Douala is the largest city in
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...
and its economic capital. It is also the capital of Cameroon's
Littoral Region. It was home to Central Africa's largest
port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...
, now being replaced by
Kribi port. It has the country’s major international airport,
Douala International Airport (DLA). It is the commercial and economic capital of Cameroon and the entire
CEMAC region comprising Gabon, Congo, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic and Cameroon. Consequently, it handles most of the country's major exports, such as
oil,
cocoa and
coffee
Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially a ...
, timber, metals and fruits. , the city and its surrounding area had an estimated population of 5,066,000.
The city sits on the estuary of
Wouri River and its climate is
tropical
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...
.
History
The first
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
ans to visit the area were the
Portuguese in about 1472. At the time, the estuary of
Wouri River was known as the Rio dos Camarões (Shrimp River). By 1650, it had become the site of a town formed by immigrants, said to have arrived from Congo, who spoke the
Duala language. During the 18th century it was the center of the
transatlantic slave trade.
In 1826 Douala appeared to be made of four different villages located in four specific locations: the village of Deido (Dido), of Akwa, of Njo and Hickory-town (today Bonaberi, located on the other side of Wouri River).
Between 1884 and 1895 the city was a German protectorate.
The colonial politics focused on commerce and some exploration of the unoccupied territories. In 1885,
Alfred Saker organized the first mission of the British Baptist Church. In the same year the city known as Kamerun was renamed Douala and became the capital of the territory until 1902, when the capital was moved to
Buéa.
In 1907 the Ministry of Colonies was established and Douala had 23,000 citizens.
[Diwouta-Kotto, Danièle (2010). ''Suites architecturales: Kinshasa, Douala, Dakar''. Épinal: Association VAA, p. 42.]
After
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
in 1919, the German colonial territories became French and British protectorates. France received a mandate to administer Douala. A treaty was signed with the local chiefs.
From 1940 to 1946, it was the capital of Cameroon. In 1955 the city had over 100,000 inhabitants.
In 1960, Cameroon gained independence as a federal republic, with its capital in
Yaoundé. Douala became the major economic city. In 1972, the federal republic became a unitary state. Douala then had a population of around 500,000.
In the 1980s, in Cameroon the struggle for liberalization and
multi-party democracy grew. Between May and December 1991, Douala was at the center of the civil disobedience campaign called the ghost town operation (''ville morte'') during which economic activities shut down to make the country ungovernable and to force the government to allow multi-partitism and freedom of expression.
Name
With the arrival of the
Portuguese in the 15th century, the area was known as ''Rio dos Camarões''. Before coming under
German rule in 1884,
the town was also known as Cameroons Town; thereafter it became Kamerunstadt ("Cameroon City"), the capital of
German Kamerun. It was renamed Douala in 1907 after the name of the natives known as Dua ala Ijaws (Njos), and became part of French Cameroon in 1919. Many of the Ijaw (Njo) natives migrated to the Niger Delta in Nigeria during the Portuguese era.
Geography

Douala is the largest city in
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...
. It is on the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
coast approximately 130 miles (210 km) west of
Yaoundé. The city is located on the banks of the
Wouri River, the two sides linked by
Bonaberi Bridge.
Climate
Douala features a
tropical monsoon climate (
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
''Am''), with relatively consistent temperatures throughout the course of the year, though the city experiences somewhat cooler temperatures in July and August. Douala typically features warm and humid conditions with an average annual temperature of and an average humidity of 83%.
[ Douala sees plentiful rainfall during the course of the year, experiencing on average roughly of precipitation per year.] Its driest month is December, when on average of precipitation falls, while its wettest month is August, when on average nearly of rain falls.
Population
Evolution of population in Douala ''(in thousands)''
With 1.9 million inhabitants in 2005, Douala is the most populated city of Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...
.
Languages
Cameroon is home to nearly 250 languages or dialects. The local indigenous language is Duala, which shares its name with the city. French and English are official languages, but Douala is primarily francophone
The Francophonie or Francophone world is the whole body of people and organisations around the world who use the French language regularly for private or public purposes. The term was coined by Onésime Reclus in 1880 and became important a ...
.
