ABSTRACT

Cameroon gained full independence in October 1961 as the result of a merger between the former French and British Cameroon trust territories. Cameroon is the only country in Africa with both English and French as official languages. With so many potential political cleavages, the government has striven to suppress a division between the north and the south which would coincide with historical, cultural and religious distinctions. The one-party system which had been established on independence continued until 1991, when opposition groups were formally recognized. The relationship between Cameroon and its neighbours, particularly Nigeria, has at times been troubled. A particular flashpoint was caused by two islands off the Bakassi Peninsula, claimed by Cameroon but allegedly occupied by Nigerian troops. The boundary dispute has been referred to the International Court of justice (ICJ) which, in 1995, announced a timetable for the receipt of documents.