Total dependency ratio in Cameroon

Cameroon: Total dependency ratio was 80.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
80.3%
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
22nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
99.2%
in 1989
All-time low
74.4%
in 1954
Years of data
74
1950–2023

Total dependency ratio in Cameroon, 1950–2023

020406080100195019862023

Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2023, total dependency ratio in Cameroon stood at 80.3%.

That represents a change of down 1.2% on the previous year and down 7.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Cameroon peaked at 99.2% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 74.4%, in 1954.

That places Cameroon 22nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 74.9% 74.4% 76.0% 10
1960s 81.0% 76.9% 84.7% 10
1970s 89.4% 85.5% 93.6% 10
1980s 97.4% 94.0% 99.2% 10
1990s 97.3% 93.9% 99.2% 10
2000s 90.1% 87.9% 93.2% 10
2010s 85.7% 83.6% 87.6% 10
2020s 81.6% 80.3% 82.9% 4

Countries ranked near Cameroon

  1. 19 Benin 81.6% compare
  2. 20 Togo 80.9% compare
  3. 21 Guinea 80.8% compare
  4. 23 Nigeria 80.2% compare
  5. 24 Samoa 80.0% compare
  6. 25 Malawi 78.3% compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More reference data data for Cameroon

All data for Cameroon →

Frequently asked questions

What is total dependency ratio in Cameroon?
Total dependency ratio in Cameroon was 80.3% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Cameroon?
The highest recorded value was 99.2% in 1989.
What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Cameroon?
The lowest recorded value was 74.4% in 1954.
How does Cameroon rank for total dependency ratio?
Cameroon ranks 22nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Cameroon?
Over the last ten years it is down 7.4%. 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 Total dependency ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Total dependency ratio
Unit
%
Source
UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
236 places, 17,464 data points, 1950–2023
Last refreshed

The number of children (under 15) and people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).