In 2014, 63.7% of Douala inhabitants of over 15 years knew how to read and write French, while 76.4% knew how to speak and understand it.
Urbanism and contemporary life
The city of Douala is divided into seven districts ( Akwa, Bassa, Bonabéri, Bonapriso, Bonanjo, Deïdo and New Bell) and it has more than 120 neighbourhoods.
Some of the neighbourhoods of Douala include
* Akwa. Akwa is Douala's business district and Bonanjo its administrative district. ''Plateau Joss'' is the name used historically for the current district of Akwa. The name of the districts refer to the Douala lineage, as well as the neighborhoods. For example, Akwa was historically divided between Bell and Deido into Bonadibong, Bonamilengue, Boneleke, Bonalembe, Bonejang, Bonamuti, Bonabekombo, Bonaboijan, and Bonakuamuang; the prefix "bona" means "descendant of".
File:Monument des rois Akwa 01.JPG, Akwa Kings Monument
File:LT32 (8) Monument des roi d'akwa.JPG, Palais Dika Akwa
File:Teambeau des roi akwa (1).JPG, Akwa King tomb
File:LT 19 TEMPLE DE BONALEMBE.JPG, Bonalembe Baptist church
File:Akwa Palace 1.JPG, Akwa Palace
* Bali
Bali (English:; Balinese language, Balinese: ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller o ...
, housing area located near Bonanjo administrative area.
* Bépanda is a very densely populated neighbourhood. It is probably the most inhabited area of the city with many residents having arrived from West Africa and from all parts of the country. The seat of the University of Douala and an important telecommunication centre of Cameroon's telecommunications are located there.
* Deido is a historical neighborhood located in the north central part of the city. It includes one of the main junctions of the city known as Le Rond-Point Deïdo and the symbol of the city “the Njounjou” (“the monster”).
* Bonaberi is located on the right bank of the Wouri River. It is primarily an industrial neighbourhood but is gradually becoming a mixed area including more residential and commercial areas. It is connected by the two only bridges of the city. It is also the main opening toward the western anglophone area of the country.
* Bonapriso is one of the wealthiest area of the city and even of the country. Historically a residential neighbourhood, it has become a mixed area including commercial galleries, restaurants and shops.
* Bonanjo is the administrative neighborhood, with many large administrations, larger companies and banks offices, with higher buildings than the rest of the city
* Bonamoussadi is the main housing area located in the northern part of the city. In a first time very residential, it has recently witnessed a significant surge in the installation of malls, supermarkets, restaurants and even night clubs.
* Kotto is a modern residential neighbourhood next to Bonamoussadi. It developed in the early 1980s with the housing projects of the Société immobilière du Cameroun (SIC) and is now the prime area for the small but increasing middle and upper classes of the city.
* New Bell is an historical neighbourhood of the city. It was founded in the early 20th century with the expropriation by the Germans of the natives Duala people from the plateau Joss. It has been known since then for housing newcomers in the city from all parts of the country and even from abroad (mainly west Africa). It today a very populous neighbourhood with very tough conditions. Two of the main markets of the city (Central market and Marché Nkololoun) are in the area.
Eglise notre de victoire de New bell 2.jpg, Church of Our Lady of Victories
LT 38 Mosqué central de new-bell.jpg, central mosque
Lycée de New bell 3.JPG, NewBell High School
* Bassa is a vast area in the eastern part of the city. It is a mixed area including many neighborhoods (some wealthier than others) such as Logbaba, Ndogpassi, Cité des Palmiers, PK 8 and many others. It also includes one of the two major industrial zones of the city (the other being in Bonaberi).
Architecture
According to Jacques Soulillou, historical images of Douala document the areas of Akwa (Plateau Joss) and the port between 1860 and 1960, while the districts of Bonaberi, Deido and New Bell have almost no images. The archives which provide documentation about the city are based in Paris, Basel, Hamburg, Potsdam, Douala and Yaoundé.
In 1896 a first urban plan of the city was developed during the German colonial period. The plan included a hospital
A hospital is a healthcare institution providing patient treatment with specialized Medical Science, health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically ...
