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

Health

be 54.0% less likely to be obese

In Nicaragua, 34.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Cameroon, that number is 16.0% of people as of 2024.

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live 11.1 years less

In Nicaragua, the average life expectancy is 75 years (72 years for men, 78 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 64.3% less spent on your healthcare

Nicaragua spends $689 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Cameroon spends $246 as of 2023.

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have 37.1% less access to essential health services

Nicaragua scores 70 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Cameroon scores 44 as of 2021.

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be 2.0 times more likely to die by suicide

Nicaragua has a suicide rate of 4.2 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 28.6% less likely to be unemployed

In Nicaragua, 5.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Cameroon, that number is 3.6% as of 2025.

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make 37.8% less money

Nicaragua has a GDP per capita of $3,173 as of 2025, while in Cameroon, the GDP per capita is $1,972 as of 2025.

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Life

have 74.2% more children

In Nicaragua, there are approximately 19.1 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 4.3 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Nicaragua, approximately 60.0 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 12.2% less likely to be literate

In Nicaragua, the literacy rate is 82.6% as of 2015. In Cameroon, it is 72.5% as of 2018.

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be 4.3 times more likely to die during infancy

In Nicaragua, approximately 9.4 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 18.5% less likely to have access to electricity

In Nicaragua, approximately 88% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 71% 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 24.7% less likely to have internet access

In Nicaragua, approximately 61.4% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Cameroon, about 46.3% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 45.2% less on healthcare

Nicaragua spends 8.3% 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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Geography

see 55.8% less coastline

Nicaragua has a total of 910 km of coastline. In Cameroon, that number is 402 km.

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Safety

be 40.4% less likely to be murdered

Nicaragua has a homicide rate of 11.3 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 22.1% less likely to die in a road accident

In Nicaragua, road accidents kill 13.6 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 29.7% less strain on fresh water

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

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find 63.1% less home broadband

Nicaragua has 5.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Cameroon has 2.1 as of 2022.

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use 64.7% less electricity

Nicaragua uses 641 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Cameroon uses 226 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 57.8% less CO2

Nicaragua emits 0.8 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Cameroon emits 0.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 2.7 times more likely to die from air pollution

In Nicaragua, air pollution causes 38.0 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), The World Factbook (2015), 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 Nicaragua? See an in-depth size comparison.

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