Cameroon
Expect the unexpected when it comes to Cameroon. #19 in renewable energy but near the bottom in life expectancy. Discover more about this complex place.
Cameroon is a country in Africa with a population of 31.52M and an area of 475,442 km². Life expectancy is 63.7 years.
At a Glance
The numbers that define this country
Land Area
472.7KTotal land area in square kilometers, excluding lakes, rivers, and territorial waters.
Population Density
60.021How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
Internet Users (%)
42.0%The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
GDP Per Capita
$4.9KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
Human Development Index
0.59The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Where They Stand Out
Global rankings worth knowing
👥Youth Population (%)
41.4%The percentage of the population aged 0 to 14.
❤️Child Mortality
67.2The probability that a newborn will die before age 5, per 1,000 live births.
👥Teen Birth Rate
106.661The number of births per 1,000 women aged 15-19.
🌱Renewable Energy (%)
79.2%The percentage of energy consumption that comes from renewable sources like solar, wind, and hydro.
🌍Border Countries Count
6.00Number of neighboring border countries from CIA World Factbook.
Did You Know?
Facts that catch players off guard
Only ranks #156 in smoking rate
Smoking Rate: 6.5%
The percentage of people aged 15 and older who use tobacco products.
World Bank 2023Ranks #17 globally in youth population (%)
Youth Population (%): 41.4%
The percentage of the population aged 0 to 14.
World Bank 2023Only ranks #174 in spirits consumption
Spirits Consumption: 0.01
How many liters of spirits the average adult (15+) drinks per year.
Our World in Data 2023Ranks #16 in child mortality (lower is better)
Child Mortality: 67.2
The probability that a newborn will die before age 5, per 1,000 live births.
World Bank 2023Ranks #18 globally in teen birth rate
Teen Birth Rate: 106.661
The number of births per 1,000 women aged 15-19.
World Bank 2023Surprised? See how you stack up.
Play NowHow Cameroon Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
GDP per Capita
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
World Bank 2023Life Expectancy
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
World Bank 2023Human Development Index
The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Our World in Data 2023Internet Users
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
World Bank 2023Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Test Your IntuitionAbout Cameroon
Powerful chiefdoms ruled much of the area of present-day Cameroon before it became a German colony known as Kamerun in 1884. After World War I, the territory was divided between France and the UK as League of Nations mandates. French Cameroon became independent in 1960 as the Republic of Cameroon. The following year, the southern portion of neighboring British Cameroon voted to merge with the new country to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. In 1972, a new constitution replaced the federation with a unitary state, the United Republic of Cameroon. The country has generally enjoyed stability, which has enabled the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Nonetheless, unrest and violence in the country's two western, English-speaking regions have persisted since 2016. Movement toward democratic reform is slow, and political power remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA.
- Location
- Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria
- Climate
- varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north
- Terrain
- diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north
- Natural Resources
- petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower
- Natural Hazards
- volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes volcanism: Mt. Cameroon (4,095 m), which last erupted in 2000, is the most frequently active volcano in West Africa; lakes in the Oku volcanic field sometimes release fatal levels of gas, which killed about 1,700 people in 1986
- Size Comparison
- slightly larger than California; about four times the size of Pennsylvania
- Languages
- 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 33.1%, Muslim 30.6%, Protestant 27.1% other Christian 6.1%, animist 1.3%, other 0.7%, none 1.2% (2022 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Bamileke-Bamu 22.2%, Biu-Mandara 16.4%, Arab-Choa/Hausa/Kanuri 13.5%, Beti/Bassa, Mbam 13.1%, Grassfields 9.9%, Adamawa-Ubangi, 9.8%, Cotier/Ngoe/Oroko 4.6%, Southwestern Bantu 4.3%, Kako/Meka 2.3%, foreign/other ethnic group 3.8% (2022 est.)
- Major Cities
- 4.509 million YAOUNDE (capital), 4.063 million Douala (2023)
- Government Type
- presidential republic
- Capital
- Yaounde
- Capital Coordinates
- 3 52 N, 11 31 E
- Capital Timezone
- UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Republic of Cameroon
- Name Origin
- in the 16th century, Portuguese explorers named an estuary near the mouth of the Wouri River the Rio dos Camaroes (River of Prawns) after the abundant shrimp in the water; the name Camaroes evolved into "Cameroon"
- Independence
- 1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
- National Symbols
- lion
- National Anthem
- "O Cameroun, Berceau de Nos Ancêtres" (O Cameroon, Cradle of Our Forefathers)
- UNESCO Heritage
- 3 (two natural and one cultural)
- Overview
- largest CEMAC economy with many natural resources; recent political instability and terrorism reducing economic output; systemic corruption; poor property rights enforcement; increasing poverty in northern regions
- Industries
- petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair
- Agricultural Products
- cassava, plantains, oil palm fruit, maize, taro, tomatoes, sorghum, sugarcane, bananas, vegetables (2023)
- Export Partners
- Netherlands 21%, France 14%, UAE 13%, India 9%, China 8% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- crude petroleum, natural gas, gold, cocoa beans, wood (2023)
- Import Partners
- China 43%, France 6%, India 6%, Belgium 4%, UAE 4% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- garments, refined petroleum, plastic products, wheat, rice (2023)
- Military Forces
- Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army, Cameroon Navy (includes naval infantry or fusiliers marin), Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Firefighting Corps General Delegation for National Security (Délégation Générale à la Sûreté Nationale or DGSN): Cameroon Police (2025)
- Military Service
- 18-23 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (18-28 for medical services); no conscription; service obligation 4 years (2025)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 36.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 63.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); biomass and waste: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Broadcast Media
- government maintains tight control over broadcast media; state-owned Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV), with both TV and radio broadcasts, was the only officially recognized and fully licensed broadcaster until 2007, when the government issued licenses to 2 private TV broadcasters and 1 private radio broadcaster; about 70 privately owned, unlicensed radio stations operate under "administrative tolerance," meaning the stations could be subject to closure at any time (2023)
Deep Dive
64 of 82 metricsEvery stat we track, organized by category
Related Countries
Neighboring Countries
Equatorial Guinea
Nigeria
Gabon
Sao Tome and PrincipeCountries with Similar GDP
Nepal
Tajikistan
Zimbabwe
Myanmar
SenegalCompare Cameroon with...
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Botswana
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Burkina FasoShare a Fact
Share something surprising about Cameroon!
The total number of people living in the country.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cameroon
Cameroon has a population of 31.52M, ranking #51 globally by population.
Cameroon is located in Africa. It has an area of 475,442 km².
Life expectancy in Cameroon is 63.7 years, ranking #193 globally.
Cameroon's GDP per capita (PPP) is 5.6K, ranking #160 globally.
Cameroon ranks particularly high in Population (#51), Land Area (#52), Population Density (#143).
Cameroon has an HDI of 0.588, ranking #155 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
Cameroon has a population density of 60.0 people per km², ranking #143 globally.
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