, the governor residency, the palace of justice, the police station, administrative buildings and buildings for the port and customs (among those the Old Woermann Linie Bachelors House). The Bonakouamouang Chimney also dates back to this period. In 1904 construction of the Villa Mandessi Bell was begun. In 1905 the palace of the King Manga Ndumbe Bell (also called la Pagode) was built, and in 1906 the general plan of Gross Douala was established. In 1914 the large population living in Bonanjo was moved to the new estate of Neue Bell (New Bell).
Between 1925 and 1930, during the French colonial period, the chamber of commerce, the new palace of justice, the new railway station, the vault of the Kings Bell and the catholic cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul were built. Constructions were intensified between 1930 and 1955 and in 1955 the bridge on Wouri River was built. In 1935 the Mausoleum of the Kings Akwa was constructed. In 1947 the Temple of the Centenary was built. In 1959 a new city plan was designed (Plan Dorian); according to Danièle Diwouta-Kotto, this plan is still influencing Douala's urban development. After the independence of 1960 a new development and urban plan were established. In 1998 a research prepared the diagnostic for the 2015 horizon. In 2005 a new development and urban plan was designed and routes and public canalizations were reestablished and created. In the same year the Project Sawa-Beach was launched. Since 1888, terracotta bricks have been produced in Douala.
The publication ''Suites architecturales'' focuses on heritage and reappropriation in the architecture of Douala, and it presents some of the characteristics of the buildings and architecture of Douala after its independence. Among those buildings are the casino, the show-room La Meublerie, the exhibition hall Cami-Toyota, Union Bank of Cameroon, Immeuble Hollando, the Baptist church, Immeuble Victoria, headquarters of CA-SCB, espace doual'art, and Orange Flagship. The Palace Dika Akwa Mukanda was built in 1990.
Along the city's main thoroughfare lie some of Cameroon's best restaurants, coffee houses and French-style patisseries; along the waterfront, many bars and bistros may be found, commanding views of the Gulf of Guinea and nearby mangrove
A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows mainly in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. Mangroves grow in an equatorial climate, typically along coastlines and tidal rivers. They have particular adaptations to take in extra oxygen a ...
swamps. Many of these are frequented by the city's large expatriate
An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person who resides outside their native country.
The term often refers to a professional, skilled worker, or student from an affluent country. However, it may also refer to retirees, artists and ...
population, mainly French or Lebanese, most of whom work in the petroleum industry
The petroleum industry, also known as the oil industry, includes the global processes of hydrocarbon exploration, exploration, extraction of petroleum, extraction, oil refinery, refining, Petroleum transport, transportation (often by oil tankers ...
.
Culture
* Douala Maritime Museum, a museum showcasing the rich maritime history of Douala. The building is shaped like a boat (however, the museum only occupies 400 m2 of the building). It is located in the administrative area Bonanjo
* Doual'art, an art gallery/center
* La Nouvelle Liberté, a 12m piece from Joseph Francis Sumégné inaugurated in 2007. A permanent monumental sculpture made with recycled material located at a main roundabout in Douala. It is 12 meters high with a wingspan of 5 meters.
* The Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul
* The Centennial Temple
File:Nouvelle liberté 2.JPG
File:Nouvelle liberté (2).JPG
File:Nouvelle Liberté 01.JPG
File:La Nouvelle Liberté 3.JPG
File:La Nouvelle Liberté 7.JPG
File:Nouvelle Liberté.JPG
Places of worship
The city's population is predominantly Christian
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
and contains houses of worship of numerous denominations: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Douala (Catholic Church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
), Evangelical Church of Cameroon (World Communion of Reformed Churches
The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) is the largest association of Reformed (Calvinist) churches in the world. It has 230 member denominations (227 members and three associate or affiliate members) in 108 countries, together claiming ...
), Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (World Communion of Reformed Churches
The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) is the largest association of Reformed (Calvinist) churches in the world. It has 230 member denominations (227 members and three associate or affiliate members) in 108 countries, together claiming ...
), Union of Baptist Churches in Cameroon (Baptist World Alliance
The Baptist World Alliance (BWA) is an international communion of Baptists, with an estimated 51 million people from 266 member bodies in 134 countries and territories as of 2024. A voluntary association of Baptist churches, the BWA accounts f ...
