1.
country in west central Africa. It became a German protectorate in 1884. After World War I it was divided into French and British Cameroon. French Cameroon became independent in 1960. In 1961, part of British Cameroon joined Nigeria, while the rest joined French Cameroon in a federal republic. Cameroon became a unitary state in 1972 and became an independent member of the British Commonwealth in 1995.