# Sud-Ouest Region
**Sud-Ouest Region** (French for "South-West Region") is the name of first-level administrative regions in two West African countries: the South West Region of Cameroon, one of that country's ten regions and one of its two anglophone regions, and the Sud-Ouest Region of Burkina Faso, one of thirteen regions. A former Sud-Ouest Region also existed in Côte d'Ivoire before being renamed Bas-[Sassandra](https://www.edgepedia.org/sassandra).[1](https://minat.gov.cm/presentation/carte-des-regions/sud-ouest/) • [2](https://www.matd.gov.bf/accueil/actualites/details?cHash=ac9018f7970a9a1edabc7c76ea2a4a3d&chash=e954a910561e93e0484f554015893f58&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=news&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=101) • [3](https://openjicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/11525219_01.pdf)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cameroon: status | One of ten regions of Cameroon and one of two anglophone regions, on the border with Nigeria; capital Buea[1](https://minat.gov.cm/presentation/carte-des-regions/sud-ouest/) |
| Cameroon: size and population | 24,571 km²; 1,553,320 inhabitants (2020); density 54 inhabitants/km²[1](https://minat.gov.cm/presentation/carte-des-regions/sud-ouest/) |
| Cameroon: departments | Six: Fako, Kupe Muanenguba, Lebialem, Manyu, Meme, and Ndian[1](https://minat.gov.cm/presentation/carte-des-regions/sud-ouest/) |
| Cameroon: creation | Formed on 20 May 1972 when the former federated state of West Cameroon was split into Sud-Ouest and Nord-Ouest provinces; provinces became regions in November 2008[4](https://www.osidimbea.cm/collectivites/sud-ouest/) |
| Burkina Faso: status | One of thirteen regions created by law n° 013-2001/AN of 2 July 2001; chef-lieu Gaoua[2](https://www.matd.gov.bf/accueil/actualites/details?cHash=ac9018f7970a9a1edabc7c76ea2a4a3d&chash=e954a910561e93e0484f554015893f58&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=news&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=101) |
| Burkina Faso: size and population | About 16,576 km², 6.1% of the national territory; 729,362 inhabitants in 2012[2](https://www.matd.gov.bf/accueil/actualites/details?cHash=ac9018f7970a9a1edabc7c76ea2a4a3d&chash=e954a910561e93e0484f554015893f58&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=news&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=101) |
| Burkina Faso: provinces | Four: Bougouriba, Ioba, Noumbiel, and Poni[2](https://www.matd.gov.bf/accueil/actualites/details?cHash=ac9018f7970a9a1edabc7c76ea2a4a3d&chash=e954a910561e93e0484f554015893f58&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=news&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=101) |
## South West Region, Cameroon
The Région du Sud-Ouest, in English the South West Region, lies in the southwest of Cameroon and borders Nigeria. It is one of the country's two anglophone regions, together with the Nord-Ouest (North West) Region, while the rest of the country is predominantly francophone.[1](https://minat.gov.cm/presentation/carte-des-regions/sud-ouest/) • [5](https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099062225204519576/pdf/P179778-63e8f093-b382-451b-bf70-fdd8bccfcb7e.pdf) Its chef-lieu is Buea, and the current governor is Bernard Okalia Bilai.[1](https://minat.gov.cm/presentation/carte-des-regions/sud-ouest/)
**Area and population.** The Ministry of Territorial Administration gives the region an area of 24,571 km² and a population of 1,553,320 inhabitants in 2020, a density of 54 inhabitants per km².[1](https://minat.gov.cm/presentation/carte-des-regions/sud-ouest/) The National Institute of Statistics' regional yearbook states an area of 25,410 km².[6](https://ins-cameroun.cm/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Annuaire-statistique-regional_SW-edit_2023_02.07.24_Revu.pdf) The region is bounded to the north by the Northwest Region, to the south by the [Atlantic Ocean](https://www.edgepedia.org/atlantic-ocean), to the west by Nigeria, and to the east by the [Littoral Region](https://www.edgepedia.org/littoral-region).