Child mortality rate in Cameroon
Cameroon: Child mortality rate was 6.8% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
6.8%
Change on year
down 3.4%
World rank
17th
of 236 countries
All-time high
37.1%
in 1950
All-time low
6.8%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Child mortality rate in Cameroon, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children.
Analysis
In 2023, child mortality rate in Cameroon stood at 6.8%. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 3.4% on the previous year and down 30.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality rate in Cameroon peaked at 37.1% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 6.8%, in 2023.
That places Cameroon 17th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Child mortality rate in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % of children | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 37.1% | — |
| 1951 | 36.2% | -2.2% |
| 1952 | 35.4% | -2.2% |
| 1953 | 34.6% | -2.4% |
| 1954 | 33.6% | -2.7% |
| 1955 | 32.7% | -2.9% |
| 1956 | 31.7% | -3.1% |
| 1957 | 30.7% | -3.1% |
| 1958 | 29.7% | -3.1% |
| 1959 | 28.9% | -2.8% |
| 1960 | 28.1% | -2.6% |
| 1961 | 27.4% | -2.4% |
| 1962 | 26.8% | -2.2% |
| 1963 | 26.3% | -2.1% |
| 1964 | 25.7% | -2.3% |
| 1965 | 25.1% | -2.3% |
| 1966 | 24.4% | -2.7% |
| 1967 | 23.7% | -3.0% |
| 1968 | 22.9% | -3.2% |
| 1969 | 22.1% | -3.3% |
| 1970 | 21.4% | -3.2% |
| 1971 | 20.8% | -2.9% |
| 1972 | 20.2% | -2.8% |
| 1973 | 19.8% | -2.2% |
| 1974 | 19.4% | -1.8% |
| 1975 | 19.2% | -1.4% |
| 1976 | 18.9% | -1.2% |
| 1977 | 18.7% | -1.3% |
| 1978 | 18.4% | -1.5% |
| 1979 | 18.1% | -1.9% |
| 1980 | 17.7% | -2.3% |
| 1981 | 17.2% | -2.7% |
| 1982 | 16.6% | -3.1% |
| 1983 | 16.1% | -3.4% |
| 1984 | 15.5% | -3.4% |
| 1985 | 15.0% | -3.3% |
| 1986 | 14.7% | -2.3% |
| 1987 | 14.2% | -3.1% |
| 1988 | 14.0% | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 13.9% | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 13.9% | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 14.0% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 14.1% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 14.3% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 14.4% | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 14.6% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 14.7% | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 14.7% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 14.7% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 14.5% | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 14.3% | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 14.1% | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 13.8% | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 13.5% | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 13.1% | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 12.8% | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 12.4% | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 12.1% | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 11.7% | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 11.4% | -3.2% |
| 2010 | 11.0% | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 10.6% | -3.7% |
| 2012 | 10.1% | -4.2% |
| 2013 | 9.7% | -4.1% |
| 2014 | 9.3% | -4.0% |
| 2015 | 9.0% | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 8.6% | -3.9% |
| 2017 | 8.3% | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 8.0% | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 7.7% | -3.4% |
| 2020 | 7.5% | -3.3% |
| 2021 | 7.2% | -3.4% |
| 2022 | 7.0% | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 6.8% | -3.4% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 6.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.9%, 1.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 6.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.0%, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 33.1% | 28.9% | 37.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | 25.3% | 22.1% | 28.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 19.5% | 18.1% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.5% | 13.9% | 17.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.4% | 13.9% | 14.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.9% | 11.4% | 14.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.2% | 7.7% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.1% | 6.8% | 7.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
- 14 Liberia 7.1% compare
- 15 Equatorial Guinea 7.1% compare
- 16 Guinea-Bissau 6.9% compare
- 18 Cote d'Ivoire 6.7% compare
- 19 Madagascar 6.6% compare
- 20 Angola 6.4% compare
More health data for Cameroon
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.28 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7821 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 786.1 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 12,841 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 17 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0746 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.21 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is child mortality rate in Cameroon?
- Child mortality rate in Cameroon was 6.8% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality rate recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 37.1% in 1950.
- What is the lowest child mortality rate recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.8% in 2023.
- How does Cameroon rank for child mortality rate?
- Cameroon ranks 17th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is child mortality rate rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Child mortality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of children who die before reaching the age of 5.