylvaticus'') is a common and a widespread species of antelope in sub-Saharan Africa.Wronski T, Moodley Y. (2009)Bushbuck, harnessed antelope or both? ''Gnusletter'', 28(1):18-19. Bushbuck are found in a wide ran ...

(''Tragelaphus scriptus''), bay duiker (''Cephalophus dorsalis''),

blue duiker The blue duiker (''Philantomba monticola'') is a small antelope found in central, southern and eastern Africa. It is the smallest duiker. The species was first described by Swedish naturalist Carl Peter Thunberg in 1789. 12 subspecies are ident ...

(''Philantomba monticola''), and yellow-backed duiker (''Cephalophus sylvicultor''). The mountain is home to several species of primates, including

chimpanzee The chimpanzee (''Pan troglodytes''), also known as simply the chimp, is a species of great ape native to the forest and savannah of tropical Africa. It has four confirmed subspecies and a fifth proposed subspecies. When its close relative t ...

(''Pan troglodytes''),

drill A drill is a tool used for making round holes or driving fasteners. It is fitted with a bit, either a drill or driver chuck. Hand-operated types are dramatically decreasing in popularity and cordless battery-powered ones proliferating due to ...

(''Mandrillus leucophaeus''),

red-capped mangabey The collared mangabey (''Cercocebus torquatus''), also called red-capped mangabey and white-collared mangabey is a species of primate in the family Cercopithecidae of Old World monkeys. It formerly included the sooty mangabey as a subspecies. ...

(''Cercocebos torquatus''), putty-nosed monkey (''Cercopithecus nictitans''),

mona monkey The mona monkey (''Cercopithecus mona'') is an Old World monkey that lives in western Africa between Ghana and Cameroon. The mona monkey can also be found on the island of Grenada as it was transported to the island aboard slave ships headed to ...

(''Cercopithecus mona''), red-eared monkey (''Cercopithecus erythrotis''), Preuss’ guenon (''Cercopithecus preussii''), and crowned guenon (''Cercopithecus pogonias''). Two species of birds are endemic to Mount Cameroon,

Mount Cameroon spurfowl The Mount Cameroon spurfowl (''Pternistis camerunensis'') is a bird species in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It is found only in Cameroon. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat ...

(''Pternistis camerunensis'') and Mount Cameroon speirops (''Zosterops melanocephalus''). Flora File:Tropical rain forest Mount Cameroon.jpg, A view of the tropical rain forest on the mountain File:Mahogany mount Cameroon national park.jpg, Mahogany File:Disamara tree mount Cameroon 2.jpg, Disamara tree File:Arum Italicum mount Cameroon.jpg, Arum plant File:Agaricus Mushroom mount Cameroon national park 2.jpg, Agaricus mushroom File:Beautiful wild flower on Mt Cameroon.jpg, Wild flower File:Stinkhorn mushroom mount cameroon national park.jpg, Stinkhorn mushroom

Mount Cameroon National Park

Entrance to the Mt Cameroon National park

Mount Cameroon National Park (''Parc National du Mont Cameroun'') was created in 2009. It covers an area of 581.23 km². The park includes the former Etinde Forest Reserve and most of the Bomboko Forest Reserve. A portion of the Bomboko Forest Reserve remains outside the park, on the lower northern slopes of the mountain.

IUGS geological heritage site

In respect of it being 'one of the few volcanoes in the world located at the ocean-continent boundary in a passive tectonic margin', the

International Union of Geological Sciences The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) is an international non-governmental organization devoted to international cooperation in the field of geology. About The IUGS was founded in 1961 and is a Scientific Union member of the Int ...

(IUGS) included 'The Quaternary Cameroon Volcano' in its assemblage of 100 'geological heritage sites' around the world in a listing published in October 2022. The organisation defines an IUGS Geological Heritage Site as 'a key place with geological elements and/or processes of international scientific relevance, used as a reference, and/or with a substantial contribution to the development of geological sciences through history.'

Access

The peak is frequently ascended by

hikers Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histo ...

. The annual

Mount Cameroon Race of Hope The Mount Cameroon Race of Hope (in French, "La Course de l'Espoir") is an annual, televised running, footrace held at Mount Cameroon in the Southwest Region (Cameroon), Southwest Region of Cameroon in January or February.Jones. The 20th edition o ...

scales the peak in around 4½ hours. Sarah Etonge has won the race seven times and is also a tour operator. English explorer

Mary Kingsley Mary Henrietta Kingsley (13 October 1862 – 3 June 1900) was an English ethnographer, scientific writer, and explorer whose travels throughout West Africa and resulting work helped shape European perceptions of both African cultures and ...

, one of the first Europeans to scale the mountain, recounts her expedition in her 1897 memoir ''Travels in West Africa''.

Gallery

File:Mount Fako left view.jpg, Mount Fako, left view File:Top view at Mount Fako.jpg, Top view at Mount Fako File:Mount fako (mount Cameroon).jpg, Mount Fako File:Summit at mount Cameroon.jpg, Summit at mount Cameroon File:Landscape of Mount Cameroon.jpg, Landscape of Mount Cameroon File:Magnanimous Mt Cameroon, view from Ndongo, Buea.jpg, View of the mountain from the base File:Fako Mountain lodge Hut 2.jpg, Accommodation facilities on Mount Fako File:Mount Fako hut 2.jpg, Ditto File:Hut 3 mount Cameroon.jpg, Ditto File:Cameroon Mountain Race.webm, Cameroon Mountain Race File:Athele au Mont Cameroun.jpg, Hikers climbing down File:View of Mt Etinde.jpg, View of Mount Etinde File:Mount Cameroon tropical rocks 2.jpg, Mount Cameroon tropical rocks File:DOWN BEACH LIMBE CAMEROON.jpg, Limbe Beach File:Burning Plum.jpg, Burning Plum

Notes

References

* DeLancey, M. W. and M. D. DeLancey. (2000). ''Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Cameroon'' (3rd ed.). Lanham, Maryland: The Scarecrow Press. *

External links

Mount Cameroon Research Foundation
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cameroon Active volcanoes Afromontane Four-thousanders of Africa Highest points of countries Mountains of Cameroon National parks of Cameroon Southwest Region (Cameroon) Holocene stratovolcanoes Volcanoes of Cameroon First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites