Difference in male and female life expectancy in Cameroon
Cameroon: Difference in male and female life expectancy was 3.88 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Difference in male and female life expectancy in Cameroon, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for difference in male and female life expectancy in Cameroon is 3.88, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 3.2% on the previous year and up 38.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, difference in male and female life expectancy in Cameroon peaked at 16.91 in 1961 and was at its lowest, 0.6818, in 1956.
That places Cameroon 175th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Difference in male and female life expectancy in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.6 | — |
| 1951 | 2.27 | -12.6% |
| 1952 | 1.88 | -17.1% |
| 1953 | 1.42 | -24.5% |
| 1954 | 1.04 | -27.1% |
| 1955 | 0.6929 | -33.2% |
| 1956 | 0.6818 | -1.6% |
| 1957 | 3.61 | +428.8% |
| 1958 | 3.73 | +3.4% |
| 1959 | 3.85 | +3.2% |
| 1960 | 16.82 | +337.1% |
| 1961 | 16.91 | +0.6% |
| 1962 | 1.43 | -91.5% |
| 1963 | 1.53 | +7.1% |
| 1964 | 1.6 | +4.3% |
| 1965 | 1.64 | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 1.63 | -0.7% |
| 1967 | 1.7 | +4.2% |
| 1968 | 1.64 | -3.0% |
| 1969 | 1.51 | -8.0% |
| 1970 | 1.57 | +3.7% |
| 1971 | 1.57 | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 1.66 | +5.8% |
| 1973 | 1.88 | +13.0% |
| 1974 | 1.96 | +4.1% |
| 1975 | 1.91 | -2.4% |
| 1976 | 2 | +4.8% |
| 1977 | 2.03 | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 2.06 | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 2.15 | +4.3% |
| 1980 | 2.13 | -1.0% |
| 1981 | 2.23 | +4.7% |
| 1982 | 2.27 | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 2.32 | +2.3% |
| 1984 | 2.58 | +10.9% |
| 1985 | 2.38 | -7.5% |
| 1986 | 2.3 | -3.6% |
| 1987 | 2.34 | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 2.34 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 2.39 | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 2.45 | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 2.46 | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 2.52 | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 2.54 | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 2.45 | -3.2% |
| 1995 | 2.4 | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 2.3 | -4.2% |
| 1997 | 2.4 | +4.1% |
| 1998 | 2.09 | -12.6% |
| 1999 | 1.78 | -15.2% |
| 2000 | 1.43 | -19.5% |
| 2001 | 1.28 | -10.2% |
| 2002 | 1.31 | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 1.39 | +5.8% |
| 2004 | 1.41 | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 1.38 | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 1.52 | +10.3% |
| 2007 | 1.66 | +8.8% |
| 2008 | 1.8 | +8.4% |
| 2009 | 2.04 | +13.4% |
| 2010 | 2.25 | +10.2% |
| 2011 | 2.34 | +4.1% |
| 2012 | 2.64 | +13.1% |
| 2013 | 2.79 | +5.6% |
| 2014 | 3.18 | +13.7% |
| 2015 | 3.26 | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 3.31 | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 3.41 | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 3.64 | +6.5% |
| 2019 | 3.61 | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 3.97 | +10.0% |
| 2021 | 3.68 | -7.3% |
| 2022 | 3.76 | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 3.88 | +3.2% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 3.88 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.19, 93% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 3.88 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.08, 95% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Difference in male and female life expectancy in Cameroon changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | +428.8% | 0.6818 | 3.61 |
| 1960 | +337.1% | 3.85 | 16.82 |
| 1962 | -91.5% | 16.91 | 1.43 |
| 1955 | -33.2% | 1.04 | 0.6929 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.18 | 0.6818 | 3.85 | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.64 | 1.43 | 16.91 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.88 | 1.57 | 2.15 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.33 | 2.13 | 2.58 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.34 | 1.78 | 2.54 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.52 | 1.28 | 2.04 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.04 | 2.25 | 3.64 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.82 | 3.68 | 3.97 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 12,841 (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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.076 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is difference in male and female life expectancy in Cameroon?
- Difference in male and female life expectancy in Cameroon was 3.88 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest difference in male and female life expectancy recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 16.91 in 1961.
- What is the lowest difference in male and female life expectancy recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6818 in 1956.
- How does Cameroon rank for difference in male and female life expectancy?
- Cameroon ranks 175th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is difference in male and female life expectancy rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Difference in male and female life expectancy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).