), Integrity for All ( Christian Missionary Fellowship and Associated Churches), Full Gospel Mission Cameroon (Assemblies of God
The World Assemblies of God Fellowship (WAGF), commonly known as the Assemblies of God (AG), is a global cooperative body or communion of over 170 Pentecostal denominations that was established on August 15, 1989. The WAGF was created to provi ...
). There are also Muslim
Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
mosques.
A small community has begun to practice Judaism
Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...
in Douala, but they do not have a synagogue yet.
Education
As in most large cities in Cameroon there are several nursery, primary, secondary and high school
A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...
s in the city. In recent years there has been a surge in the number of private schools. It is interesting to note that there is also a large, informal educational sector that caters to a huge part of the population, mostly individuals with a primary school certificate or those with no education at all. This form of education is common in sectors like cloth manufacturing, bread making, construction, security, and car repairing. Individuals from these informal sectors are by far the most visibly deprived in neighborhoods such as Ndokoti, Bepanda, Village, Logbaba.
The city of Douala is home to a number of higher education institutions, including the University of Douala. There are also a number of professional schools, the most prominent one being the Douala Maritime institute. Douala has an aviation school called CAE Oxford Aviation Academy Douala.
File:LYCEE JOSS DE DOUALA.JPG, Lycée Joss Entrance
File:Lycée Joss Douala.JPG, Interior of Lycée Joss
File:LT25 (2) Lycée de New-bell.JPG, Lycée de New-Bell Entrance
File:Lycée de New bell.JPG, Interior of Lycée de New-Bell
File:Lycée de New bell 3.JPG, Lycée de New-Bell Classrooms
Transportation
Douala is linked by rail to Yaoundé, Ngaoundéré
Ngaoundéré or N'Gaoundéré (Fula: N'gamdere, , 𞤲'𞤺𞤢𞤥𞤣𞤫𞥅𞤪𞤫𞥅) is the capital of the Adamawa Region of Cameroon. It had a population of 152,700 at the 2005 census. According to the film ''Les Mairuuwas – Maitre de l ...
, Kumba and Nkongsamba. Douala has a fairly developed road network compared to other cities in Cameroon. However many of the city's roads have decayed due to years of neglect and corruption. Efforts have recently been made to renovate the city's roads, especially in the most deprived neighborhoods. In spite of the numerous domestic and international investments, the roads remain in deplorable state largely due to embezzlement and corruption.
A brt network is planned for Douala, with the first 3 lines projected to open in 2024-2025.
The Douala International Airport is located in the eastern part of the city. There are direct flights to several European cities, including Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
, and Istanbul
Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
. Regional and continental destinations include Abidjan
Abidjan ( , ; N'Ko script, N'ko: ߊߓߌߖߊ߲߬) is the largest city and the former capital of Ivory Coast. As of the Demographics of Ivory Coast, 2021 census, Abidjan's population was 6.3 million, which is 21.5 percent of the overall population ...
, Brazzaville
Brazzaville () is the capital (political), capital and largest city of the Republic of the Congo. Administratively, it is a Departments of the Republic of the Congo, department and a Communes of the Republic of the Congo, commune. Constituting t ...
, Dakar
Dakar ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Senegal, largest city of Senegal. The Departments of Senegal, department of Dakar has a population of 1,278,469, and the population of the Dakar metropolitan area was at 4.0 mill ...
, Johannesburg
Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...
, Kinshasa
Kinshasa (; ; ), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (), is the Capital city, capital and Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-grow ...
, Lagos
Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...
, Malabo, and Nairobi
Nairobi is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a ...
. The airport is the busiest in the CEMAC area and is the hub for Cameroon's national carrier, Camairco. The airport is in dire need of renovations due to poor circulation and old infrastructure.
The seaport
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manc ...
has of draft
Draft, the draft, or draught may refer to:
Watercraft dimensions
* Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel
* Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail
* Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a v ...
.
Economy
Douala is a city with a modest oil resource in Africa, but is in excellent agricultural condition, therefore it has one of best economies in Africa. However, it also faces some problems like other underdeveloped countries such as heavy civil service and bad climate (flood, tornado, storm) to business.
