Population by labor force status in Cameroon
Cameroon: Population by labor force status was 12.29 million people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
12.29 million people
Change on year
up 1.8%
World rank
35th
of 186 countries
All-time high
12.29 million people
in 2025
All-time low
5.39 million people
in 1991
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Population by labor force status in Cameroon, 1991–2025
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Cameroon recorded 12.29 million people for population by labor force status in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 25.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by labor force status in Cameroon peaked at 12.29 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 5.39 million people, in 1991.
Cameroon ranks 35th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Population by labor force status in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.39 million people | — |
| 1992 | 5.54 million people | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 5.70 million people | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 5.85 million people | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 5.99 million people | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 6.13 million people | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 6.27 million people | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 6.40 million people | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 6.55 million people | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 6.70 million people | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 6.85 million people | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 7.00 million people | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 7.16 million people | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 7.34 million people | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 7.53 million people | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 7.72 million people | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 7.92 million people | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 8.14 million people | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 8.36 million people | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 8.60 million people | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 8.83 million people | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 9.07 million people | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 9.32 million people | +2.7% |
| 2014 | 9.57 million people | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 9.82 million people | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 10.10 million people | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 10.37 million people | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 10.64 million people | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 10.90 million people | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 11.15 million people | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 11.39 million people | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 11.62 million people | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 11.85 million people | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 12.07 million people | +1.9% |
| 2025 | 12.29 million people | +1.8% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 12.29 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.79 million people, 3.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 12.29 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.33 million people, 1.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.98 million people | 5.39 million people | 6.55 million people | 9 |
| 2000s | 7.47 million people | 6.70 million people | 8.36 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.72 million people | 8.60 million people | 10.90 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.73 million people | 11.15 million people | 12.29 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
- 32 Niger 12.91 million people compare
- 33 Madagascar 12.75 million people compare
- 34 Ghana 12.42 million people compare
- 36 United Kingdom 11.80 million people compare
- 37 Germany 11.67 million people compare
- 38 Uzbekistan 11.59 million people compare
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 population by labor force status in Cameroon?
- Population by labor force status in Cameroon was 12.29 million people in 2025, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population by labor force status recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 12.29 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest population by labor force status recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.39 million people in 1991.
- How does Cameroon rank for population by labor force status?
- Cameroon ranks 35th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population by labor force status rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population by labor force status. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Population below working age (under 15 years old).