People and Society of Cameroon

Nationality

Cameroonian(s)

Ethnic Groups

Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%, non-African less than 1%

Population

28,647,293

Population in Major Urban Areas

Douala 2.449 million; YAOUNDE (capital) 2.432 million

Medical facilities in Cameroon are extremely limited. Even in large cities, emergency care and hospitalization for major illnesses and surgery are hampered by the lack of trained specialists, outdated diagnostic equipment, and poor sanitation. Medical services in outlying areas may be completely non-existent. Doctors and hospitals often require immediate payment for health services in cash and require family members or friends to locate and purchase any medical supplies they will need. Pharmacies in larger towns are well stocked, but in other areas many medicines are unavailable. Be aware of the potential for counterfeit medications, often very well packaged, at any location. You should carry your own properly-labeled supply of prescription and over-the-counter medicines. The Centers for Disease Control has a comprehensive review of infectious disease issues and overall health recommendations for traveling to Cameroon. Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease. If you will be visiting Cameroon, you will need to discuss with your doctor the best ways for you to avoid malaria. Ways to prevent malaria include the following: Taking a prescription antimalarial drug, Using insect repellent and wearing long pants and sleeves to prevent mosquito bites, and Sleeping in air-conditioned or well-screened rooms and using bednets. All of the following antimalarial drugs are equal options for preventing malaria in Cameroon: Atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, or mefloquine. For information that can help you and your doctor decide which of these drugs would be best for you, please see Choosing a Drug to Prevent Malaria on the CDC website. Chloroquine is NOT an effective antimalarial drug in Cameroon and should not be taken to prevent malaria in this region. If you become ill with a fever or flu-like illness while traveling in Cameroon, or for up to one year after returning home, you should seek prompt medical attention and tell the physician your travel history and what antimalarials you have been taking. Schistosomiasis is endemic in Cameroon. Avoid wading, swimming, bathing, washing in, or drinking from bodies of fresh water such as canals, lakes, rivers, streams, or springs. There are periodic outbreaks of cholera in Cameroon. People in high-risk areas can protect themselves by following a few simple rules of good hygiene and safe food preparation. These include scrupulous washing of hands under running water, especially before food preparation and eating, thorough cooking of food and consumption while hot, boiling or treatment of drinking water, and use of sanitary facilities. Above all, be very careful with food and water, including ice. Please see the CDC webpage for additional advice. Yellow fever can cause serious medical problems and the vaccine, required for entry into Cameroon, is very effective. Measles and meningitis are also present in northern Cameroon. You should be sure your vaccinations are current. Polio remains a threat in northern Nigeria and Chad, which share porous borders with Cameroon. Tuberculosis is an increasingly serious health concern in Cameroon.

Life Expectancy at Birth

Life expectancy at birth in Cameroon stands at approximately 60 to 61 years for the overall population, with women generally outliving men by a few years. Female life expectancy hovers around 62 to 63 years, while male life expectancy trails behind at roughly 59 to 60 years. These figures reflect meaningful improvements over past decades but remain considerably below the global average of approximately 73 years. Several interconnected factors shape these outcomes. Access to healthcare remains uneven across the country, with urban centers such as Yaoundé and Douala enjoying far better medical infrastructure than rural and remote regions. The availability of trained medical personnel, essential medicines, and functioning health facilities drops sharply outside major cities, contributing to preventable deaths. Infectious and communicable diseases continue to exert a heavy toll on the population. Malaria remains one of the leading causes of mortality, particularly among children under five. HIV/AIDS also remains a significant public health concern, with an adult prevalence rate estimated at approximately 3 percent. Tuberculosis and respiratory infections further burden an already stretched health system. Maternal and child mortality rates influence life expectancy averages substantially. Cameroon's maternal mortality ratio remains among the higher ones recorded in sub-Saharan Africa, and under-five mortality, while on a gradual downward trend, remains a critical public health challenge. Improvements in vaccination coverage, prenatal care, and skilled birth attendance have contributed to incremental gains, though progress has been uneven across regions. Nutrition, clean water access, and sanitation also play defining roles. Malnutrition affects a notable portion of children in rural areas, weakening immune systems and increasing vulnerability to disease. Limited access to potable water and inadequate sanitation infrastructure remain challenges in parts of the country, enabling the spread of waterborne illnesses such as cholera and typhoid. Ongoing instability in the Anglophone Northwest and Southwest regions has added additional strain on health systems in those areas, disrupting service delivery and displacing communities in ways that compound existing vulnerabilities. Humanitarian conditions in the Far North region, affected by conflict spillover from neighboring Nigeria, have similarly impacted health outcomes for affected populations. Despite these challenges, Cameroon has made measurable strides in improving population health over recent decades. Continued investment in primary healthcare, disease prevention programs, and maternal health services offers a credible pathway toward closing the gap with global life expectancy benchmarks.

