City Africa
Douala
Douala is the main port of Cameroon. It is one of the rainiest cities in Africa!
Douala is the main port of Cameroon, on the estuary of the Wouri River near the Gulf of Guinea. The encyclopedia Larousse calls it the country's economic capital, a center of trade and industry. Cameroon's 2005 census counted 1,906,962 people in the city.
Douala, Cameroon's main port and economic metropolis on the Wouri estuary (Larousse; Universalis), had 1,906,962 inhabitants at the census of 11 November 2005 (City Population, from Cameroon's census bureau); the official projection for 1 January 2025 is 3,816,500, and Universalis gives its agglomeration about 4 million people in 2024.
Photo: Olivier Charly1, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Discover Douala
Douala is a city in Cameroon, a country in Central Africa.
Big ships come to its port from the sea.
Douala is Cameroon's main port. The French encyclopedia Larousse calls it the country's economic metropolis, on the estuary of the Wouri River, where the river meets the sea. The encyclopedia Universalis places it at the far end of the Gulf of Guinea.
Cameroon's census of 11 November 2005 counted 1,906,962 people in Douala. An official projection for 2025 gives 3,816,500, the most of any city in the country.
Larousse ('Douala'): principal port and economic metropolis of Cameroon, on the Wouri estuary; agglomeration 2,348,046 (2010 estimate); commercial and industrial center (mechanical engineering, food processing); exports of timber, coffee, bananas and cotton; international airport. Universalis ('DOUALA', Roland Pourtier): on the left bank of the Wouri estuary, at the far end of the Gulf of Guinea, the economic capital of Cameroon; about 160,000 inhabitants in 1960; its agglomeration, made an urban community in 1987, had about 4 million people in 2024. City Population (from the Bureau Central des Recensements et des Études de Population and the Institut National de la Statistique): Douala 458,426 (census 9 April 1976), 809,852 (10 April 1987), 1,906,962 (11 November 2005); projection 1 January 2025: 3,816,500 (Yaoundé 3,762,900).
- Country
- Cameroon: its main port and economic metropolis, on the Wouri estuary (Larousse)
- People in the city (census, 11 November 2005)
- 1,906,962
- Official projection (1 January 2025)
- 3,816,500, first in City Population's list of Cameroon's major cities
- Where
- on the left bank of the Wouri estuary, at the far end of the Gulf of Guinea (Universalis)
Roofs of the Bali quarter
Look at all the gray roofs and the palm trees!
Tall buildings stand far away under a hazy sky.
Olivier Charly1 took this photo on 21 November 2020 and describes it as a panoramic view of the Bali quarter of Douala. It shows gray roofs and a few red ones, small white buildings, palm trees and other trees, a street with a yellow-and-red car and a white car, and tall buildings on the skyline under a hazy sky.
On Wikidata, Bali is a neighborhood about 1.4 kilometers south-southwest of the city's point, and Douala Central Market is about 1.6 kilometers south-southeast.
Commons: 'Quarter Bali à Douala Cameroun', own work by Olivier Charly1 (CC BY-SA 4.0), taken 21 November 2020 at 14:59; his description (French): a panoramic view of the Bali quarter, in the city of Douala, Littoral region. The photo shows gray and red roofs, small buildings, palms, a street with a few small passers-by, a yellow-and-red car, a white car and two motorbikes, and high-rise blocks on the skyline. A 2020 photo: it shows the quarter as it was then. Wikidata, from the city point (Q132830): Bali (Q107382758), a neighborhood in Douala, 1.37 km SSW; Douala Central Market (Q107351599) 1.59 km SSE.
- In the photo
- the Bali quarter of Douala, 21 November 2020 (Olivier Charly1)
- Bali
- a neighborhood of Douala about 1.4 km south-southwest of the city's point (Wikidata)
- Douala Central Market
- a market about 1.6 km south-southeast of the city's point (Wikidata)
From a town to a giant city
Long ago, Douala was much smaller.
By 2024, about 4 million people lived in and around it!
Universalis says Douala had about 160,000 inhabitants in 1960. Cameroon's censuses then counted 458,426 people in 1976, 809,852 in 1987 and 1,906,962 in 2005: almost twelve times the 1960 figure.
Universalis says the agglomeration was made an urban community, a shared local government, in 1987, and had about 4 million people in 2024.
