Mbalmayo

Mbalmayo, town located in south-central Cameroon. It lies along the Nyong River, south of Yaoundé.

Located within the forest zone, it has a major plywood factory powered by electricity from the hydroelectric complex at Edéa. It is a commercial centre at the junction of three transportation routes: it lies on the main road south from Yaoundé, is the southeastern terminus of the railway from Douala, and serves as a river port on the Nyong River, which is seasonally navigable for 155 miles (250 km) from Mbalmayo northeast to Abong Mbang. Dja Faunal Reserve, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987, is about 75 miles (120 km) southeast of the town. Pop. (2005) 52,813.