[6](https://ins-cameroun.cm/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Annuaire-statistique-regional_SW-edit_2023_02.07.24_Revu.pdf)
**Administrative structure.** The region comprises six departments: Fako (chef-lieu Limbé), Kupe Muanenguba (Bangem), Lebialem (Menji), Manyu (Mamfe), Meme ([Kumba](https://www.edgepedia.org/kumba)), and Ndian (Mundemba).[1](https://minat.gov.cm/presentation/carte-des-regions/sud-ouest/) It counts 31 arrondissements and 32 communes, including two urban communities, Limbé and Kumba.[1](https://minat.gov.cm/presentation/carte-des-regions/sud-ouest/) Under Cameroon's decentralization, the region has a special regional assembly of 90 councilors in two chambers, a 70-member House of Divisional Representatives and a 20-member House of Chiefs, plus an executive council and a Public Independent Conciliator.[1](https://minat.gov.cm/presentation/carte-des-regions/sud-ouest/) There are also six first-degree traditional chiefdoms, at Limbe, Buea, Kumba, Mamfe, Fontem, and Bamumbu in Wabane.[1](https://minat.gov.cm/presentation/carte-des-regions/sud-ouest/)
**History.** The region was colonized by Germany in 1884 under a protectorate regime; in 1916 it became a condominium administered jointly by the United Kingdom and France, and in 1919 the administration of the Nord-Ouest became solely British.[1](https://minat.gov.cm/presentation/carte-des-regions/sud-ouest/) In 1961, following the reunification of the anglophone and francophone parts of the country, the territory joined Cameroon.[1](https://minat.gov.cm/presentation/carte-des-regions/sud-ouest/) The former Sud-Ouest Province was created on 20 May 1972, when the unitary state was founded and the former federated republic of [West Cameroon](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-cameroon) was split into two entities, the other being the Nord-Ouest Province with its capital at [Bamenda](https://www.edgepedia.org/bamenda); Buea, formerly the capital of Cameroon, was chosen as the regional capital.[4](https://www.osidimbea.cm/collectivites/sud-ouest/) In November 2008 the former provinces became regions.[4](https://www.osidimbea.cm/collectivites/sud-ouest/)
**Geography and landmarks.** The region's vegetation is rich and green, the result of a climate with heavy rainfall, and its relief consists mostly of plateaus and plains, with highlands that include Mount Cameroon.[1](https://minat.gov.cm/presentation/carte-des-regions/sud-ouest/) • [6](https://ins-cameroun.cm/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Annuaire-statistique-regional_SW-edit_2023_02.07.24_Revu.pdf) Mount Cameroon, an active volcano, rises to more than 4,100 m according to the Ministry of Territorial Administration; the statistical yearbook gives its height as 4,095 m.[1](https://minat.gov.cm/presentation/carte-des-regions/sud-ouest/) • [6](https://ins-cameroun.cm/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Annuaire-statistique-regional_SW-edit_2023_02.07.24_Revu.pdf) The region holds the former slave-trading port of [Bimbia](https://www.edgepedia.org/bimbia) near Limbé, the German colonial governor's palace of Von Puttkamer at Buea, the Korup National Park, and the Limbé Botanical Garden, created in 1892 by German horticulturists.[1](https://minat.gov.cm/presentation/carte-des-regions/sud-ouest/) In Cameroon's agro-ecological zoning, the Littoral and Sud-Ouest regions correspond approximately to the Monomodal Humid Forests zone.[5](https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099062225204519576/pdf/P179778-63e8f093-b382-451b-bf70-fdd8bccfcb7e.pdf) The Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names records the region under the FIPS code CM09.[7](https://www.getty.edu/vow/TGNFullDisplay?english=N&find=&nation=Gabon&place=&subjectid=1001546)
## Sud-Ouest Region, Burkina Faso
The Sud-Ouest Region occupies the southwestern corner of [Burkina Faso](https://www.edgepedia.org/burkina-faso). It is one of the thirteen regions created by law n° 013-2001/AN of 2 July 2001 organizing the national territory, and its chef-lieu is Gaoua.