Edéa
City and commune in Littoral Province, Cameroon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Edéa is a city and commune in the Littoral Region of Cameroon. Situated on the Sanaga River, it lies on the Douala–Yaoundé–Ngaoundéré railway line. Its population was estimated at 122,300 in 2001.
Edéa | |
|---|---|
City and commune | |
 Edéa in 2013 | |
  Edéa Location in Cameroon | |
| Coordinates: 3°48′N 10°8′E | |
| Country |  Cameroon |
| Province | Littoral Province |
| Founded | 1891 |
| Area | |
• Total | 180 km2 (69 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 35 m (115 ft) |
| Population (2012)[1] | |
• Total | 73,128 |
| • Density | 410/km2 (1,100/sq mi) |
History
During World War I, the First Battle of Edea took place from 20 to 26 October 1914 in and around Edéa, and ended in an Allied victory.[2] The Second Battle of Edea, in 1915, also ended in an Allied victory.
Economy
Edéa is powered by the Edea Hydroelectric Power Station.[3]
Agriculture
A primarily agricultural economy, Edéa's main product is palm oil. In 2015, Yaouba Abdoulaye funded the local government FCFA$612,000,000 to build processing plants.[4] Palm oil company Socapalm has operated a 3,712-hectare (37.12 km2) palm oil planation in Edéa since 1969, on a lease which was supposed to end in 2000.[5] On 25 March 2025, members of the Association of Women Residents of Socapalm-Édéa (AFRISE; abbreviated from French name)—a local organization against Socapalm—protested to stop the company from replanting[6] and were tear-gassed by local police.[5]
Edéa is also situated near Douala Edéa National Park.[7]
Transportation
Edéa is served by Camrail. In September 2007, a metre gauge branch railway to the ocean port of Kribi was proposed, on account of it having deeper water than the river port of Douala.[8] In August 2020, Camrail completed improvements on several nearby railway bridges.[9][10] In September 2021, the Cameroonian government gathered investors to fund 291 kilometers of railway construction, part of which running through Edéa.[11][12]
Cameroon National Highway 7 begins in Edéa, ending in Kribi.
Notable people
- Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje (born 1978), basketball player[13]
- Maximilienne Ngo Mbe (born 1972), human rights campaigner[14]