Labor force participation rate in Cameroon
Cameroon: Labor force participation rate was 65.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in Cameroon, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Cameroon recorded 65.2% for labor force participation rate in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Cameroon peaked at 82.2% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 65.2%, in 2025.
That places Cameroon 57th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 82.2% | — |
| 1991 | 82.2% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 82.2% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 82.2% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 82.2% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 82.2% | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 82.1% | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 82.1% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 82.0% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 82.0% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 81.9% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 81.9% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 81.9% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 81.8% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 81.8% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 81.8% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 81.7% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 81.7% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 80.0% | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 78.2% | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 76.2% | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 75.2% | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 74.2% | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 73.2% | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 72.1% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 71.2% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 70.2% | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 69.3% | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 68.4% | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 67.5% | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 65.9% | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 65.3% | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 65.6% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 65.6% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 65.5% | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 65.2% | -0.5% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 65.2% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 57.7%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 65.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.3%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 82.1% | 82.0% | 82.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 81.3% | 78.2% | 81.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 71.7% | 67.5% | 76.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.5% | 65.2% | 65.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More work & labour data for Cameroon
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5809 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.5736 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.588 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.1629 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.48 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 36,415 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 13,402 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 45,113 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 43,763 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 88,876 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Cameroon?
- Labor force participation rate in Cameroon was 65.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 82.2% in 1991.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.2% in 2025.
- How does Cameroon rank for labor force participation rate?
- Cameroon ranks 57th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).