Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Cameroon
Cameroon: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 55.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
55.7%
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
156th
of 236 countries
All-time high
55.7%
in 2025
All-time low
10.9%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Cameroon, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Cameroon recorded 55.7% for share of population living in urban and rural areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 5.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Cameroon peaked at 55.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 10.9%, in 1950.
Cameroon ranks 156th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 10.9% | — |
| 1951 | 11.0% | +1.4% |
| 1952 | 11.2% | +1.8% |
| 1953 | 11.4% | +2.1% |
| 1954 | 11.7% | +2.3% |
| 1955 | 12.0% | +2.5% |
| 1956 | 12.3% | +2.7% |
| 1957 | 12.7% | +2.8% |
| 1958 | 13.0% | +2.9% |
| 1959 | 13.4% | +2.8% |
| 1960 | 13.6% | +1.6% |
| 1961 | 13.9% | +2.4% |
| 1962 | 14.4% | +3.1% |
| 1963 | 14.9% | +3.6% |
| 1964 | 15.5% | +4.1% |
| 1965 | 16.2% | +4.4% |
| 1966 | 16.9% | +4.6% |
| 1967 | 17.7% | +4.7% |
| 1968 | 18.6% | +4.7% |
| 1969 | 19.4% | +4.7% |
| 1970 | 20.3% | +4.6% |
| 1971 | 21.4% | +5.3% |
| 1972 | 22.7% | +6.3% |
| 1973 | 24.2% | +6.6% |
| 1974 | 25.8% | +6.3% |
| 1975 | 27.2% | +5.5% |
| 1976 | 28.4% | +4.4% |
| 1977 | 29.4% | +3.7% |
| 1978 | 30.4% | +3.5% |
| 1979 | 31.4% | +3.2% |
| 1980 | 32.3% | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 33.2% | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 34.1% | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 34.9% | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 35.7% | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 36.5% | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 37.3% | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 38.0% | +1.9% |
| 1988 | 38.7% | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 39.4% | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 40.1% | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 40.8% | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 41.4% | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 42.1% | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 42.7% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 43.4% | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 44.0% | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 44.6% | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 45.1% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 45.7% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 46.2% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 46.8% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 47.3% | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 47.7% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 48.2% | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 48.6% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 49.2% | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 49.7% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 50.1% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 50.5% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 50.9% | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 51.2% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 51.6% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 51.9% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 52.3% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 52.6% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 53.0% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 53.3% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 53.6% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 53.9% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 54.3% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 54.6% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 54.8% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 55.1% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 55.4% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 55.7% | +0.5% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 55.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 55.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 12.0% | 10.9% | 13.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 16.1% | 13.6% | 19.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 26.1% | 20.3% | 31.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 36.0% | 32.3% | 39.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 43.0% | 40.1% | 45.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.4% | 46.2% | 50.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 52.4% | 50.9% | 53.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 55.0% | 54.3% | 55.7% | 6 |
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)
- World population growth 0.6% (2100)
- Population density 188.01 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 6.42 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Cameroon?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Cameroon was 55.7% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 55.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.9% in 1950.
- How does Cameroon rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Cameroon ranks 156th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.