Yaounde - City of Cameroon

Yaounde, a city of colorful open-air street markets and international embassies, is the second largest metropolis in Cameroon, and the country’s capital. Founded as an ivory trading post, the city still handles the production and distribution of some of the country’s main exports. The city is also a center of Cameroon’s culture, housing the National Museum, the AFHEMI Museum, and the Benedictine Museum of Mont-Febe, all three of which seek to preserve the country’s traditional arts and crafts.

Yaoundé was founded in 1888 by German traders as a base for the ivory trade and an agricultural research station. It was occupied by Belgian troops during World War I. After Germany's defeat, France became the colonial power in eastern Cameroon, and Yaoundé became the capital of French Cameroon. It has continued as the capital of the Republic of Cameroon until the present day.

The city centre houses government offices, some hotels, and the central market. The Bastos neighbourhood, with most homes owned by Cameroonians, is home to foreign embassies and the expatriate European community . The presidential palace and compound is in the Etoudi neighborhood.

Also found in Yaoundé are the cathedral, the Cameroon Art Museum the Cameroon National Museum and the Afhemi Museum. There is a small zoo in the Mvog-Betsi neighbourhood.

Yaoundé has a small assortment of nightclubs and restaurants.

Yaoundé is the site of some universities, the University of Yaoundé I, University of Yaoundé II and the Catholic University for Central Africa . Several of the nation's professional schools are also located in Yaounde Ecole Normal Superieur for teachers, Ecole Militaire InterArmes du Cameroun, as well as various schools for engineers, nurses and diplomats.

The other tourist attractions include:

The Benedictine Museum of Mont Febe or Small museum of Camerounese Art of Mont Febe
The Cameroon Art Museum
The zoo at Mvog-Betsi neighborhood
The Etoudi neighborhood has the presidential palace and compound
The Catholic University for Central Africa (UCAC)
University of Yaounde II
The University of Yaoundé I
Indoor market at Mokolo
The Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium