Infant mortality rate in Cameroon
Cameroon: Infant mortality rate was 4.7% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
4.7%
Change on year
down 2.9%
World rank
21st
of 236 countries
All-time high
16.7%
in 1950
All-time low
4.7%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Infant mortality rate in Cameroon, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of infants.
Analysis
The most recent figure for infant mortality rate in Cameroon is 4.7%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.9% on the previous year and down 27.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate in Cameroon peaked at 16.7% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 4.7%, in 2023.
Cameroon ranks 21st of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Infant mortality rate in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % of infants | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 16.7% | — |
| 1951 | 16.5% | -1.2% |
| 1952 | 16.3% | -1.2% |
| 1953 | 16.1% | -1.3% |
| 1954 | 15.8% | -1.5% |
| 1955 | 15.6% | -1.6% |
| 1956 | 15.3% | -1.8% |
| 1957 | 15.0% | -1.8% |
| 1958 | 14.7% | -1.8% |
| 1959 | 14.5% | -1.7% |
| 1960 | 14.3% | -1.6% |
| 1961 | 14.0% | -1.5% |
| 1962 | 13.9% | -1.4% |
| 1963 | 13.7% | -1.3% |
| 1964 | 13.5% | -1.4% |
| 1965 | 13.3% | -1.5% |
| 1966 | 13.0% | -1.8% |
| 1967 | 12.8% | -2.0% |
| 1968 | 12.5% | -2.2% |
| 1969 | 12.2% | -2.3% |
| 1970 | 11.9% | -2.2% |
| 1971 | 11.7% | -2.0% |
| 1972 | 11.5% | -1.9% |
| 1973 | 11.3% | -1.5% |
| 1974 | 11.2% | -1.2% |
| 1975 | 11.0% | -1.0% |
| 1976 | 11.0% | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 10.8% | -0.9% |
| 1978 | 10.7% | -1.1% |
| 1979 | 10.6% | -1.4% |
| 1980 | 10.4% | -1.7% |
| 1981 | 10.2% | -2.0% |
| 1982 | 10.0% | -2.3% |
| 1983 | 9.7% | -2.6% |
| 1984 | 9.5% | -2.6% |
| 1985 | 9.2% | -2.5% |
| 1986 | 9.0% | -1.9% |
| 1987 | 8.8% | -2.3% |
| 1988 | 8.7% | -1.2% |
| 1989 | 8.7% | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 8.7% | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 8.7% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 8.8% | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 8.9% | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 8.9% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 9.0% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 9.1% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 9.1% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 9.0% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 9.0% | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 8.9% | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 8.8% | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 8.6% | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 8.5% | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 8.3% | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 8.1% | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 7.9% | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 7.8% | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 7.6% | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 7.4% | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 7.2% | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 7.0% | -3.0% |
| 2012 | 6.7% | -3.4% |
| 2013 | 6.5% | -3.4% |
| 2014 | 6.3% | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 6.1% | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 5.9% | -3.4% |
| 2017 | 5.7% | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 5.5% | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 5.3% | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 5.2% | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 5.0% | -2.9% |
| 2022 | 4.9% | -2.8% |
| 2023 | 4.7% | -2.9% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 4.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.0%, 1.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 4.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.7%, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 15.6% | 14.5% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 13.3% | 12.2% | 14.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 11.2% | 10.6% | 11.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.4% | 8.7% | 10.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.9% | 8.7% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.2% | 7.4% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.2% | 5.3% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.0% | 4.7% | 5.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
- 18 Democratic Republic of Congo 4.9% compare
- 19 Guinea-Bissau 4.9% compare
- 20 Angola 4.9% compare
- 22 Madagascar 4.5% compare
- 23 Afghanistan 4.4% compare
- 24 Haiti 4.3% 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 infant mortality rate in Cameroon?
- Infant mortality rate in Cameroon was 4.7% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 16.7% in 1950.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.7% in 2023.
- How does Cameroon rank for infant mortality rate?
- Cameroon ranks 21st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is infant mortality rate rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.0%. 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 Infant mortality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of newborns who die before reaching the age of one.