town located in western Cameroon. Nkongsamba lies at the foot of Mount Manengouba (7,861 feet 【2,396 metres】). The French agricultural policy of intensive exploitation contributed to the town's growth in the 20th century. It is the terminus of the railway from Douala and has road connections to Bamenda (north), Bafoussam (northeast), and Buea (southwest). Large oil palm, banana, and coffee plantations in the area make Nkongsamba a commercial centre. Coffee and tobacco from the north are shipped by rail to Douala for export. The town has a sawmill, a food-processing plant, and a teacher-training school. Originally inhabited by the Mbo ethnic group, Nkongsamba's population is primarily composed of migrants, particularly Bamiléké (Bamileke). Pop. (2004 est.) 120,231.