Cameroon — Population
Population, Total for Cameroon, 1960–2025.
Population for Cameroon was 29.88 million in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The latest year is also the highest value on record for this series. The lowest was 5.16 million in 1960 (about 5.8× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 2.74% per year.
Cameroon ranks 51 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 24%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 15.10 million, so Cameroon sits above it. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 31%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 14 of 48 economies; Niger (27.92 million) is just below it. That is 14% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1960 level: doubled by 1987. Doubling roughly every 26 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 71st of 216 in 1960 → 69th of 216 in 1970 → 66th of 216 in 1980 → 60th of 217 in 1990 → 61st of 217 in 2000 → 58th of 217 in 2010 → 53rd of 217 in 2020 → 51st of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29,879,337 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | 29,123,744 | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 28,372,687 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 27,632,771 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 26,915,758 | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 26,210,558 | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 25,506,095 | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 24,806,383 | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 24,128,601 | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 23,454,161 | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 22,763,414 | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 22,059,893 | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 21,402,376 | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 20,809,529 | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 20,232,304 | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 19,668,066 | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 19,113,974 | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 18,574,056 | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 18,049,896 | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 17,550,407 | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 17,074,594 | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 16,610,487 | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 16,160,340 | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 15,725,528 | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 15,309,490 | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 14,912,631 | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 14,525,140 | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 14,144,860 | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 13,775,214 | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 13,414,757 | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 13,058,516 | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 12,704,903 | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 12,353,131 | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 12,006,353 | +2.9% |
| 1991 | 11,667,180 | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 11,331,821 | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 11,002,745 | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 10,684,968 | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 10,370,749 | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 10,060,342 | +3.1% |
| 1985 | 9,761,730 | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 9,475,078 | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 9,215,397 | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 9,028,678 | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 8,816,377 | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 8,512,219 | +3.3% |
| 1979 | 8,239,641 | +2.8% |
| 1978 | 8,011,921 | +2.8% |
| 1977 | 7,796,501 | +2.6% |
| 1976 | 7,597,962 | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 7,397,120 | +2.8% |
| 1974 | 7,193,583 | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 6,996,660 | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 6,806,872 | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 6,624,408 | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 6,449,793 | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 6,283,462 | +2.6% |
| 1968 | 6,125,863 | +2.5% |
| 1967 | 5,977,318 | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 5,837,295 | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 5,704,686 | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 5,578,257 | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 5,456,623 | +2.2% |
| 1962 | 5,338,620 | +1.9% |
| 1961 | 5,239,273 | +1.6% |
| 1960 | 5,159,057 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Cameroon’s Population in 1961?
5,239,273 (1961). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are Cameroon’s Population figures nominal or inflation-adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — people — with no inflation restatement and no PPP conversion. Years the source does not report are omitted rather than interpolated.
Is Cameroon’s Population growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +479.2% in total — about 2.7% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.TOTL. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 29,879,337; 2024: 29,123,744; 2023: 28,372,687; 2022: 27,632,771; 2021: 26,915,758. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.TOTL — Population, Total. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.