Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Cameroon
Cameroon: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 16.63 million people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
16.63 million people
Change on year
up 3.1%
World rank
54th
of 236 countries
All-time high
16.63 million people
in 2025
All-time low
470,684 people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people 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 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in urban and rural areas in Cameroon is 16.63 million people, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 38.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Cameroon peaked at 16.63 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 470,684 people, in 1950.
That places Cameroon 54th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 470,684 people | — |
| 1951 | 484,493 people | +2.9% |
| 1952 | 500,840 people | +3.4% |
| 1953 | 519,645 people | +3.8% |
| 1954 | 540,878 people | +4.1% |
| 1955 | 564,492 people | +4.4% |
| 1956 | 590,382 people | +4.6% |
| 1957 | 618,184 people | +4.7% |
| 1958 | 648,436 people | +4.9% |
| 1959 | 679,389 people | +4.8% |
| 1960 | 702,246 people | +3.4% |
| 1961 | 730,275 people | +4.0% |
| 1962 | 767,115 people | +5.0% |
| 1963 | 812,680 people | +5.9% |
| 1964 | 864,676 people | +6.4% |
| 1965 | 923,060 people | +6.8% |
| 1966 | 987,825 people | +7.0% |
| 1967 | 1.06 million people | +7.2% |
| 1968 | 1.14 million people | +7.3% |
| 1969 | 1.22 million people | +7.4% |
| 1970 | 1.31 million people | +7.3% |
| 1971 | 1.42 million people | +8.1% |
| 1972 | 1.55 million people | +9.3% |
| 1973 | 1.70 million people | +9.6% |
| 1974 | 1.85 million people | +9.3% |
| 1975 | 2.01 million people | +8.5% |
| 1976 | 2.16 million people | +7.2% |
| 1977 | 2.29 million people | +6.4% |
| 1978 | 2.44 million people | +6.3% |
| 1979 | 2.59 million people | +6.1% |
| 1980 | 2.75 million people | +6.4% |
| 1981 | 2.93 million people | +6.4% |
| 1982 | 3.08 million people | +5.1% |
| 1983 | 3.22 million people | +4.6% |
| 1984 | 3.39 million people | +5.2% |
| 1985 | 3.56 million people | +5.3% |
| 1986 | 3.75 million people | +5.2% |
| 1987 | 3.94 million people | +5.1% |
| 1988 | 4.13 million people | +5.0% |
| 1989 | 4.33 million people | +4.8% |
| 1990 | 4.54 million people | +4.8% |
| 1991 | 4.76 million people | +4.7% |
| 1992 | 4.98 million people | +4.6% |
| 1993 | 5.20 million people | +4.5% |
| 1994 | 5.43 million people | +4.4% |
| 1995 | 5.66 million people | +4.3% |
| 1996 | 5.90 million people | +4.2% |
| 1997 | 6.14 million people | +4.1% |
| 1998 | 6.39 million people | +4.0% |
| 1999 | 6.64 million people | +4.0% |
| 2000 | 6.90 million people | +3.9% |
| 2001 | 7.16 million people | +3.8% |
| 2002 | 7.43 million people | +3.8% |
| 2003 | 7.71 million people | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 8.00 million people | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 8.30 million people | +3.6% |
| 2006 | 8.64 million people | +4.1% |
| 2007 | 8.97 million people | +3.9% |
| 2008 | 9.30 million people | +3.7% |
| 2009 | 9.65 million people | +3.7% |
| 2010 | 10.00 million people | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 10.36 million people | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 10.74 million people | +3.6% |
| 2013 | 11.12 million people | +3.6% |
| 2014 | 11.54 million people | +3.8% |
| 2015 | 11.98 million people | +3.9% |
| 2016 | 12.43 million people | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 12.86 million people | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 13.30 million people | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 13.76 million people | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 14.22 million people | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 14.68 million people | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 15.16 million people | +3.2% |
| 2023 | 15.64 million people | +3.2% |
| 2024 | 16.14 million people | +3.2% |
| 2025 | 16.63 million people | +3.1% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 16.63 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.62 million people, 2.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 16.63 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.82 million people, 3.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 561,742 people | 470,684 people | 679,389 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 920,316 people | 702,246 people | 1.22 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.93 million people | 1.31 million people | 2.59 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.51 million people | 2.75 million people | 4.33 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.56 million people | 4.54 million people | 6.64 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.21 million people | 6.90 million people | 9.65 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.81 million people | 10.00 million people | 13.76 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.41 million people | 14.22 million people | 16.63 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
- 51 Netherlands 17.60 million people compare
- 52 North Korea 17.06 million people compare
- 53 Myanmar 16.78 million people compare
- 55 Uganda 16.41 million people compare
- 56 Yemen 15.47 million people compare
- 57 Mozambique 13.26 million people compare
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 number of people living in urban and rural areas in Cameroon?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Cameroon was 16.63 million people 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 number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 16.63 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 470,684 people in 1950.
- How does Cameroon rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Cameroon ranks 54th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.