If you lived in Cameroon instead of United States, you would:

Health

be 68.5% less likely to be obese

In United States, 36.2% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Cameroon, that number is 11.4% of people as of 2016.

live 17.3 years less

In United States, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2022. In Cameroon, that number is 63 years (61 years for men, 65 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

pay a 11.6% lower top tax rate

United States has a top tax rate of 39.6% as of 2016. In Cameroon, the top tax rate is 35.0% as of 2016.

make 93.5% less money

United States has a GDP per capita of $73,600 as of 2023, while in Cameroon, the GDP per capita is $4,800 as of 2023.

be 2.5 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In United States, 15.1% live below the poverty line as of 2010. In Cameroon, however, that number is 37.5% as of 2014.

Life

have 2.8 times more children

In United States, there are approximately 12.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Cameroon, there are 34.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 20.9 times more likely to die during childbirth

In United States, approximately 21.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Cameroon, 438.0 women do as of 2020.

be 9.4 times more likely to die during infancy

In United States, approximately 5.2 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 29.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In United States, approximately 100% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Cameroon, 71% of the population do as of 2022.

be 50.0% less likely to have internet access

In United States, approximately 92.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Cameroon, about 46.0% do as of 2021.

be 21.3% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In United States, approximately 100% of people have improved drinking water access (100% in urban areas, and 100% 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 47.5% less on education

United States spends 6.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Cameroon spends 3.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 79.8% less on healthcare

United States spends 18.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Cameroon, that number is 3.8% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 98.0% less coastline

United States has a total of 19,924 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, Internal Revenue Service.

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 United States? See an in-depth size comparison.

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