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

Health

be 84.1% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Botswana, 15.7% 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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be 18.9% less likely to be obese

In Botswana, 19.8% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Cameroon, that number is 16.0% of people as of 2024.

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live 5.3 years less

In Botswana, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 72 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 81.2% less spent on your healthcare

Botswana spends $1,310 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Cameroon spends $246 as of 2023.

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have 64.1% fewer doctors per person

Botswana has 3.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Cameroon has 1.4 as of 2022.

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have 20.0% less access to essential health services

Botswana scores 55 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Cameroon scores 44 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 85.3% less likely to be unemployed

In Botswana, 24.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Cameroon, that number is 3.6% as of 2025.

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make 74.6% less money

Botswana has a GDP per capita of $7,778 as of 2025, while in Cameroon, the GDP per capita is $1,972 as of 2025.

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Life

have 36.9% more children

In Botswana, there are approximately 24.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Cameroon, there are 33.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 66.5% more likely to die during childbirth

In Botswana, approximately 155.0 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 18.0% less likely to be literate

In Botswana, the literacy rate is 88.5% as of 2015. In Cameroon, it is 72.5% as of 2018.

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be 25.2% more likely to die during infancy

In Botswana, approximately 32.1 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 19.5% less likely to have internet access

In Botswana, approximately 57.5% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Cameroon, about 46.3% do as of 2024.

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be 22.2% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Botswana, approximately 92% of people have access to drinking water (97% in urban areas, and 78% 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 64.8% less on education

Botswana spends 8.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Cameroon spends 2.8% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 27.3% less on healthcare

Botswana spends 6.3% 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 40.5% less likely to be murdered

Botswana has a homicide rate of 11.4 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Cameroon, that number is 6.8 per 100,000 as of 2022.

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be 35.8% less likely to die in a road accident

In Botswana, road accidents kill 16.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Cameroon, they kill 10.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 30.0% less strain on fresh water

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

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find 71.4% less home broadband

Botswana has 7.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Cameroon has 2.1 as of 2022.

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use 86.2% less electricity

Botswana uses 1,641 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Cameroon uses 226 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 87.2% less CO2

Botswana emits 2.7 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Cameroon emits 0.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 83.6% more likely to die from air pollution

In Botswana, air pollution causes 55.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Cameroon, it causes 101.0 as of 2019.

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Sources: World Bank (2018–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2015). 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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