The central region has a mixed forest of evergreens and deciduous trees. Northern vegetation is wooded savanna. Cameroon has varied animal life that includes buffalo, elephant, hippopotamus, antelope, and many kinds of birds. People Cameroon has been described as a racial crossroads because of its more than 200 ethnic groups. The major groups are Fang, Bamileke and Bamum, and Douala.
Pygmies live in the southern forests.
The official languages are French and English, but local languages are also spoken. More than half the population continues its traditional religious beliefs. Christianity was introduced by Europeans during the colonial period, and Islam was established in the north by the Muslim Fulani, who settled there in the 18th and 19th centuries. Every major ethnic group of the country has developed its own culture based on traditional arts and customs. The country's rich musical diversity is represented by drum rhythms in the southern forest and flute music in the north.