The demographic profile of Cameroon is complex for a country of its population. Cameroon comprises an estimated 250 distinct ethnic groups, which may be formed into five large regional-cultural divisions: western highlanders (Semi-Bantu or grassfielders), including the Bamileke, Bamum (or Bamoun), and many smaller Tikar groups in the Northwest (est. 38% of total population); coastal tropical forest peoples, including the Bassa, Duala (or Douala), and many smaller groups in the Southwest (12%); southern tropical forest peoples, including the Beti-Pahuin, Bulu (a subgroup of Beti-Pahuin), Fang (subgroup of Beti-Pahuin), Maka, Njem, and Baka pygmies (18%); predominantly Islamic peoples of the northern semi-arid regions (the Sahel) and central highlands, including the Fulani ( or Peuhl; ) (14%); and the "Kirdi", non-Islamic or recently Islamic peoples of the northern desert and central highlands (18%).
The Cameroon government held two national censuses during the country's first 44 years as an independent country, in 1976 and again in 1987. Results from the second head count were never published. A third census, expected to take years to produce results, began on November 11, 2005, with a three-week interviewing phase. It is one of a series of projects and reforms required by the International Monetary Fund as prerequisites for foreign debt relief. The first results were published in 2010.Cameroon - Third General Census of Population and Housing 2005 - IPUMS Subset (download first findings "Rapport de presentation des résultats définitifs" - pdf)
Population
According to the total population was in , compared to only 4 466 000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 40.6%, 55.9% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 3.5% was 65 years or older. Total populationPopulation aged 0–14 (%)Population aged 15–64 (%)Population aged 65+ (%) 19504 466 00039.656.93.5 19554 901 00040.156.43.5 19605 409 00040.655.93.6 19656 049 00041.554.93.6 19706 842 00042.454.03.6 19757 838 00043.652.73.7 19809 110 00044.651.83.6 198510 519 00045.251.23.6 199012 181 00045.251.33.6 199513 940 00044.452.13.5 200015 678 00042.853.73.5 200517 554 00041.654.93.5 201019 599 00040.655.93.5
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.I.2010) (Data refer to national projections.): Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 9 599 224 9 806 876 19 406 100 100 0–4 1 662 298 1 624 936 3 287 234 16.94 5–9 1 412 467 1 370 992 2 783 459 14.34 10–14 1 227 470 1 167 201 2 394 671 12.34 15–19 1 068 509 1 101 526 2 170 035 11.18 20–24 855 334 981 955 1 837 289 9.47 25–29 712 550 813 266 1 525 816 7.86 30–34 588 210 621 397 1 209 607 6.23 35–39 460 394 482 319 942 713 4.86 40–44 388 539 405 307 793 846 4.09 45–49 323 507 316 740 640 247 3.30 50–54 261 626 260 284 521 910 2.69 55–59 178 876 159 112 337 988 1.74 60–64 155 208 160 671 315 879 1.63 65–69 110 645 116 645 227 290 1.17 70–74 88 969 100 602 189 571 0.98 75–79 47 173 50 905 98 078 0.51 80–84 31 609 39 976 71 585 0.37 85–89 12 109 14 455 26 564 0.14 90–94 6 942 8 773 15 715 0.08 95+ 6 789 9 814 16 603 0.09Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 4 302 235 4 163 129 8 465 364 43.62 15–64 4 992 753 5 302 577 10 295 330 53.05 65+ 304 236 341 170 645 406 3.33
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2019) (Source: Population projections and estimates of priority targets for the various health programs and interventions, National Institute of Statistics (2016).): Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 12 609 256 12 883 098 25 492 354 100 0–4 1 904 057 1 975 656 3 879 713 15.22 5–9 1 720 605 1 757 707 3 478 312 13.64 10–14 1 574 388 1 524 415 3 098 803 12.16 15–19 1 386 436 1 346 672 2 733 108 10.72 20–24 1 213 959 1 171 500 2 385 459 9.36 25–29 1 035 624 985 314 2 020 938 7.93 30–34 888 422 967 529 1 855 951 7.28 35–39 684 460 786 728 1 471 188 5.77 40–44 584 695 650 891 1 235 586 4.85 45–49 438 096 447 171 885 267 3.47 50–54 352 927 392 864 745 791 2.93 55–59 275 690 281 896 557 586 2.19 60–64 220 891 242 450 463 341 1.82 65–69 143 542 141 522 285 064 1.12 70–74 101 474 110 948 212 422 0.83 75–79 49 486 55 219 104 705 0.41 80+ 34 504 44 616 79 120 0.31Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 5 199 050 5 257 778 10 456 828 41.02 15–64 7 130 686 7 273 015 14 403 701 56.50 65+ 279 520 352 305 631 825 2.48
