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

Health

be 48.0% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Cameroon, 2.5% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Gambia, that number is 1.3% of people as of 2024.

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live 2.1 years longer

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

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be 22.8% less likely to be obese

In Cameroon, 16.0% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Gambia, that number is 12.4% of people as of 2024.

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be 43.4% less likely to die by suicide

Cameroon has a suicide rate of 8.5 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Gambia, it is 4.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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see 61.8% less spent on your healthcare

Cameroon spends $246 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Gambia spends $94 as of 2023.

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have 33.8% fewer doctors per person

Cameroon has 1.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Gambia has 0.9 as of 2023.

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Economy

be 81.1% more likely to be unemployed

In Cameroon, 3.6% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Gambia, that number is 6.5% as of 2025.

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be 41.6% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Cameroon, 37.7% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Gambia, however, that number is 53.4% as of 2020.

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make 53.4% less money

Cameroon has a GDP per capita of $1,972 as of 2025, while in Gambia, the GDP per capita is $919 as of 2025.

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Life

be 18.7% less likely to die during infancy

In Cameroon, approximately 40.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Gambia, on the other hand, 32.7 children do as of 2024.

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be 37.2% more likely to die during childbirth

In Cameroon, approximately 258.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Gambia, 354.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 28.8% less likely to be literate

In Cameroon, the literacy rate is 72.5% as of 2018. In Gambia, it is 51.6% as of 2021.

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have 10.4% fewer children

In Cameroon, there are approximately 33.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Gambia, there are 29.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 22.0% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Cameroon, approximately 71% of people have access to drinking water (82% in urban areas, and 56% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Gambia, that number is 87% of people on average (92% in urban areas, and 78% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 36.5% less on healthcare

Cameroon spends 4.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Gambia, that number is 2.9% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 80.1% less coastline

Cameroon has a total of 402 km of coastline. In Gambia, that number is 80 km.

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Safety

be 2.1 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Cameroon, road accidents kill 10.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Gambia, they kill 22.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 75.6% less home broadband

Cameroon has 2.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Gambia has 0.5 as of 2024.

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live with 41.7% more strain on fresh water

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

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Environment

be 10.9% less likely to die from air pollution

In Cameroon, air pollution causes 101.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Gambia, it causes 90.0 as of 2019.

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emit 48.6% less CO2

Cameroon emits 0.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Gambia emits 0.2 tonnes as of 2024.

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

Gambia: At a glance

Gambia is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 10,120 sq km. The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty, but tensions have flared up intermittently since then. Yahya JAMMEH led a military coup in 1994 that overthrew the president and banned political activity. A new constitution and presidential elections in 1996, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a nominal return to civilian rule. JAMMEH has been elected president in all subsequent elections including most recently in late 2011.
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