[2](https://www.matd.gov.bf/accueil/actualites/details?cHash=ac9018f7970a9a1edabc7c76ea2a4a3d&chash=e954a910561e93e0484f554015893f58&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=news&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=101) • [8](https://fasoeducation.bf/espace_eleves/cours_cm2/geographie/province_region/co/grainRegions.html) Since 20 August 2020 it has been led by the principal commissioner Wendinmanegdé Emmanuel Zongo.[2](https://www.matd.gov.bf/accueil/actualites/details?cHash=ac9018f7970a9a1edabc7c76ea2a4a3d&chash=e954a910561e93e0484f554015893f58&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=news&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=101)
**Territory and neighbors.** The region covers about 16,576 km², 6.1 percent of the national territory. It is bounded to the east by Ghana and the Centre-Ouest region, to the south by Côte d'Ivoire, to the west by the Cascades and Hauts-Bassins regions, and to the north by the Hauts-Bassins, Boucle du Mouhoun, and Centre-Ouest regions.[2](https://www.matd.gov.bf/accueil/actualites/details?cHash=ac9018f7970a9a1edabc7c76ea2a4a3d&chash=e954a910561e93e0484f554015893f58&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=news&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=101) It is composed of four provinces, Bougouriba, Ioba, Noumbiel, and Poni, with 28 departments, 4 urban communes, and 24 rural communes.[2](https://www.matd.gov.bf/accueil/actualites/details?cHash=ac9018f7970a9a1edabc7c76ea2a4a3d&chash=e954a910561e93e0484f554015893f58&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=news&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=101) The population was estimated at 729,362 inhabitants in 2012, including the Lobi, Dagara, Birifor, and Gan peoples.[2](https://www.matd.gov.bf/accueil/actualites/details?cHash=ac9018f7970a9a1edabc7c76ea2a4a3d&chash=e954a910561e93e0484f554015893f58&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=news&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=101) Data Commons ranks the region 12th among Burkina Faso's administrative regions by population, at 791,000.[9](https://datacommons.org/ranking/Count_Person/AdministrativeArea1/country/BFA)
**Climate and water.** The region is one of the best-watered in Burkina Faso, lying between the 900 mm and 1,200 mm isohyets in the Sudanian climate zone, with an average altitude of 450 m and a mean annual temperature of 27 °C.[2](https://www.matd.gov.bf/accueil/actualites/details?cHash=ac9018f7970a9a1edabc7c76ea2a4a3d&chash=e954a910561e93e0484f554015893f58&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=news&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=101) It is covered by two drainage basins: the Mouhoun basin, the larger, draining 5.2 billion m³ annually across all provinces, and the Comoé-Léraba basin, draining 1.3 billion m³ annually toward Ghana. The region holds 45 water storage structures: 37 dams, 4 ponds, 2 lakes, and 2 boulis.[10](https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099021625133040685/pdf/P1814991b94aef0e18d551ce2949109689.pdf)
**Economy and heritage.** [Agriculture](https://www.edgepedia.org/agriculture) and livestock raising are the main activities of the population.[2](https://www.matd.gov.bf/accueil/actualites/details?cHash=ac9018f7970a9a1edabc7c76ea2a4a3d&chash=e954a910561e93e0484f554015893f58&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=news&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=101) Sud-Ouest is Burkina Faso's most forested region, and its southwestern plateau produces substantial cotton harvests, though the crop is generally sold as raw fiber to merchants in [Bobo-Dioulasso](https://www.edgepedia.org/bobo-dioulasso) or [Ouagadougou](https://www.edgepedia.org/ouagadougou) because the region lacks major urban centers able to process it.