Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Cameroon
Cameroon: Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate was 4.26 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
4.26 births per woman
Change on year
down 1.4%
World rank
17th
of 215 countries
All-time high
6.61 births per woman
in 1980
All-time low
4.26 births per woman
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Cameroon, 1960–2024
Source: United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
In 2024, total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Cameroon stood at 4.26 births per woman. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.4% on the previous year and down 12.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Cameroon peaked at 6.61 births per woman in 1980 and was at its lowest, 4.26 births per woman, in 2024.
Cameroon ranks 17th of 215 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5.72 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 5.73 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1962 | 5.73 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 5.73 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 5.74 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1965 | 5.8 births per woman | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 5.85 births per woman | +1.0% |
| 1967 | 5.95 births per woman | +1.7% |
| 1968 | 6.04 births per woman | +1.5% |
| 1969 | 6.14 births per woman | +1.7% |
| 1970 | 6.2 births per woman | +0.9% |
| 1971 | 6.26 births per woman | +1.0% |
| 1972 | 6.29 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 6.33 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 6.36 births per woman | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 6.4 births per woman | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 6.45 births per woman | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 6.51 births per woman | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 6.54 births per woman | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 6.58 births per woman | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 6.61 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 6.61 births per woman | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 6.59 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 6.58 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 6.56 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 6.56 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 6.57 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 6.54 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 1988 | 6.48 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 6.41 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 6.36 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1991 | 6.32 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 6.26 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 6.16 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1994 | 6.04 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 5.92 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 5.79 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 5.71 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 5.66 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 5.6 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 5.51 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 5.44 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 5.43 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 5.43 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 5.44 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 5.42 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 5.37 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 5.34 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 5.29 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 5.24 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 5.15 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 5.05 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 4.98 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 4.91 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 4.84 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 4.84 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 4.84 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 4.8 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 4.74 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 4.65 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 4.56 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 4.47 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 4.4 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 4.32 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 4.26 births per woman | -1.4% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 4.26 births per woman is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.12 births per woman, 1.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 4.26 births per woman is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.91 births per woman, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.84 births per woman | 5.72 births per woman | 6.14 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.39 births per woman | 6.2 births per woman | 6.58 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.55 births per woman | 6.41 births per woman | 6.61 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.98 births per woman | 5.6 births per woman | 6.36 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.39 births per woman | 5.24 births per woman | 5.51 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.88 births per woman | 4.65 births per woman | 5.15 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.4 births per woman | 4.26 births per woman | 4.56 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More population data for Cameroon
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.5077 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.5809 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 1.75 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.5809 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.6% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 6.42 million people (2100)
- Population density 188.01 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.6% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1831 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.39 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Cameroon?
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Cameroon was 4.26 births per woman in 2024, according to United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 6.61 births per woman in 1980.
- What is the lowest total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.26 births per woman in 2024.
- How does Cameroon rank for total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate?
- Cameroon ranks 17th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The total fertility rate summarizes the total number of births a woman would have, if she experienced the birth rates seen in women of each age group in one particular year across her childbearing years. The wanted fertility is an estimate of what the total fertility rate would be if all unwanted births were avoided, based on survey data.