A dry season in the north lasts from October to April. Plants and Animals Cameroon's valuable rain forests contain a number of species of trees, including oil palms, bamboo palms, mahogany, teak, ebony, and rubber. Wildlife is diverse and abundant and includes monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, antelopes, lions, and elephants, as well as numerous species of birds and snakes. Natural Resources Cameroon is dependent primarily on its agricultural and timber resources. High-yield deposits of bauxite exist in northern Cameroon.
Natural gas is found near Douala, and offshore deposits of petroleum are exploited.
A small amount of gold is mined. The majority of the people are farmers who live in small towns or villages in southern and central Cameroon. Seminomadic herders inhabit the north. Douala, on the Bight of Bonny, with an estimated population of 637,000, is the chief port. Cameroon contains about 140 ethnic groups who speak 24 major languages.