Universalis: about 160,000 inhabitants in 1960; agglomeration erected as a communauté urbaine in 1987, about 4 million people in 2024. City Population: 458,426 (1976), 809,852 (1987), 1,906,962 (2005); 1,906,962 ÷ 160,000 ≈ 11.9.
- 1960
- about 160,000 inhabitants (Universalis)
- Censuses 1976, 1987 and 2005
- 458,426; 809,852; 1,906,962 (City Population)
- 1987
- the agglomeration became an urban community (Universalis)
Port, bridge and river
Ships, planes and cars all come to Douala.
A bridge stands near the river.
Larousse calls Douala Cameroon's main port and names its international airport. Ships carry away timber, coffee, bananas and cotton.
Wikidata lists the Wouri River, next to the city, with one of its points about 3.7 kilometers north of the city's point, and the Douala bridge about 2.6 kilometers north-northwest.
Larousse: principal port; exportations de bois, café, bananes et coton; aéroport international. Wikidata: Douala (Q132830) 'located next to' the Wouri River (Q1405842); the river's first point is 3.70 km N of the city point; Douala bridge (Q16670689), a bridge, 2.55 km NNW. Larousse ('Wouri'): a coastal river of Cameroon, 160 km long, on whose estuary Douala stands.
- Port
- Cameroon's main port (Larousse)
- Airport
- an international airport (Larousse)
- Douala bridge
- a bridge about 2.6 km north-northwest of the city's point (Wikidata)
One of the rainiest cities in Africa
Douala is hot and very, very rainy.
In August it rains almost every day!
The World Meteorological Organization's averages for Douala, for 1981 to 2010, give about 3,573 millimeters of rain a year, more than three and a half meters. August is the wettest month, with 702.7 millimeters on about 31 rain days, and December the driest, with 28.0 millimeters.
Average highs stay between 27.3 °C and 32.3 °C all year. Universalis calls Douala the most watered city in Africa, with 4 meters of rain a year.
WMO World Weather Information Service, Douala (Direction de la Météorologie Nationale; period 1981-2010 as given in the data; rain days at least 0.1 mm; the WMO point is 5.2 km SE of the city point): mean daily maximum 27.3 °C (Aug) to 32.3 °C (Feb); mean daily minimum 20.2 °C (Jan) to 23.9 °C (Feb). Rainfall 38.2, 51.8, 156.1, 242.7, 279.2, 384.2, 619.6, 702.7, 548.8, 383.3, 138.2, 28.0 mm (Jan-Dec); sum 3,572.8 mm on 219 rain days. Check: Universalis gives about 4 m a year ('la ville la plus arrosée d'Afrique'); the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 mean temperatures for Douala (25.1-28.1 °C) fit the WMO highs and lows.
- August rain (WMO, Douala, 1981–2010)
- 702.7 mm, the wettest month
- Rain in a year (twelve months added up)
- about 3,573 mm, on about 219 days
- Universalis
- 'the most watered city in Africa', with 4 m of rain a year
Trade and industry
People in Douala make machines and food products.
Coffee, bananas, wood and cotton leave on ships.
Larousse calls Douala a center of trade and industry, with mechanical engineering and food processing, and says timber, coffee, bananas and cotton are exported from it.
Wikidata lists the Maritime Museum of Douala about 2.1 kilometers southwest of the city's point, dated 18 December 2013. Universalis calls Douala the economic capital of Cameroon.
Larousse: centre commercial et industriel (mécanique et agroalimentaire); exportations de bois, café, bananes et coton. Universalis: capitale économique du Cameroun. Wikidata: Maritime Museum Of Douala (Q16335662), inception 18 December 2013, 2.14 km SW of the city point.
- Economy
- a commercial and industrial center: mechanical engineering and food processing (Larousse)
- Exports
- timber, coffee, bananas and cotton (Larousse)
- Maritime Museum of Douala
- about 2.1 km southwest of the city's point; Wikidata dates it to 18 December 2013
Douala on the map
Find Africa on the globe, then the big bend in its west coast. Douala is there, in Cameroon.
Douala lies at about 4.05° north and 9.70° east, just north of the equator, on the Wouri estuary at the far end of the Gulf of Guinea.
On Wikidata, the Bali neighborhood is about 1.4 kilometers south-southwest of the city's point, the central market about 1.6 kilometers south-southeast and the Maritime Museum about 2.1 kilometers southwest.
