The Bambouto Massif or Bamboutos Mountains is a group of volcanoes based on a swell in the Cameroon Volcanic Line, located in the Western High Plateau of Cameroon, merging in the north with the Oku Volcanic Field.
Geology The large volcanic complex extends in a NE-SW direction for over , with the highest peaks rising to around the rim of a caldera with a diameter of . Lava dating gives ages from 23 to 6 million years ago, with a lower basaltic series and an upper series of trachytes, trachyphonolites and phonolites.
Environment The upper part of the massif above has a cool and cloudy climate with of rainfall annually. Soils are acidic, low in phosphates, and relatively infertile. Due to population pressure, farming is carried out on the steep slopes, leading to erosion and further loss of fertility. Cattle are also grazed on the upper slopes where food crop cultivation is uneconomical.
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