Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Cameroon
Cameroon: Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was 2.6% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Population growth in Cameroon, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Cameroon recorded 2.6% for population growth in 2024.
That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and down 13.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Cameroon peaked at 3.5% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 2.0%, in 1983.
That places Cameroon 24th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.6% | — |
| 1971 | 2.7% | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 2.7% | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 2.8% | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 2.8% | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 2.8% | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 2.7% | -4.0% |
| 1977 | 2.6% | -3.7% |
| 1978 | 2.7% | +5.7% |
| 1979 | 2.8% | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 3.3% | +16.1% |
| 1981 | 3.5% | +7.9% |
| 1982 | 2.4% | -32.2% |
| 1983 | 2.0% | -14.0% |
| 1984 | 2.8% | +35.8% |
| 1985 | 3.0% | +7.3% |
| 1986 | 3.0% | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 3.0% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 3.0% | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 2.9% | -1.8% |
| 1990 | 2.9% | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 2.9% | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 2.9% | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 2.8% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 2.8% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 2.7% | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 2.7% | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 2.7% | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 2.6% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 2.7% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 2.6% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 2.6% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 2.7% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 2.7% | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 2.7% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 2.8% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 2.7% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 2.8% | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 2.9% | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 2.9% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 2.9% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 2.8% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 2.8% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 2.8% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 3.0% | +7.7% |
| 2015 | 3.1% | +3.7% |
| 2016 | 3.0% | -4.8% |
| 2017 | 2.8% | -5.2% |
| 2018 | 2.8% | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 2.8% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 2.7% | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 2.7% | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 2.6% | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 2.6% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 2.6% | -1.1% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 2.6% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.8%, 1.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 2.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.3%, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Cameroon changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | +35.8% | 2.0% | 2.8% |
| 1982 | -32.2% | 3.5% | 2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.7% | 2.6% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.9% | 2.0% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.8% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.7% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.9% | 2.8% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.7% | 2.6% | 2.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More population data for Cameroon
- Population regions 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 long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.5809 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.5077 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 51,280 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.39 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1831 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.571 (2100)
- Population density 188.01 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 6.42 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Cameroon?
- Population growth in Cameroon was 2.6% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 3.5% in 1981.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.0% in 1983.
- How does Cameroon rank for population growth?
- Cameroon ranks 24th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release