Suicide rate in Cameroon
Cameroon: Suicide rate was 8.46 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
8.46 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
up 7.2%
World rank
79th
of 194 countries
All-time high
8.61 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2014
All-time low
7.26 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2000
Years of data
22
2000–2021
Suicide rate in Cameroon, 2000–2021
Source: World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
Cameroon recorded 8.46 deaths per 100,000 people for suicide rate in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.2% on the previous year and up 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, suicide rate in Cameroon peaked at 8.61 deaths per 100,000 people in 2014 and was at its lowest, 7.26 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2000.
That places Cameroon 79th out of 194 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Suicide rate in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 7.26 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 2001 | 7.86 deaths per 100,000 people | +8.3% |
| 2002 | 7.76 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 7.84 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 7.68 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 7.83 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 7.83 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 7.91 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 7.98 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 8 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 8.08 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 8.14 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 8.28 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 8.48 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 8.61 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 8.42 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 8.32 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 8.18 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 8.12 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 8.21 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 7.89 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.9% |
| 2021 | 8.46 deaths per 100,000 people | +7.2% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 8.46 deaths per 100,000 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.79 deaths per 100,000 people, 1.5× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 8.46 deaths per 100,000 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.15 deaths per 100,000 people, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7.79 deaths per 100,000 people | 7.26 deaths per 100,000 people | 8 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.28 deaths per 100,000 people | 8.08 deaths per 100,000 people | 8.61 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.18 deaths per 100,000 people | 7.89 deaths per 100,000 people | 8.46 deaths per 100,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
- 76 Democratic Republic of Congo 8.61 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 77 Ireland 8.54 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 78 Venezuela 8.52 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 80 Singapore 8.44 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 81 Burkina Faso 8.41 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 82 Rwanda 8.36 deaths per 100,000 people 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 suicide rate in Cameroon?
- Suicide rate in Cameroon was 8.46 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, according to World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest suicide rate recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 8.61 deaths per 100,000 people in 2014.
- What is the lowest suicide rate recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.26 deaths per 100,000 people in 2000.
- How does Cameroon rank for suicide rate?
- Cameroon ranks 79th out of 194 countries with data for 2021.
- Is suicide rate rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Suicide rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths from self-harm in both sexes, per 100,000 people.