Douala lies at about 4.05° N, 9.70° E (Wikidata point of Douala, Q132830, given to 0.01°; the sheet point is 1.64 km NNE of it). Wikidata from the city point: Bali 1.37 km SSW; Douala Central Market 1.59 km SSE; Maritime Museum 2.14 km SW; Douala bridge 2.55 km NNW; Wouri River (first point) 3.70 km N.
- Latitude
- about 4.05° north
- Longitude
- about 9.70° east
- Water
- the Wouri estuary, at the far end of the Gulf of Guinea (Universalis)
Amazing facts
-
In August it rains in Douala on almost every day!
In the WMO averages for 1981 to 2010, August in Douala has about 31 rain days and 702.7 millimeters of rain.
WMO 1981–2010: August 702.7 mm on 31 rain days (at least 0.1 mm).
-
Douala grew about twelve times bigger after 1960!
Universalis gives Douala about 160,000 inhabitants in 1960; the 2005 census counted 1,906,962, almost twelve times as many.
Universalis: about 160,000 (1960); City Population: 1,906,962 (2005 census); ratio ≈ 11.9.
-
Coffee and bananas leave Douala on ships!
Larousse lists timber, coffee, bananas and cotton among the exports of Douala, Cameroon's main port.
Larousse: exportations de bois, café, bananes et coton.
Words to know
- estuary
- the wide mouth of a river, where it meets the sea
- port
- a town or place where ships load and unload
- census
- an official count of all the people living in a place
- projection
- an official estimate of a future or current number, worked out from past counts
- export
- to send goods to another country to sell
- rain day
- a day with at least a little measured rain
Discovery challenge
-
Douala is a big port in which country?
Douala is the main port of which country?
Larousse calls Douala the principal port and economic metropolis of which country?
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Chile
Show the answer
Cameroon
Cameroon!
Cameroon.
Cameroon.
-
Which month is the rainiest in Douala?
In the 1981–2010 averages, which is Douala's wettest month?
Which month has the highest mean rainfall in the WMO 1981–2010 normals for Douala?
- August
- December
- January
Show the answer
August
August!
August, with 702.7 millimeters.
August, 702.7 mm.
-
On which river's mouth is Douala?
On the estuary of which river does Douala stand?
Larousse and Universalis place Douala on the estuary of which river?
- The Wouri
- The Congo
- The Niger
Show the answer
The Wouri
The Wouri!
The Wouri.
The Wouri.
-
Which fruit is sent from Douala on ships?
Which of these does Larousse list among Douala's exports?
Besides timber, coffee and cotton, which export does Larousse name for Douala?
- Bananas
- Apples
- Grapes
Show the answer
Bananas
Bananas!
Bananas.
Bananas (bananes).
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For parents & teachers
What children will learn
- Locate Douala on the Wouri estuary, at the far end of the Gulf of Guinea.
- Read a climate table from one of the rainiest cities in Africa.
- Tell the difference between a census count and an official projection.
- Explain what a port exports and why.
Recommended ages: 3 to 17 · About 15 minutes
Talk about it
- How would daily life change if it rained on almost every day of a month?
- Why might a city at a river mouth become a country's main port?
- Why do countries make projections between censuses?
Try at home or in class
- Rain tower: stack paper strips to show 702.7 millimeters of rain in August next to 28.0 in December.
- Export map: on a world map, draw a ship route from Douala carrying coffee and bananas.
- Estuary model: in a tray of sand, pour water slowly from one end and watch it spread where it meets a 'sea'.
Key vocabulary: estuary, port, census, projection, export, rain day
Where these facts come from
- Wikidata , Wikimedia Foundation (CC0 1.0)
- Natural Earth vector data , Natural Earth (NACIS) (Public domain)
- Douala , Larousse encyclopédie
- Wouri , Larousse encyclopédie
- DOUALA , Encyclopædia Universalis (Roland Pourtier)
- Cameroon: Regions and Cities , City Population (Thomas Brinkhoff), from the Bureau Central des Recensements et des Études de Population and the Institut National de la Statistique
- Douala: climatological information (1981–2010) , World Meteorological Organization, World Weather Information Service
- Climate normals: Douala (station 64910) , Japan Meteorological Agency
- World normals by region and country (normals period 1991-2020) , Japan Meteorological Agency
- Quarter Bali à Douala Cameroun , Wikimedia Commons
- Wikimedia Commons , Wikimedia Foundation (Per file (public domain, CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA); see each media record)
Checked, not yet human-reviewed. Last updated November 1, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.