Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Cameroon

Cameroon: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 65.3% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
65.3%
World rank
71st
of 199 countries
All-time high
81.7%
in 2007
All-time low
38.5%
in 2000
Years of data
13
1976–2021

Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Cameroon, 1976–2021

0204060801976199820211976: 641980: 65.91982: 65.61985: 65.41987: 39.41996: 68.32000: 38.52001: 70.72005: 54.92007: 81.72010: 76.22014: 72.12021: 65.3

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

In 2021, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Cameroon stood at 65.3%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 14.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Cameroon peaked at 81.7% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 38.5%, in 2000.

That places Cameroon 71st out of 199 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.

Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Cameroon, year by year

Annual values for Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national estimate) in Cameroon, 1976 to 2021.
Year Value Change
1976 64.0%
1980 65.9% +2.9%
1982 65.6% -0.4%
1985 65.4% -0.3%
1987 39.4% -39.7%
1996 68.3% +73.1%
2000 38.5% -43.7%
2001 70.7% +83.8%
2005 54.9% -22.3%
2007 81.7% +48.8%
2010 76.2% -6.7%
2014 72.1% -5.4%
2021 65.3% -9.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 64.0% 64.0% 64.0% 1
1980s 59.1% 39.4% 65.9% 4
1990s 68.3% 68.3% 68.3% 1
2000s 61.5% 38.5% 81.7% 4
2010s 74.2% 72.1% 76.2% 2
2020s 65.3% 65.3% 65.3% 1

Countries ranked near Cameroon

  1. 68 Norway 65.5% compare
  2. 69 Uruguay 65.5% compare
  3. 70 Lesotho 65.4% compare
  4. 72 Armenia 65.3% compare
  5. 73 Canada 65.3% compare
  6. 74 Cyprus 65.2% compare
  7. 74 Denmark 65.2% compare

See the full ranking of 232 places →

More work & labour data for Cameroon

All data for Cameroon →

Frequently asked questions

What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Cameroon?
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Cameroon was 65.3% in 2021, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Cameroon?
The highest recorded value was 81.7% in 2007.
What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Cameroon?
The lowest recorded value was 38.5% in 2000.
How does Cameroon rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
Cameroon ranks 71st out of 199 countries with data for 2021.
Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Cameroon?
Over the last ten years it is down 14.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Cameroon data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Cameroon. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/labor-force-participation-rate-total-percent-of-total-population-ages-15-national-estimate/cameroon/

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About this data

Indicator
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
232 places, 5,713 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.