Fertility Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):
Year CBR (Total) TFR (Total) CBR (Urban) TFR (Urban) CBR (Rural) TFR (Rural) 1991 39 5.82 (5.17) 5.17 (4.52) 6.29 (5.66) 1998 37.4 5.2 (4.6) 31.5 3.9 (3.4) 40.1 5.8 (5.3) 2004 37.8 5.0 (4.5) 34.9 4.0 (3.7) 40.5 6.1 (5.6) 2011 38.1 5.1 (4.5) 34.6 4.0 41.3 6.4 2018 36.8 4.8 (4.3) 32.9 3.8 (3.4) 40.7 6.0 (5.5)
Fertility data as of 2011 (DHS Program):
Region Total fertility rate Percentage of women age 15–49 currently pregnant Mean number of children ever born to women age 40–49Adamaoua 5.2 8.6 6.5Centre (except Yaoundé) 5.6 8.8 5.5Douala 3.2 8.1 4.5Est 5.4 12.0 5.6Extrême-Nord 6.8 14.8 7.3Littoral (except Douala) 4.6 8.4 5.1Nord 6.5 12.4 7.1Nord-Ouest 4.4 6.9 5.4Ouest 6.0 10.1 5.8Sud 4.6 9.6 5.2Sud-Ouest 4.0 7.6 5.5Yaoundé 3.5 6.5 4.4
Years 1925192619271928192919301931193219331934Total Fertility Rate in Cameroon5.545.545.545.545.545.545.545.545.545.54 Years 1935193619371938193919401941194219431944Total Fertility Rate in Cameroon5.545.545.545.545.545.545.545.545.545.54 Years 19451946194719481949Total Fertility Rate in Cameroon5.545.545.545.545.54
Vital statistics Registration of vital events is in Cameroon not complete. The Population Departement of the United Nations prepared the following estimates. YearMid-year populationLive birthsDeaths perNatural changeCBR*CDR*NC*IMR*TFR*Life expectancy (years)19504,316,000187,000121,00066,00043.228.115.2194.25.5434.4619514,382,000189,000122,00067,00043.227.915.2193.15.5234.6419524,450,000192,000123,00068,00043.027.715.4190.95.4935.0119534,519,000194,000123,00071,00043.027.315.6188.55.4735.4319544,592,000197,000122,00076,00042.926.516.5182.75.4736.4219554,671,000201,000120,00081,00043.025.717.3177.35.4737.3619564,754,000205,000119,00086,00043.125.018.1172.05.4938.3519574,841,000209,000122,00088,00043.325.118.2167.05.5138.2619584,932,000214,000121,00094,00043.524.519.0162.45.5539.1019595,028,000220,000121,00099,00043.724.019.8158.35.5939.8419605,118,000226,000147,00080,00044.228.615.5154.85.6534.8219615,200,000232,000146,00086,00044.728.216.5151.95.7135.4119625,304,000239,000118,000121,00045.122.322.8149.65.7742.5219635,428,000246,000120,000126,00045.322.023.3147.55.8342.9219645,556,000252,000121,000131,00045.421.823.6145.35.8943.3119655,690,000258,000122,000137,00045.421.424.0142.75.9543.8919665,830,000265,000122,000142,00045.421.024.4139.66.0044.4419675,975,000271,000122,000149,00045.320.424.9135.86.0645.1819686,127,000277,000121,000156,00045.219.825.4131.76.1145.9819696,286,000283,000121,000163,00045.119.225.9127.56.1446.8219706,453,000291,000120,000171,00045.118.626.5123.46.2047.5819716,627,000299,000120,000179,00045.118.127.0119.96.2648.2519726,809,000306,000120,000186,00045.017.627.3117.06.2848.9019736,999,000315,000121,000193,00044.917.327.6115.06.3149.3219747,195,000323,000123,000200,00044.917.127.7113.86.3449.5719757,397,000332,000126,000206,00044.917.027.9113.16.3949.7219767,598,000344,000129,000215,00045.216.928.3112.66.4549.8819777,797,000355,000132,000223,00045.416.928.6111.96.5250.0019788,013,000365,000134,000232,00045.616.728.9110.96.5650.2819798,243,000378,000136,000242,00045.816.529.3109.46.6150.5819808,520,000390,000137,000253,00045.916.229.8107.36.6651.0419818,829,000407,000139,000267,00046.115.830.3104.66.6451.5219829,047,000421,000141,000281,00046.215.430.8101.66.6252.0919839,241,000422,000138,000284,00045.614.930.798.36.6152.7619849,509,000431,000138,000293,00045.314.530.895.16.5953.2219859,804,000444,000138,000306,00045.214.031.292.06.5853.90198610,113,000459,000140,000318,00045.313.931.589.66.5954.04198710,434,000471,000140,000332,00045.213.431.887.26.5654.72198810,760,000482,