Labor force participation rate by age in Cameroon

Cameroon: Labor force participation rate by age was 34.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
34.8%
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
117th
of 188 countries
All-time high
71.3%
in 1991
All-time low
34.8%
in 2024
Years of data
35
1990–2024

Labor force participation rate by age in Cameroon, 1990–2024

0204060801990200720241990: 71.3 %1991: 71.3 %1992: 71.3 %1993: 71.2 %1994: 71 %1995: 70.8 %1996: 70.5 %1997: 70.1 %1998: 69.7 %1999: 69.3 %2000: 69 %2001: 68.7 %2002: 68.3 %2003: 68 %2004: 67.7 %2005: 67.5 %2006: 67.4 %2007: 67.2 %2008: 63.9 %2009: 60.5 %2010: 56.9 %2011: 54.8 %2012: 52.7 %2013: 50.6 %2014: 48.5 %2015: 46.4 %2016: 44.5 %2017: 42.6 %2018: 40.6 %2019: 38.7 %2020: 36.5 %2021: 35 %2022: 34.9 %2023: 34.9 %2024: 34.8 %

Source: International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for labor force participation rate by age in Cameroon is 34.8%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 28.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labor force participation rate by age in Cameroon peaked at 71.3% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 34.8%, in 2024.

That places Cameroon 117th out of 188 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 70.6% 69.3% 71.3% 10
2000s 66.8% 60.5% 69.0% 10
2010s 47.6% 38.7% 56.9% 10
2020s 35.2% 34.8% 36.5% 5

Countries ranked near Cameroon

  1. 114 Brunei 35.2% compare
  2. 115 Suriname 35.1% compare
  3. 116 Lesotho 35.0% compare
  4. 118 Portugal 34.7% compare
  5. 119 Moldova 34.6% compare
  6. 120 Latvia 34.5% compare

See the full ranking of 195 places →

More work & labour data for Cameroon

All data for Cameroon →

Frequently asked questions

What is labor force participation rate by age in Cameroon?
Labor force participation rate by age in Cameroon was 34.8% in 2024, according to International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest labor force participation rate by age recorded in Cameroon?
The highest recorded value was 71.3% in 1991.
What is the lowest labor force participation rate by age recorded in Cameroon?
The lowest recorded value was 34.8% in 2024.
How does Cameroon rank for labor force participation rate by age?
Cameroon ranks 117th out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
Is labor force participation rate by age rising or falling in Cameroon?
Over the last ten years it is down 28.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Cameroon data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate by age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Labor force participation rate by age
Unit
%
Source
International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
195 places, 6,816 data points, 1990–2024
Last refreshed

Share of the working-age population aged 15-24 who are economically active (employed or unemployed).