If you lived in Cameroon instead of Puerto Rico, you would:

Health

be 62.2% less likely to be obese

In Puerto Rico, 42.4% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Cameroon, that number is 16.0% of people as of 2024.

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live 17.9 years less

In Puerto Rico, the average life expectancy is 82 years (78 years for men, 85 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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be 56.8% more likely to die by suicide

Puerto Rico has a suicide rate of 5.4 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 39.9% less likely to be unemployed

In Puerto Rico, 6.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Cameroon, that number is 3.6% as of 2025.

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make 95.1% less money

Puerto Rico has a GDP per capita of $40,620 as of 2025, while in Cameroon, the GDP per capita is $1,972 as of 2025.

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Life

have 5.8 times more children

In Puerto Rico, there are approximately 5.7 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 23.5 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Puerto Rico, approximately 11.0 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 21.5% less likely to be literate

In Puerto Rico, the literacy rate is 92.4% as of 2021. In Cameroon, it is 72.5% as of 2018.

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be 6.7 times more likely to die during infancy

In Puerto Rico, approximately 6.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Cameroon, on the other hand, 40.2 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 28.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In Puerto Rico, 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 47.0% less likely to have internet access

In Puerto Rico, approximately 87.3% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Cameroon, about 46.3% do as of 2024.

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be 28.6% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Puerto Rico, 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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Expenditures

spend 33.5% less on education

Puerto Rico spends 4.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Cameroon spends 2.8% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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Geography

see 19.8% less coastline

Puerto Rico has a total of 501 km of coastline. In Cameroon, that number is 402 km.

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Safety

be 53.7% less likely to be murdered

Puerto Rico has a homicide rate of 14.6 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Cameroon, that number is 6.8 per 100,000 as of 2022.

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be 15.2% less likely to die in a road accident

In Puerto Rico, road accidents kill 12.5 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 92.0% less strain on fresh water

Puerto Rico withdraws 20% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Cameroon withdraws 2% as of 2022.

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find 92.4% less home broadband

Puerto Rico has 28.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Cameroon has 2.1 as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 92.7% less CO2

Puerto Rico emits 4.8 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 (2021–2022), World Health Organization (2024), United Nations SDG Indicators (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 Puerto Rico? See an in-depth size comparison.

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