000142,000340,00044.713.231.585.96.5054.93198911,089,000492,000145,000347,00044.413.131.385.36.4454.95199011,431,000505,000150,000355,00044.113.131.085.56.3954.87199111,778,000517,000155,000362,00043.913.230.786.36.3554.66199212,129,000528,000160,000368,00043.513.230.387.46.2954.48199312,487,000538,000167,000372,00043.113.429.788.76.1954.06199412,849,000549,000174,000374,00042.713.629.189.96.0853.53199513,212,000556,000180,000376,00042.113.628.590.75.9653.22199613,575,000564,000187,000377,00041.513.827.791.45.8352.82199713,941,000573,000191,000382,00041.113.727.491.65.7252.74199814,315,000588,000197,000391,00041.113.727.391.55.6752.58199914,699,000607,000200,000407,00041.313.627.790.65.6352.70200015,092,000620,000203,000417,00041.013.427.689.45.5352.93200115,493,000632,000205,000427,00040.813.227.587.95.4453.14200215,914,000652,000208,000445,00041.013.027.986.15.4653.42200316,354,000674,000209,000465,00041.212.828.484.35.4653.88200416,809,000694,000211,000483,00041.312.628.782.55.4554.18200517,275,000711,000215,000496,00041.112.428.780.85.4154.36200617,751,000728,000215,000513,00041.012.128.979.15.3554.86200718,252,000745,000217,000528,00040.811.928.977.45.3355.17200818,777,000762,000218,000544,00040.611.629.075.55.2855.66200919,319,000779,000218,000561,00040.311.329.073.75.2356.10201019,878,000795,000219,000576,00040.011.029.071.45.1656.58201120,449,000805,000218,000588,00039.410.628.769.15.0657.13201221,033,000815,000215,000600,00038.810.228.566.64.9957.79201321,633,000827,000213,000615,00038.29.828.464.04.9158.48201422,300,000842,000212,000629,00037.89.528.361.64.8658.94201523,013,000869,000211,000658,00037.89.228.659.14.8359.66201623,712,000895,000211,000684,00037.78.928.956.94.8260.23201724,393,000913,000210,000703,00037.48.628.854.84.7760.81201825,077,000921,000210,000711,00036.78.428.355.04.6961.18201925,506,000923,000208,000715,00036.28.228.053.34.6561.7202026,211,000929,000212,000716,00035.48.127.351.84.5661.7202126,916,000936,000222,000714,00034.88.326.550.34.4761.1202227,633,000947,000212,000735,00034.37.726.648.84.4062.4202328,373,000957,000203,000755,00033.77.226.647.44.3263.7 * CBR = crude birth rate (per 1,000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1,000); NC = natural change (per 1,000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1,000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman)
Ethnic groups
Cameroon Highlanders 31% Equatorial Bantu 19% Kirdi 11% Fulani 10% Baggara Arabs (also called Arab Shuwa) Hausa Mafa Kanuri Northwestern Bantu 8% Eastern Nigritic 7% Other African 13% Non-African less than 1%
Languages
There are 24 major African language groups in Cameroon; additionally, English and French are official languages. Cameroonian Pidgin English is also widely spoken.
Peoples concentrated in the Southwest and Northwest Provinces—around Buea and Bamenda—use standard English and Cameroonian Pidgin English, as well as their local languages. In the three northern provinces—Adamawa, North, and Far North—either French or Fulfulde (the language of the Fulani) is widely spoken. Elsewhere, French is the principal second language, although pidgin and some local languages such as Ewondo, the dialect of a Beti clan from the Yaoundé area, have a wide currency. In Far North Region the northernmost constituent province of Cameroon, Mafa Language Arab Shuwa (an Arab dialect) and is spoken by the Baggara Arabs (also called Arab Shuwa).Gordon, Raymond G., Jr. (ed.) (2005): "Languages of Cameroon". Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 15th ed. Dallas: SIL International. Accessed 25 June 2006.
Indigenous languages of Cameroon include: Arab Shuwa Bamum Basaa Bikya Bung Kanuri Ngumba Yeni Lamnso Metaʼ Mafa
Religion
In the 2018 estimate, 38.3% of the population were Roman Catholic, 25.5% were Protestant, 6.9% were other Christians, 24.4% were Muslims, 2.2% were animists, 0.5% were other religions, and 2.2% were no religion.
References
Attribution:
External links
Institut National de la Statistique du Cameroun