Victoria was founded by the British missionary Alfred Saker of the Baptist Missionary Society of London in June 1858. Due to this treaty, initially Victoria and its vicinity was not part of the new German colony Kamerun and remained under British administration. On May 7, 1886 Great Britain and Germany agreed to exchange Victoria and its vicinity for German rights at the Forcados River in Nigeria and St. Lucia, KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. On March 28, 1887 Victoria and its vicinity were handed over to the German administration. At the same time Swiss Presbyterian missionaries bought the land from the Baptist Missionary Society in 1887.
Victoria became British again in 1915. In 1982 Victoria was renamed "Limbe" by Ahmadou Ahidjo.
The Southwest Province's official language is English, although French is spoken due to the city's geographic proximity to Douala, where the official language is French. Most of the population speaks Cameroonian Pidgin English. The native language of the region is Bimbia or Isubu.
Limbe is located on a bay against the backdrop of a major mountain range. Black sand beaches make Limbe one of two coastal towns (Kribi being the other) that are popular among Western tourists. Attractions include the Limbe Wildlife Centre and Limbe Botanical Gardens. The Germans left a Bismarck tower in the vicinity of Limbe. It is the home to the Bakweri people.
Limbe was served by a terminal station of a 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) gauge plantation railway from Soppo, near Buea, of the West African Planting Society Victoria.
Limbe is the center of Cameroon's oil industry. Other important industries are fishery and tourism. The Port of Limbe is one of four commercial ports in Cameroon.
In 2008, Limbe became the site of a cement works.The city is also host to the head office (located at Bota, Limbe) of one of Cameroon's largest company known as the CDC. The head office is at Bota, Limbe. Limbe has the only oil refinery company SONARA. Bundes Construction is also the largest Civil Engineering Company. Limbe also has a non-operational natural sea port. Limbe, along with the rest of Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Chad, rely on all import / export activities through the port of Douala, the economic capital of Cameroon. Limbe which is a viable tourist destination in Cameroon offers tourist attractions such as the Limbe Wildlife Center, the Limbe Botanic Garden, and an extensive and almost unique dark sand public and private beaches. Several small inns and motels: THE LK HOTEL Atlantic Beach, Guest House, Park and Mirama, Trinity, Savoy Palms, First International Inn (Fini), etc. are available to accommodate both business and tourist guests. Amongst, THE LK HOTEL is situated above a spectacular view (mile 4) of the Atlantic Ocean, the perfect vantage point from which to view the famed sunsets that envelop the Atlantic Ocean, mount Cameroon and the Malabo Islands.
The construction of the Limbe Stadium in Limbe is planned, financed by the state-owned Chinese company, the Exim Bank of China.
Limbe City Council organizes an annual Festival of Arts and Culture. This event is popularly known as Limbe FESTAC and has been taking place annually since 2014. Activities during this event includes: a caravan to launch the event, fashion parade, election of Miss FESTAC, exhibition, canoe race, traditional dances, display of traditional dishes, etc. It attracts visitors from all corners of the country and even from abroad. Culture from Cameroon as well as neighboring African countries are displayed.
Limbe is twinned with:
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