South Cameroon Plateau - Topography

Topography

The South Cameroon Plateau lies between 2 and 6° N and 10 and 16° E. It covers about 225,100 km², more than half of Cameroon's total area. The plateau is characterised by sloping terrain and gently rolling hills. The altitude varies from 250 to 800 m and averages 600 or 650 m. The Western High Plateau lies northwest of the plateau and separates it from the interior African plain. The Adamawa Plateau lies to the plateau's north. From an altitude between 800 to 900 m. there, the plateau slowly slopes south and west from the region of Bedzare and Meiganga.

To the southwest, large inselbergs and tall hills separated by deep gullies predominate. The plateau gives way to the Cameroon coastal plain in escarpments. This topography has resulted in the creation of the Lobé Falls near Kribi, where the Lobé River meets the sea in a series of rapids. Some of the plateau's highest points are in this region, such as Mbam Minkom near Yaoundé (1,295 m), and Ntem massif near Ebolowa (1,400 m).

To the southeast, the transition to the Congo basin takes place on a gently sloping peneplain. The hills of the eastern portion are gentler than those of the west. These hills are known as half-oranges and can easily be seen in the area of Batouri and Bélabo. The lowest point of the plateau is the Sangha River valley in the southeast.

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