Number of maternal deaths in Cameroon
Cameroon: Number of maternal deaths was 4,119 deaths in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
4,119 deaths
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
15th
of 185 countries
All-time high
4,217 deaths
in 1997
All-time low
3,083 deaths
in 1985
Years of data
36
1985–2020
Number of maternal deaths in Cameroon, 1985–2020
Source: UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
In 2020, number of maternal deaths in Cameroon stood at 4,119 deaths.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of maternal deaths in Cameroon peaked at 4,217 deaths in 1997 and was at its lowest, 3,083 deaths, in 1985.
That places Cameroon 15th out of 185 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Number of maternal deaths in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 3,083 deaths | — |
| 1986 | 3,201 deaths | +3.8% |
| 1987 | 3,102 deaths | -3.1% |
| 1988 | 3,194 deaths | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 3,335 deaths | +4.4% |
| 1990 | 3,471 deaths | +4.1% |
| 1991 | 3,499 deaths | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 3,608 deaths | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 3,842 deaths | +6.5% |
| 1994 | 4,062 deaths | +5.7% |
| 1995 | 4,013 deaths | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 4,179 deaths | +4.1% |
| 1997 | 4,217 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 4,127 deaths | -2.1% |
| 1999 | 4,076 deaths | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 4,035 deaths | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 3,977 deaths | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 3,981 deaths | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 3,872 deaths | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 3,856 deaths | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 4,074 deaths | +5.6% |
| 2006 | 4,064 deaths | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 3,940 deaths | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 4,053 deaths | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 4,157 deaths | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 4,188 deaths | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 4,175 deaths | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 3,970 deaths | -4.9% |
| 2013 | 4,058 deaths | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 4,021 deaths | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 3,883 deaths | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 3,913 deaths | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 4,044 deaths | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 3,904 deaths | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 4,099 deaths | +5.0% |
| 2020 | 4,119 deaths | +0.5% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 4,119 deaths is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 485.35 deaths, 8.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 4,119 deaths is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,625 deaths, 2.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3,183 deaths | 3,083 deaths | 3,335 deaths | 5 |
| 1990s | 3,910 deaths | 3,471 deaths | 4,217 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 4,001 deaths | 3,856 deaths | 4,157 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,026 deaths | 3,883 deaths | 4,188 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 4,119 deaths | 4,119 deaths | 4,119 deaths | 1 |
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)
- 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 number of maternal deaths in Cameroon?
- Number of maternal deaths in Cameroon was 4,119 deaths in 2020, according to UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of maternal deaths recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 4,217 deaths in 1997.
- What is the lowest number of maternal deaths recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,083 deaths in 1985.
- How does Cameroon rank for number of maternal deaths?
- Cameroon ranks 15th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is number of maternal deaths rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of maternal deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of maternal deaths in a given year.