[11](https://www.mapsaz.com/region/burkina-faso/sud-ouest/) Notable tourist sites include the ruins of Loropéni, the Poni museum, and the sanctuary of the Gan kings.[2](https://www.matd.gov.bf/accueil/actualites/details?cHash=ac9018f7970a9a1edabc7c76ea2a4a3d&chash=e954a910561e93e0484f554015893f58&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=news&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=101) A regional adaptation plan for the Sud-Ouest region was formulated under a Green Growth Advisory output completed in Burkina Faso in 2024.[12](https://gggi.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GGGI-Annual-Results-Report-2024-Annex_2.pdf)
## Other uses
In Côte d'Ivoire, the Bas-Sassandra Region was renamed from the Sud-Ouest Region and consists of four departments: Sassandra, Soubré, San-Pédro, and Tabou.[3](https://openjicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/11525219_01.pdf) In France, "Sud-Ouest" is used informally for the southwest of the country: the Compagnie d'Aménagement des Coteaux de Gascogne (CACG) operates as a regional water development company in the Sud-Ouest area, one of three such companies managing the largest irrigation schemes in southern France.[13](https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099125001202254804/pdf/P1662320a00fec01309ae906fbff58117ed.pdf)
## References
1. [Sud-Ouest, Ministère de l'Administration Territoriale (Cameroun)](https://minat.gov.cm/presentation/carte-des-regions/sud-ouest/)
2. [Administration territoriale : zoom sur la région du Sud-Ouest, MATD (Burkina Faso)](https://www.matd.gov.bf/accueil/actualites/details?cHash=ac9018f7970a9a1edabc7c76ea2a4a3d&chash=e954a910561e93e0484f554015893f58&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=news&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=101)
3. [JICA/EPA report, Brief Description of the Region (Côte d'Ivoire)](https://openjicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/11525219_01.pdf)
4. [Histoire de la Région du Sud-Ouest Cameroun, Osidimbea](https://www.osidimbea.cm/collectivites/sud-ouest/)
5. [Cameroon Poverty Assessment 2024, World Bank](https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099062225204519576/pdf/P179778-63e8f093-b382-451b-bf70-fdd8bccfcb7e.pdf)
6. [South West Regional Statistical Year Book 2023, Institut National de la Statistique (Cameroun)](https://ins-cameroun.cm/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Annuaire-statistique-regional_SW-edit_2023_02.07.24_Revu.pdf)
7. [Sud-Ouest, TGN Full Record Display, Getty Research](https://www.getty.edu/vow/TGNFullDisplay?english=N&find=&nation=Gabon&place=&subjectid=1001546)
8. [La province et la région, Faso Éducation](https://fasoeducation.bf/espace_eleves/cours_cm2/geographie/province_region/co/grainRegions.html)
9. [Ranking by Population, Administrative Area 1 Places in Burkina Faso, Data Commons](https://datacommons.org/ranking/Count_Person/AdministrativeArea1/country/BFA)
10. [Cadre de Politique de Réinstallation du Projet SKBo, World Bank (2025)](https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099021625133040685/pdf/P1814991b94aef0e18d551ce2949109689.pdf)
11. [Sud-Ouest Region, Burkina Faso, MapSaz](https://www.mapsaz.com/region/burkina-faso/sud-ouest/)
12. [Annex 2: Completed Green Growth Advisory Outputs, GGGI Annual Results Report 2024](https://gggi.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GGGI-Annual-Results-Report-2024-Annex_2.pdf)
13. [France: Evolution of Regional (Water) Development Companies, World Bank](https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099125001202254804/pdf/P1662320a00fec01309ae906fbff58117ed.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Places and geography › Countries, territories, and regional overviews › Continents and geographic regions › Administrative, statistical, and governance region systems › First-level administrative regions by country › First-level regions of West Africa and the Sahel*
*Initially written Oct 20, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license