Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 10.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Senegal, 0.3% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Cameroon, that number is 3.0% of people as of 2020.

live 6.7 years less

In Senegal, the average life expectancy is 70 years (68 years for men, 72 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 29.5% more likely to be obese

In Senegal, 8.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Cameroon, that number is 11.4% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 19.7% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Senegal, 46.7% live below the poverty line as of 2011. In Cameroon, however, that number is 37.5% as of 2014.

pay a 12.5% lower top tax rate

Senegal has a top tax rate of 40.0% as of 2016. In Cameroon, the top tax rate is 35.0% as of 2016.

be 24.6% more likely to be unemployed

In Senegal, 2.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Cameroon, that number is 3.6% as of 2023.

Life

be 36.9% more likely to be literate

In Senegal, the literacy rate is 56.3% as of 2021. In Cameroon, it is 77.1% as of 2018.

have 14.9% more children

In Senegal, there are approximately 30.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Cameroon, there are 34.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 67.8% more likely to die during childbirth

In Senegal, approximately 261.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Cameroon, 438.0 women do as of 2020.

be 50.2% more likely to die during infancy

In Senegal, approximately 32.4 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 20.7% less likely to have internet access

In Senegal, approximately 58.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Cameroon, about 46.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 41.8% less on education

Senegal spends 5.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Cameroon spends 3.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 26.9% less on healthcare

Senegal spends 5.2% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Cameroon, that number is 3.8% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 24.3% less coastline

Senegal has a total of 531 km of coastline. In Cameroon, that number is 402 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance, Direction Generale des Impots et des Domaines.

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 Senegal? See an in-depth size comparison.

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