Dschang

The documented history of Dschang began in 1895, when it was invaded by a German military mission. In 1909, the city replaced Fontem as the capital of a Germany military district. The region where Dschang now exists was then not the place of any major settlement but, instead, was an area that two bordering chiefdoms fought over. The name Dschang translates to "dispute" in the local language.

Following Germany's defeat during World War I, Cameroon became both a British and French possession, France declared Dschang to be the capital of West Province, and developed the city's vacation resort in the 1940s. This resort now forms the basis of Dschang's plans to promote the city as a tourist destination.

File:Dschang-pjt1.jpg

On January 1, 1960, Cameroon became an independent state, and the regional administration was moved to the city of Bafoussam. Dschang suffered from this move, as much more effort was invested in the infrastructure of Bafoussam.

Following the opening of the Université de Dschang (University of Dschang) in 1993, however, foreign interest and developmental investment of the city began to increase, and plans for a drive to increase tourism and the exploitation of mineral deposits will contribute to the city's current development.

The current [http://cvuc.cm/national/index.php/fr/carte-communale/region-du-sud/158-association/carte-administrative/ouest/menoua/458-dschang Mayor of Dschang] is Baudelaire Donfack.

File:Elevage à tshang de Porc (2).jpg

Image:Dschang market NTFP MS 3992.jpg

Due to its high elevation of over 1400 m,[http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CM/08/Dschang.html Location & Climate] Dschang is favoured by relatively cool temperatures and attractive scenery. It is therefore regarded as a mountain tourist resort. Since colonial times, Dschang has been an important agricultural center. Pig production plays a major role.

Deposits of the aluminum-bearing ore bauxite have been discovered nearby;[http://www.winne.com/cameroon/bf04.html Main economic indicators 1999-2000][http://www.spm.gov.cm/showdoc.php?id_doc=52&rubr=6000&srubr=6105&lang=en&tpl=2 Bauxite find] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927215717/http://www.spm.gov.cm/showdoc.php?id_doc=52&rubr=6000&srubr=6105&lang=en&tpl=2 |date=September 27, 2007 }} however, a lack of infrastructure has prevented full-scale mining operations to date.

File:Transport terrestre interurbain par bus au Cameroun 02.jpg

The town is reached by year-round trafficable dust roads or asphalt roads. There are bus connections to Bafoussam and Yaoundé.

There is also an airstrip.[http://www.world-airport-codes.com/cameroon/dschang-2001.html Airport of Dschang]

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Since 1993, Dschang has a university with faculties for Agricultural Sciences; Economic Sciences and Business Management; Humanities; Law and Political Sciences; and Sciences. The Faculty for Agricultural Sciences, has been the first faculty and the university continues to be very strong in this thematic area.

File:Dschang 07.jpg

The population of Dschang mainly speaks Yemba language,{{cite web|url=http://www.yemba.net |title=Yemba.net - Online Dictionaries and Learning Tools for the Yemba Language |publisher=Aleco |date=2012-03-13 |accessdate=2012-03-13}} a Bamileke language.

In early 2011, the Musée des Civilisations du Cameroun à Dschang was inaugurated.{{Cite web |url=http://www.journalducameroun.com/article.php?aid=10159 |title=Inauguration of the Museum of the Civilizations of Cameroon at Dschang |access-date=2011-11-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111104065032/http://www.journalducameroun.com/article.php?aid=10159 |archive-date=2011-11-04 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.routedeschefferies.com/fr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18&Itemid=55 |title=Musée des Civilisations du Cameroun à Dschang |access-date=2011-11-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007110436/http://www.routedeschefferies.com/fr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18&Itemid=55 |archive-date=2011-10-07 |url-status=dead }} This museum offers to discover the origin of the Cameroonian people and the diversity of the country's four large cultural domains via their history, but also their artistic productions, their architectures, and their political and social organizations.

File:Lac-Municipal-Dschang. 03.jpg|Dschang Municipal Lake

File:Mamy Wata.jpg|Mamy Wata waterfalls

File:Chutes de Nsem-Tsa à Dschang.jpg|Nsem-Tsa waterfall in Dschange

File:Dschang 14.jpg|Front view of the entrance to the Climate Center

File:Dschang 13.jpg|Climate Centre in Dschang

File:Dschang 05.jpg|Front view of the Nautical Base in Dschang

File:Basseek Fils Miséricorde à DSCHANG.jpg|Inhabitants of Dschang

File:Baguettes stall, Dschang, Cameroon.jpg|Bread selling on a street in Dschang

File:Entrée de l'Université de Dschang.jpg|Entrance to the University of Dschang

File:Pirogue sur les eaux du lac municipal de Dschang 01.jpg|Canoe on the Dschang Municipal Lake

File:Pirogue sur les eaux du lac municipal de Dschang 02.jpg

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.univ-dschang.org/ University of Dschang]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20111112110312/http://www.ot-dschang.com/ Tourist office of Dschang]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20081202181645/http://www.mbendi.com/indy/ming/af/ca/p0005.htm Mining in Cameroon]

{{Communes of West Region, Cameroon}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Populated places in West Region (Cameroon)