town located in north-central Cameroon, on the Adamawa Plateau. It is the northern terminus of the Trans-Cameroon Railway to Yaoundé and Douala and lies on the major north-south road from Garoua to Bertoua and Yaoundé; by these routes it exports livestock and peanuts (groundnuts) to southern Cameroon. Local development projects focus on animal husbandry. The town's industries include dairying, slaughtering, preparation of hides and skins, perfume manufacture, and cotton ginning. Major bauxite deposits are exploited to the south. Tourism is significant, encouraged by large game reserves to the northeast and northwest. A hospital, an airport, and customs and meteorological stations serve the town.

Ngaoundéré is important as a traditional Fulani capital. It was founded in the first half of the 19th century as a part of the Adamawa emirate (Adamawa) by the Fulani emir Modibbo Adama. Pop. (2004 est.) 257,179.