Northwest Province (Cameroon)

Northwest Region
Region
Country	Cameroon
Departments	Boyo, Bui, Donga-Mantung, Menchum, Mezam, Momo, Ngo-Ketunjia (Ngoketunjia)
Coordinates	6°20′N 10°30′E / 6.333°N 10.500°E / 6.333; 10.500Coordinates: 6°20′N 10°30′E / 6.333°N 10.500°E / 6.333; 10.500
Capital	Bamenda
Area	17,300 km2 (6,680 sq mi)
Population	1,728,953 (2005)
Density	100/km2 (259/sq mi) (2nd)
Governor	Adolphe Lele Lafrique (2012–)
Location of the Northwest Region within Cameroon

The Northwest Region, or North-West Region (French: Région du Nord-Ouest) of Cameroon is part of the territory of the Southern Cameroons, found in the western highlands of Cameroon. It is bordered to the southwest by the Southwest Region, to the south by the West Region, to the east by the Adamawa Region, and to the north by the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Northwest Region (known before 2008 as the Northwest Province) is the third most populated province in Cameroon. It has one major metropolitan city, Bamenda, with several other smaller towns such as Wum, Kumbo, Mbengwi, Ndop, Nkambé, Batibo, Bambui and Oshie. The province saw an increase in its population from approximately 1.2 million in 1987 to an estimated 1.8 million in 2010. The population density of 99.12 people per square kilometer is higher than the national average of 22.6. The provincial urban growth rate is 7.95%, higher than the national average of 5.6%, while the rural growth rate, at 1.16%, is equal to the national rate. In 2001, according to the Statistical Provincial Services of the North-West Province, the population of the province is young, with over 62% of its residents being less than 20 years old. Therefore, the dependency rate in the province is high, particularly in the rural areas.

Like other regions in Cameroon, the Northwest Region is made up of administrative divisions. The province was created in 1972 with five divisions or departments: Bui, Donga-Mantung, Menchum, Mezam, and Momo. Today, it has seven divisions, the additions being Boyo, which was carved out of the Menchum division, and Ngo-Ketunjia or Ngoketunjia, split off from the Mezam division. Each division is further subdivided, with thirty-one total subdivisions in the Northwest Province. The basic unit of local government is the council, and there are thirty-two councils in the region.