Ebolowa
The capital of Bulu country, in the heart of the forest
South Region (capital: Ebolowa) · Mvila department (capital: Ebolowa)
Related language : Bulu
Where is Ebolowa?
Ebolowa is in the South Region of Cameroon, 155 to 170 km from Yaoundé by road.
Ebolowa is the capital of the South region and of the Mvila department, about 160 kilometres south of Yaoundé. It lies between 570 and 640 metres above sea level, in the heart of the equatorial forest. Estimates of its population vary widely: just under 100,000 inhabitants in its two communes at the 2005 census, and up to 250,000 by a 2019 estimate.
History and origin of the name
Ebolowa is the historic and traditional capital of Bulu country. Its history is tied to cocoa, whose boom and decline it went through. Made an urban commune in 1947, it became an urban community in 2008. In January 2011 the town hosted the national agro-pastoral show, called by the head of state to revive agriculture, and was given new facilities for the occasion.
What to see
- The facilities left by the 2011 agro-pastoral show, which reshaped part of the town.
- The University of Ebolowa, created by decree in January 2022, at the same time as those of Bertoua and Garoua.
- The southern road, which leads via Ambam to the borders of Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, about 120 kilometres away.
Economy and local life
Agriculture supports most of the population, and cocoa remains the main crop. Timber also matters, with a sawmill in the town. Ebolowa is also a gateway to Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, which the paved southern road links to the rest of the country.
What to eat
The food is that of the forests of the Centre and South, with dishes such as ndomba, cooked in a leaf parcel, and sanga, fresh maize and greens cooked in palm-nut juice.
Practical information
The climate is humid tropical, with about 1,700 mm of rain a year; the dry season is short, in December and January, and rainfall peaks in April and October. The town is linked to Yaoundé by National Highway 2, a paved road, and has an airfield.
Distances by road
Approximate distances, city centre to city centre. Travel time depends heavily on road conditions and traffic.