Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Cameroon
Cameroon: Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day was 41.3% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Cameroon, 1996–2021
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Cameroon is 41.3%, measured in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Cameroon peaked at 71.7% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 41.3%, in 2021.
Cameroon ranks 22nd of 120 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 71.7% | — |
| 2001 | 49.8% | -30.5% |
| 2007 | 53.4% | +7.1% |
| 2014 | 42.4% | -20.6% |
| 2021 | 41.3% | -2.6% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 41.3% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23.5%, 1.8× the median. (29 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 41.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 62.1%, 66% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 71.7% | 71.7% | 71.7% | 1 |
| 2000s | 51.6% | 49.8% | 53.4% | 2 |
| 2010s | 42.4% | 42.4% | 42.4% | 1 |
| 2020s | 41.3% | 41.3% | 41.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More reference data data for Cameroon
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4076 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.56 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.199 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.56 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.54 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 17.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 23.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.08 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Cameroon?
- Poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in Cameroon was 41.3% in 2021, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 71.7% in 1996.
- What is the lowest poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.3% in 2021.
- How does Cameroon rank for poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day?
- Cameroon ranks 22nd out of 120 countries with data for 2021.
- Is poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.6%. 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 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below $4.20 per day.