The Bakossi people inhabit an area exceeding 3,000 square kilometers, situated on the slopes of the Bakossi Mountains, Mount Kupe, Mount Mwanenguba, and Mount Nlonako within the Republic of Cameroon. Traditionally engaged in farming, hunting, and fishing, the Bakossi population, estimated at 100,000 in 2001 (SIL), cultivates coffee and cocoa as their primary cash crops. Administratively, the populace falls under the jurisdiction of the Kupe-Manenguba Division, with its headquarters in Bangem, and the Mungo Division in the Littoral Province. The Kupe-Manenguba Division ranks as the second-largest producer of cocoa in the Southwest Province of the Republic and comprises three subdivisions: Bangem, Tombel, and Nguti.
The Bakossi region experiences an equatorial climate, characterized by substantial rainfall distributed throughout the year, fostering lush forest vegetation and fertile soils. The dry season spans from November to March. During this period, the weather is bright with minimal rainfall, cool nights, and warm days. This also coincides with the dusty conditions of unpaved roads and the harvest of coffee, maize, peanuts, and beans in certain areas, alongside fishing activities in others. Conversely, the rainy season commences gradually in April, with the heaviest precipitation occurring from August until late October. During this time, roads become wet and significantly muddy, impeding travel to and from some localities. This season marks the harvest of cocoa, kola nuts, plums, and numerous other food crops. The Bakossi Mountains encompass an area of approximately 230,000 square kilometers and are believed to contain the largest expanse of cloud or submontane forest in West-Central Africa. Mount Kupe is located approximately 100 kilometers from Douala, Cameroon's second-largest city. This mountain straddles the Southwest and Littoral provinces of Cameroon and ascends to an elevation of approximately 2,064 meters above sea level. It is widely recognized as one of Africa’s most renowned sites for bird species, such as the Mount Kupe Bush-shrike (Malaconotus kupeensis),
wildlife encounters.
The Bakossi forest is home to a diverse array of endemic, unique, and endangered flora and fauna, and also contributes to Cameroon’s economy through the forestry sector, providing wood to numerous carpentry and furniture workshops nationwide. The distinctive plant species, Coffea montekupeensis, locally known in Bakossi as “deh a mbine,” is a wild coffee plant believed to possess greater value than the Robusta and Arabica coffee varieties commonly found in Cameroon.
Mount Mwanenguba (2,411m) is situated northwest of the town of Nkongsamba. The crater of this volcanic mountain, at an elevation of 1,950 meters, consists of a vast grassy plain dotted with low hills, a marshy area to the south, and two small, deep volcanic lakes. The larger, designated 'female' lake is the sole accessible one of the pair. The smaller, designated 'male' lake remains inaccessible due to its perceived sacred character and the traditional belief that it is inhabited by supernatural entities capable of inflicting punishment upon any individual who dares to approach. This 'male' lake is encircled by trees, yet not a single leaf is observed to fall into it. A stone propelled into it with any degree of force invariably lands on its banks. The Mwanenguba Mountains and the enigmatic twin lakes constitute a significant tourist attraction.