If you lived in Cameroon instead of New Caledonia, you would:

Health

live 15.0 years less

In New Caledonia, the average life expectancy is 79 years (76 years for men, 81 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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Economy

be 67.8% less likely to be unemployed

In New Caledonia, 11.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Cameroon, that number is 3.6% as of 2025.

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make 93.2% less money

New Caledonia has a GDP per capita of $29,213 as of 2024, while in Cameroon, the GDP per capita is $1,972 as of 2025.

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Life

have 2.4 times more children

In New Caledonia, there are approximately 14.0 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 25.1% less likely to be literate

In New Caledonia, the literacy rate is 96.9% as of 2015. In Cameroon, it is 72.5% as of 2018.

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Basic Needs

be 28.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In New Caledonia, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% 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 43.6% less likely to have internet access

In New Caledonia, approximately 82.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Cameroon, about 46.3% do as of 2024.

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be 28.3% less likely to have access to drinking water

In New Caledonia, approximately 100% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Cameroon, 71% of people do as of 2024.

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Geography

see 82.2% less coastline

New Caledonia has a total of 2,254 km of coastline. In Cameroon, that number is 402 km.

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Infrastructure

find 89.0% less home broadband

New Caledonia has 19.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Cameroon has 2.1 as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 98.0% less CO2

New Caledonia emits 17.1 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), The World Factbook (2015–2021). 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 New Caledonia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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