If you lived in Cameroon instead of Malawi, you would:

Health

be 63.0% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Malawi, 8.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Cameroon, that number is 3.0% of people as of 2020.

live 9.2 years less

In Malawi, the average life expectancy is 72 years (69 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022. In Cameroon, that number is 63 years (61 years for men, 65 years for women) as of 2022.

be 96.6% more likely to be obese

In Malawi, 5.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Cameroon, that number is 11.4% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 2.8 times more money

Malawi has a GDP per capita of $1,700 as of 2023, while in Cameroon, the GDP per capita is $4,800 as of 2023.

be 27.6% less likely to be unemployed

In Malawi, 5.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Cameroon, that number is 3.6% as of 2023.

be 26.0% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Malawi, 50.7% live below the poverty line as of 2019. In Cameroon, however, that number is 37.5% as of 2014.

pay a 16.7% higher top tax rate

Malawi has a top tax rate of 30.0% as of 2016. In Cameroon, the top tax rate is 35.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 14.6% more likely to be literate

In Malawi, the literacy rate is 67.3% as of 2021. In Cameroon, it is 77.1% as of 2018.

have 30.5% more children

In Malawi, there are approximately 26.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Cameroon, there are 34.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 45.8% more likely to die during infancy

In Malawi, approximately 33.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Cameroon, on the other hand, 48.7 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 5.1 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Malawi, approximately 14% of people have electricity access (54% in urban areas, and 6% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Cameroon, that number is 71% of people on average (95% in urban areas, and 25% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 91.7% more likely to have internet access

In Malawi, approximately 24.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Cameroon, about 46.0% do as of 2021.

be 14.6% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Malawi, approximately 92% of people have improved drinking water access (97% in urban areas, and 91% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Cameroon, that number is 79% of people on average (95% in urban areas, and 56% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 29.6% less on healthcare

Malawi spends 5.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Cameroon, that number is 3.8% of GDP as of 2020.

spend 10.3% more on education

Malawi spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Cameroon spends 3.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.


The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Malawi Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance.

Cameroon: At a glance

Cameroon is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 472,710 sq km. French Cameroon became independent in 1960 as the Republic of Cameroon. The following year the southern portion of neighboring British Cameroon voted to merge with the new country to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. In 1972, a new constitution replaced the federation with a unitary state, the United Republic of Cameroon. The country has generally enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite slow movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA.
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How big is Cameroon compared to Malawi? See an in-depth size comparison.

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