If you lived in Cameroon instead of South Africa, you would:

Health

be 84.3% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In South Africa, 19.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Cameroon, that number is 3.0% of people as of 2020.

be 59.7% less likely to be obese

In South Africa, 28.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Cameroon, that number is 11.4% of people as of 2016.

live 2.0 years less

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 65 years (64 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2022. In Cameroon, that number is 63 years (61 years for men, 65 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

be 84.9% less likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 28.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2019. In Cameroon, that number is 4.3% as of 2014.

pay a 22.2% lower top tax rate

South Africa has a top tax rate of 45.0% as of 2017. In Cameroon, the top tax rate is 35.0% as of 2016.

make 68.7% less money

South Africa has a GDP per capita of $11,500 as of 2020, while in Cameroon, the GDP per capita is $3,600 as of 2020.

be 2.3 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Africa, 16.6% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Cameroon, however, that number is 37.5% as of 2014.

Life

have 91.4% more children

In South Africa, there are approximately 18.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Cameroon, there are 35.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022.

be 4.4 times more likely to die during childbirth

In South Africa, approximately 119.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2017. In Cameroon, 529.0 women do as of 2017.

be 18.8% less likely to be literate

In South Africa, the literacy rate is 95.0% as of 2019. In Cameroon, it is 77.1% as of 2018.

be 88.4% more likely to die during infancy

In South Africa, approximately 25.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Cameroon, on the other hand, 48.7 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 25.5% less likely to have access to electricity

In South Africa, approximately 94% of people have electricity access (95% in urban areas, and 92% in rural areas) as of 2019. In Cameroon, that number is 70% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 32% in rural areas) as of 2019.

be 45.7% less likely to have internet access

In South Africa, approximately 70.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. In Cameroon, about 38.0% do as of 2020.

be 18.7% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In South Africa, approximately 97% of people have improved drinking water access (100% in urban areas, and 90% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Cameroon, that number is 79% of people on average (95% in urban areas, and 56% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 54.4% less on education

South Africa spends 6.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Cameroon spends 3.1% of total GDP on education as of 2019.

spend 60.4% less on healthcare

South Africa spends 9.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2019. In Cameroon, that number is 3.6% of GDP as of 2019.

Geography

see 85.6% less coastline

South Africa has a total of 2,798 km of coastline. In Cameroon, that number is 402 km.


The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance, South African Revenue Service.

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.
Read more

How big is Cameroon compared to South Africa? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Cameroon.or South Africa It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.