Adamava (plateau)

The name comes from the name of the leader of the local Fulbe named Modibo Adam , who founded the emirate of the same name , which included most of the plateau and existed until his death in 1848.

In turn, from the name of the plateau were formed the names of the provinces in Cameroon , the state in Nigeria and a group of languages distributed mainly to the east.

The Adamawa Plateau occupies a vast territory between the Benue rivers in the northwest and Sanaga in the southeast. Covers southeast Nigeria, the west and center of Cameroon and the west of the CAR.

It has volcanic origin, the average height is about 1000 m, the highest peak is Oka , 3011 m, other peaks: Bambuto (2740 m.), Mbam (2335 m.). It is composed of ancient crystalline and metamorphic rocks (mainly gneisses ).

The center of the plateau is the Adamawa Mountains , stretching from the west of Cameroon ( Western and Northwest regions) through southeastern Nigeria (the state of Taraba , where this section is called Gotel ) and again to central Cameroon ( Adamawa region ). Sometimes mountains are considered to be their continuation, extending further to the east, through the entire province of Adamawa and across the border to the Central African Republic .

The Adamawa Mountains are a watershed between the basins of the Benue and Sanaga rivers (primarily its tributary Mbam ).

In the south, the territory is covered with moist evergreen forests, in the north - savannah and deciduous-evergreen forests, caused by the presence of a short dry season. In the mountains - mountain savannas.

In the plateau are important bauxite deposits .

It is populated by peoples speaking the languages ​​of different groups of the Benue-Congolese and Adamava-Ubangian languages , as well as by Fulbe groups.

The main occupation of the mountain zone population is nomadic and semi-nomadic animal husbandry ( cattle ). In the foothills - agriculture.

• Adamava in Encyclopedia Britannica (English)
• Adamava at webcitation.org