World 8.2bn peopleGDP $118tnLife expectancy 73.5 yrsOnline 73.6%
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Health · Sub-Saharan Africa · Lower-middle income

Cameroon: health in numbers

Life expectancy is 64.0 yrs (2024), 194th of 217 in the world and 26th of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Life expectancy, women is 66.2 yrs (2024), 195th of 217 in the world and 27th of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Life expectancy, men is 61.8 yrs (2024), 196th of 217 in the world and 28th of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Life expectancy64.0 yrs2024 · world 194/217 · region 26/48Life expectancy, women66.2 yrs2024 · world 195/217 · region 27/48Life expectancy, men61.8 yrs2024 · world 196/217 · region 28/48Infant mortality40.22024 · world 26/196 · region 23/48
Life expectancy
CameroonSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
50607080199520002005201020152020Cameroon64.0 yrsSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
Life expectancy, women
CameroonSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
50607080199520002005201020152020Cameroon66.2 yrsSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
18 indicators

Health: Cameroon in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Sub-Saharan Africa; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Life expectancyLife expectancy at birth, years64.0 yrs2024194/21726/4853.3 yrs57.0 yrs61.7 yrs+8.2%since 201462.8 yrs69.5 yrs73.5 yrs
Life expectancy, womenLife expectancy at birth, women, years66.2 yrs2024195/21727/4854.5 yrs58.5 yrs64.0 yrs+8.4%since 201465.0 yrs71.3 yrs76.0 yrs
Life expectancy, menLife expectancy at birth, men, years61.8 yrs2024196/21728/4852.1 yrs55.4 yrs59.5 yrs+7.9%since 201460.7 yrs67.8 yrs71.1 yrs
Infant mortalityInfant mortality, per 1,000 live births40.2202426/19623/4883.163.945.5−27%since 201447.133.127.7
Under-5 mortalityUnder-5 mortality, per 1,000 live births64.8202416/19616/48143.9109.574.4−30%since 201471.243.837.4
Neonatal mortalityNeonatal mortality, per 1,000 live births24.8202424/19620/4835.431.626.8−17%since 201426.621.617.2
Maternal mortalityMaternal mortality, per 100,000 live births258202327/19424/48678562316−45%since 2013448235197
Measles vaccinationMeasles immunisation, % of children 12–23 months71%2024167/19333/4849%79%63%±0.0 ppsince 201469%86%84%
HIV prevalenceHIV prevalence, % of people 15–492.5%202415/15315/445.5%4.8%3.1%−1.6 ppsince 20143.0%0.7%0.7%
TuberculosisTuberculosis incidence, per 100,000 people132202452/20828/4884271158−42%since 2014205208131
Health spendingCurrent health expenditure, % of GDP4.6%2023136/19323/484.3%3.6%4.3%+0.9 ppsince 20134.9%3.7%10.1%
Out-of-pocket spendingOut-of-pocket health spending, % of health expenditure67.7%20239/1932/4878.5%76.0%71.9%−2.1 ppsince 201330.4%47.0%17.3%
PhysiciansPhysicians per 1,000 people0.142022164/18032/46·0.090.10+49%since 20110.250.711.86
Hospital bedsHospital beds per 1,000 people2.6201677/1824/40···——1.53.3
Basic waterBasic drinking water, % of population71.4%2024184/20625/4655.8%63.5%69.3%+5.4 ppsince 201467.5%90.8%91.5%
Basic sanitationBasic sanitation, % of population47.1%2024173/20320/4637.6%41.1%45.3%+4.4 ppsince 201437.1%73.9%82.2%
Tobacco useTobacco use, % of adults5.7%2024159/16634/3915.8%10.2%6.7%−4.5 ppsince 20108.9%20.4%20.3%
Road deathsRoad traffic deaths, per 100,000 people30.2201923/18617/4827.428.930.22019+6.0%since 200927.417.416.7
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Cameroon and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Cameroon. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorCameroonNigeriaChadRepublic of the CongoCentral African RepublicGabon
Life expectancy64.0 yrs202454.6 yrs202455.2 yrs202466.0 yrs202457.7 yrs202468.5 yrs2024
Life expectancy, women66.2 yrs202454.9 yrs202457.2 yrs202467.7 yrs202459.6 yrs202471.2 yrs2024
Life expectancy, men61.8 yrs202454.3 yrs202453.4 yrs202464.3 yrs202455.5 yrs202466.1 yrs2024
Infant mortality40.2202469.8202456.3202427.0202458.8202425.92024
Under-5 mortality64.82024115.6202497.3202439.1202489.7202432.62024
Neonatal mortality24.8202439.0202430.4202416.5202429.9202416.32024
Maternal mortality258202399320237482023241202369220232332023
Measles vaccination71%202457%202466%202472%202441%202457%2024
HIV prevalence2.5%20241.2%20240.9%20243.2%20242.4%20242.8%2024
Nigeria: healthChad: healthRepublic of the Congo: healthCentral African Republic: healthGabon: health
Health in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedHealth: lower-middle-income countries47 economies rankedHealth: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesCameroon: all key statisticscountry profile