Main economic parameters are:
*GDP: $42.2 billion (2006 est.):
* GDP growth rate: 4.1% (2006 est.)
* Exports-partners: Spain 17.3%, Italy 13.8%, France 9.5%, South Korea 8.1%, UK 8.1%, Netherlands 7.9%, Belgium 4.9%, US 4.3% (2005)
*Imports - partners: France 21%, Nigeria 15%, Belgium 6.3%, China 5.6%, US 5.1%, Thailand 4.5%, Germany 4.2% (2005)
Wealth and poverty
Even though Douala is the economic center of Cameroon, a large percentage of its inhabitants live below the poverty line. Recent data shows that about thirty percent of the population lives in poverty (Avameg, Inc). While the aforementioned percentage is doubled for rural regions, poverty is a growing problem for Douala due to its steadily increasing population. Unlike the rural populations of Cameroon that can grow their own foods to lessen their expenses, Douala locals are disadvantaged by living in the port city where there are not many opportunities for monetary gain.
Notable people
* Ibrahim Amadou (1993–), footballer
* Frank Angong (2002–), footballer
* Patrick Baudry (1946–), second French astronaut
An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a List of human spaceflight programs, human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member of a spa ...
and first astronaut from an African country
* Clément Antoine Bayema (1988–), professional Cameroonian footballer
* Francis Bebey (1929–2002), author
* BeBe Zahara Benet (1980–), drag queen
* Hemley Boum (1973–), writer
* Jean-Alain Boumsong (1979–), footballer
* Louis Brody (1892–1951), German actor
* Manu Dibango (1933–2020), musician, saxophonist and singer, world jazz, ethno-jazz
* Cédric Doumbé (1992–), kickboxer and mixed martial artist
* Herman Dzumafo (1980–), footballer
* Isabelle Ebanda (1936–), politician
* Angèle Etoundi Essamba (1962–), photographer
* Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto'o Fils (; born 10 March 1981) is a Cameroonian Association football, football administrator and former Football player, player who is the current president of the Cameroonian Football Federation. He is often regarded as one of the ...
(1981–), footballer
* Kareyce Fotso, singer
* Kenny Kadji (1988–), basketball player in the Saudi Basketball League
* Alvine Kamaha, UCLA professor and physicist
* Bobby Kamwa (2000–), footballer
* Anouk Aimee Takam Kenmoe (1979–), footballer
* Christian Koloko (2000–), basketball player
* Narcisse Mouelle Kombi (1962–), writer and politician
* Maka Kotto (1961–), Canadian politician
* Guy Kouemou (1970–), inventor and aerospace engineer
* Koyo Kouoh (1967–2025), Cameroonian-Swiss art curator
* Jacques Kuoh-Moukouri (1909–2002), author and diplomat
* Thérèse Kuoh-Moukouri (1938–), feminist and author
* Véronique Mang (1984–), track athlete
* Marc Kibong Mbamba (1988–), footballer
* Christian Ngan (1983–), entrepreneur, businessman and financier
* Blondy Nna Noukeu (2001–), footballer
* Paul-Georges Ntep (1992–), footballer
* Petit Pays (1967–), singer, dancer, author
* Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa (1940–), cineast
* Pascal Siakam (1994–), basketball player, 2019 NBA Champion
* Carlos Takam (1980–), professional boxer
* Pierre Womé (1979–), footballer
Twin towns – sister cities
Douala is twinned with the following places:
* Strasbourg
Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...
, France
* Akhisar, Turkey
* Dakar
Dakar ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Senegal, largest city of Senegal. The Departments of Senegal, department of Dakar has a population of 1,278,469, and the population of the Dakar metropolitan area was at 4.0 mill ...
, Senegal
* Newark, United States
* Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, United States
* Windhoek
Windhoek (; ; ) is the capital and largest city of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level, almost exactly at the country's geographical centre. The population of Windhoek, which ...
, Namibia
See also
* List of colonial governors of Cameroon
* Timeline of Douala
References

Further reading
* Brooke, James (1987). "Informal Capitalism Grows in Cameroon." ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
''. November 30.
