Yaoundé, Cameroon Yaoundé is the capital of Cameroon, and its largest city. It is located in the south-central part of the country. It is also spelt as Yaunde. The city was founded in 1888 under the Germans and was later occupied by the Belgians, and then the French. For a while, Douala became the capital of French Cameroun, but things began to change after Cameroon's independence. By 1972, Yaoundé had become the capital of the country and the seat of the government once again. Today, the city is an important center for administration, service, commerce and communication. There are also manufacturing and processing industries. Over 700,000 people live in the city, which is green, hilly and picturesque. There is a huge and bustling market called the Marché Central. Important institutions in the city include the University of Yaoundé, schools of education, agriculture, health, engineering, administration and other fields, research institutes like The Pasteur Institute of Cameroun, national archives, library, and others.
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