Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Cameroon
Cameroon: Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents was 31.0% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Cameroon, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Cameroon is 31.0%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is up 21.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Cameroon peaked at 31.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1950.
Cameroon ranks 33rd of 180 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0.0% | — |
| 1955 | 0.0% | — |
| 1960 | 0.0% | — |
| 1965 | 0.0% | — |
| 1970 | 0.0% | — |
| 1975 | 0.0% | — |
| 1980 | 0.0% | — |
| 1985 | 0.0% | — |
| 1990 | 0.0% | — |
| 1995 | 18.3% | — |
| 2000 | 20.3% | +11.2% |
| 2005 | 22.9% | +12.7% |
| 2010 | 25.5% | +11.2% |
| 2015 | 28.2% | +10.6% |
| 2020 | 31.0% | +9.7% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 31.0% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 17.4%, 1.8× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 31.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12.2%, 2.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1990s | 9.1% | 0.0% | 18.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 21.6% | 20.3% | 22.9% | 2 |
| 2010s | 26.9% | 25.5% | 28.2% | 2 |
| 2020s | 31.0% | 31.0% | 31.0% | 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 share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Cameroon?
- Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Cameroon was 31.0% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 31.0% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1950.
- How does Cameroon rank for share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents?
- Cameroon ranks 33rd out of 180 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Percentage of the total population living in cities with 1 million or more people. City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.