Share of population living in extreme poverty (2011 prices) in Cameroon
Cameroon: Share of population living in extreme poverty (2011 prices) was 23.5% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Share of population living in extreme poverty (2011 prices) in Cameroon, 1996–2021
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2021, share of population living in extreme poverty (2011 prices) in Cameroon stood at 23.5%. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.
The figure is down 9.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in extreme poverty (2011 prices) in Cameroon peaked at 51.2% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 23.5%, in 2021.
Cameroon ranks 15th of 119 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Share of population living in extreme poverty (2011 prices) in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 51.2% | — |
| 2001 | 26.0% | -49.2% |
| 2007 | 31.8% | +22.2% |
| 2014 | 26.0% | -18.3% |
| 2021 | 23.5% | -9.7% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 23.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.7%, 3.5× the median. (29 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 23.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.3%, 83% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 51.2% | 51.2% | 51.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 28.9% | 26.0% | 31.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 26.0% | 26.0% | 26.0% | 1 |
| 2020s | 23.5% | 23.5% | 23.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More poverty & inequality data for Cameroon
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 1 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 4.32 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 1,770 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 13.04 (2019)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 13.0% (2019)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in extreme poverty (2011 prices) in Cameroon?
- Share of population living in extreme poverty (2011 prices) in Cameroon was 23.5% in 2021, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in extreme poverty (2011 prices) recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 51.2% in 1996.
- What is the lowest share of population living in extreme poverty (2011 prices) recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.5% in 2021.
- How does Cameroon rank for share of population living in extreme poverty (2011 prices)?
- Cameroon ranks 15th out of 119 countries with data for 2021.
- Is share of population living in extreme poverty (2011 prices) rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in extreme poverty (2011 prices). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below $1.90 per day.