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

Health

be 22.0% less likely to be obese

In Afghanistan, 20.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Cameroon, that number is 16.0% of people as of 2024.

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be 25.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Afghanistan, 0.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Cameroon, that number is 2.5% of people as of 2024.

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live 2.3 years less

In Afghanistan, the average life expectancy is 66 years (65 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2024. In Cameroon, that number is 64 years (62 years for men, 66 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 25.4% less spent on your healthcare

Afghanistan spends $330 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Cameroon spends $246 as of 2023.

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have 57.1% fewer doctors per person

Afghanistan has 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Cameroon has 1.4 as of 2022.

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be 2.4 times more likely to die by suicide

Afghanistan has a suicide rate of 3.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Cameroon, it is 8.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 73.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Afghanistan, 13.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Cameroon, that number is 3.6% as of 2025.

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be 20.0% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Afghanistan, 47.1% live below the poverty line as of 2019. In Cameroon, however, that number is 37.7% as of 2021.

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make 4.7 times more money

Afghanistan has a GDP per capita of $417 as of 2024, while in Cameroon, the GDP per capita is $1,972 as of 2025.

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Life

be 50.5% less likely to die during childbirth

In Afghanistan, approximately 521.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Cameroon, 258.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 94.7% more likely to be literate

In Afghanistan, the literacy rate is 37.3% as of 2021. In Cameroon, it is 72.5% as of 2018.

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be 16.8% less likely to die during infancy

In Afghanistan, approximately 48.3 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Cameroon, on the other hand, 40.2 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 2.9 times more likely to have internet access

In Afghanistan, approximately 16.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Cameroon, about 46.3% do as of 2024.

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be 15.6% less likely to have access to electricity

In Afghanistan, approximately 85% of people have electricity access (96% in urban areas, and 81% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Cameroon, that number is 72% of people on average (96% in urban areas, and 26% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 11.7% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Afghanistan, approximately 81% of people have access to drinking water (97% in urban areas, and 75% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Cameroon, that number is 71% of people on average (82% in urban areas, and 56% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 69.6% less on healthcare

Afghanistan spends 15.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Cameroon, that number is 4.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 56.0% less likely to die in a road accident

In Afghanistan, road accidents kill 24.1 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Cameroon, they kill 10.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 67.7% more likely to be murdered

Afghanistan has a homicide rate of 4.0 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Cameroon, that number is 6.8 per 100,000 as of 2022.

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Infrastructure

find 26.6 times more home broadband

Afghanistan has 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Cameroon has 2.1 as of 2022.

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live with 97.2% less strain on fresh water

Afghanistan withdraws 55% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Cameroon withdraws 2% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 29.4% less likely to die from air pollution

In Afghanistan, air pollution causes 143.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Cameroon, it causes 101.0 as of 2019.

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emit 25.0% more CO2

Afghanistan emits 0.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Cameroon emits 0.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2018–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

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 Afghanistan? See an in-depth size comparison.

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