* Derrick, Jonathan (1977). "Review of Douala: ville et histoire by René Gouellain." ''Africa: Journal of the International African Institute''. 47:4.
* Diwouta-Kotto, Danièle (2010). ''Suites architecturales: Kinshasa, Douala, Dakar''. Épinal: Association VAA.
* Elate, Som Simon (2004). "African Urban History in the Future." In Steven Salm and Toyin Falola (eds), ''Globalization and Urbanization in Africa''. Trenton: Africa World Press.
* Gouellain, René (1969). ''Douala, ville et histoire''. Paris: Institut d'ethnologie Musée de l'homme.
* Hance, William (1964). ''The Geography of Modern Africa''. New York: Columbia University Press.
* Lambi, C. M. and Hombe, L. F. (2002). "Environmental Hazards and Landuse Planning for Sustainable Development: the Douala Unstable Coastal Region." In R. G. Macinnes and Jenny Jakeways (eds), ''Instability: Planning and Management''. London: Thomas Telford.
* Lauber, Wolfgang (1988). ''Architectures allemandes au Cameroun 1884-1914''. Stuttgart: Karl Kramer Verlag.
* Levine, Victor (1971). ''The Cameroon Federal Republic''. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
* Mainet, Guy (1985). ''Douala, croissance et servitudes''. Paris: L'Harmattan.
* Njoh, Ambe (2003). ''Planning in Contemporary Africa''. Aldershot: Ashgate.
* Séraphin, Gilles (2000). "Vivre à Douala. L'imaginaire et l'action dans une ville africaine en crise". Paris: L'Harmattan.
* Simone, A. M. (2004). ''For the City Yet to Come: Changing African Life in Four Cities''. Durham: Duke University Press.
* Soulillou, Jacques (1989), ''Douala, un siècle en images''. Paris: L'Harmattan.
* Schler, Lynn (2008), ''The Strangers of New Bell: Immigration, Public Space and Community in Colonial Douala 1914–1960'' (Pretoria: Unisa).
* Brooke, James (1987). "Informal Capitalism Grows in Cameroon." ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
''. November 30.
* Derrick, Jonathan (1977). "Review of Douala: ville et histoire by René Gouellain." ''Africa: Journal of the International African Institute''. 47:4.
* Diwouta-Kotto, Danièle (2010). ''Suites architecturales: Kinshasa, Douala, Dakar''. Épinal: Association VAA.
* Elate, Som Simon (2004). "African Urban History in the Future." In Steven Salm and Toyin Falola (eds), ''Globalization and Urbanization in Africa''. Trenton: Africa World Press.
* Gouellain, René (1969). ''Douala, ville et histoire''. Paris: Institut d'ethnologie Musée de l'homme.
* Hance, William (1964). ''The Geography of Modern Africa''. New York: Columbia University Press.
* Lambi, C. M., and Hombe, Hombe (2002). "Environmental Hazards and Landuse Planning for Sustainable Development: the Douala Unstable Coastal Region." In R. G. Macinnes and Jenny Jakeways (eds), ''Instability: Planning and Management''. London: Thomas Telford.
* Lauber, Wolfgang (1988). ''Architectures allemandes au Cameroun 1884-1914''. Stuttgart: Karl Kramer Verlag.
* Levine, Victor (1971). ''The Cameroon Federal Republic''. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
* Mainet, Guy (1985). ''Douala, croissance et servitudes''. Paris: L'Harmattan.
* Njoh, Ambe (2003). ''Planning in Contemporary Africa''. Aldershot: Ashgate.
* Séraphin, Gilles (2000). "Vivre à Douala. L'imaginaire et l'action dans une ville africaine en crise". Paris: L'Harmattan.
* Simone, A. M. (2004). ''For the City Yet to Come: Changing African Life in Four Cities''. Durham: Duke University Press.
* Soulillou, Jacques (1989), ''Douala, un siècle en images''. Paris: L'Harmattan.
External links
Official Douala website
Satellite image of Douala from Google Earth
Duala Language website jw . org
{{Authority control
Populated coastal places in Cameroon
Populated places in Littoral Region (Cameroon)
Port cities in Africa
Provincial capitals in Cameroon
Articles containing video clips