Ambazonia
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The Republic of Ambazonia was declared as an independent state by a group seeking independence for the former southern British Cameroon. This declaration has not been recognized by other countries or by the United Nations (UN). The area remains under the control of the Republic of Cameroon.
The inhabitants of this area generally speak English as their second language. Many object to the elimination of the former federal structure of Cameroun, and its replacement by a unitary republic. Many believe that the rights of the Anglophone minority are not being respected by the Francophone majority in Cameroun. While some seek the reinstatement of the federal structure, others, including the supporters of the would-be Republic of Ambazonia, believe that independence is necessary to protect their rights.
Southern Cameroon is a former UN trust territory which was united with the Republic of Cameroun (La République du Caméroun, formerly French Cameroons) in 1961 following a plebiscite. The northern part of British Cameroons voted to join Nigeria.
It is located between Nigeria to the west and north, and the Republic of Cameroun to the east. It is wedged between West Africa and the former French Equatorial Africa. If independent, Ambazonia would share maritime boundaries with Nigeria, the Republic of Cameroun and Equatorial Guinea.
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It has a land size of 43,000 square kilometers and a population of approximately 6 million people. It is thus slightly larger than the Netherlands, ranked the 131st largest country and has about as many inhabitants as Paraguay, the world's 100th largest country in terms of population. (In other terms, Ambazonia is more populous than at least 60 UN and 18 African Union (AU) Member States, and is larger in area than at least 30 UN and 12 AU Member States.)
External links
- www.southerncameroons.org Offical site of the Southern Cameroons National Council
- INS Resource Information Center document on "Ambazonia" (http://uscis.gov/graphics/services/asylum/ric/documentation/CMR03002.htm)