Infant Mortality Rate

Cameroon's infant mortality rate remains a significant public health concern, reflecting broader challenges related to healthcare access, sanitation, and nutrition across the country. As of recent estimates, approximately 46 to 48 deaths occur per 1,000 live births in Cameroon, placing it among countries with moderate-to-high infant mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa. The causes of infant death in Cameroon are largely preventable. Neonatal conditions — including birth asphyxia, sepsis, and complications related to prematurity — account for a substantial share of deaths in the first 28 days of life. Beyond the neonatal period, malaria, pneumonia, diarrheal diseases, and malnutrition remain leading killers of children under one year of age. Limited access to skilled birth attendants, especially in rural and forested regions, contributes to elevated risk during and immediately after delivery. There are notable regional disparities within Cameroon. The northern regions — Adamawa, North, and Far North — consistently report higher infant mortality rates compared to urban centers such as Yaoundé and Douala, where healthcare infrastructure is comparatively more developed. Poverty, low maternal education levels, and poor access to clean water and sanitation services compound mortality risks in these areas. Over the past two decades, Cameroon has made measurable progress in reducing infant mortality. Rates have declined from over 80 deaths per 1,000 live births in the early 2000s, largely due to expanded immunization programs, increased distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets to combat malaria, and improvements in antenatal care coverage. Programs supported by international health organizations have helped train community health workers and improve emergency obstetric care in underserved areas. Despite this progress, Cameroon still falls short of the targets set under the Sustainable Development Goals, which call for all countries to reduce neonatal mortality to no more than 12 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030. Continued investment in maternal and child health services, nutrition programs, and rural healthcare infrastructure will be essential to sustaining the downward trend in infant mortality rates.

Major Infectious Diseases

Very high

Literacy Definition

Age 15 and over can read and write

Classroom

Just like their homes most schools are made of packed earth and the roofs are likely to be iron sheets and there are quite a large number of students since primary school is free of charge, the average ratio of teacher to students may be about 1:50. School subjects are taught in either French or English and is not uncommon to also learn Mathematics, Natural Science, Technology, History, Geography, Civics, Physical Education, Household management and Child care, Manual work, Traditional art crafts, Management of personal funds for church work (Stewardship). Generally, classes are held in classrooms, and occasionally outside for Physical Education and sporting activities, Natural Science laboratories, and Technology. The classes are taught by lecture and are the only source of information for students who are financially unable to purchase the text.

Learning

There are generally a large number of schools that offer a very good quality of education to the children of this country. Actually Cameroon seems to have one of the best educational systems in most of Africa. There used to be two educational systems, one for the east and the other for the west but they since merged to form one major and stronger educational system. Schooling starts as early as the age of three. This earliest level of school is not necessarily compulsory so a few parents send their children to attend kindergarten. Primary school education, which is mandatory, takes a total of seven years and it is basically free of charge in all public schools. Uniquely and quite different from the rest of Africa, pupils in Cameroon can sit for vocational examinations as well as technical ones quite early in life which can allow them to choose the profession they may want to follow later in their lives as they grow up. When they move on to secondary schools children may get to choose to attend one of the three arms of secondary school education. There are grammar schools, vocational institutions as well as other training institutes. Secondary school education itself is not compulsory and so quite a number of children may not get to proceed beyond the primary level of education.

To School

The journey to school is usually done on foot because there is no organized school transport, and on average the school could be about 2 or 4 kilometers away from home - but that is considered a normal distance to walk. School begins at 7:30 a.m. in the morning and will generally go until 3:30 p.m. in the afternoon before children walk back to their homes.

• indigenous beliefs40.0%
• Christian40.0%
• Muslim20.0%

24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)

• French
• English

Crime Information

Crime is a serious problem throughout Cameroon. U.S. citizens should exercise caution when traveling in Cameroon. Internet-based crime in Cameroon is escalating rapidly, and everyone, including businesses and other institutions, should be extremely skeptical of any financial transactions that involve sending money for goods, services, or adoptions. Crimes against property, such as carjacking and burglaries, have often been accompanied by violent acts and resulted in fatalities. All foreigners are potential targets for theft with possible attendant violence. Armed banditry has been a problem throughout all ten regions in Cameroon. In January 2011, over 20 Peace Corps volunteers were robbed at gunpoint in Kribi. In December 2010, a U.S citizen who was residing in Douala was murdered, and in Yaounde a U.S. citizen and a British citizen were sexually assaulted in separate incidents in March 2011. In August 2012, a U.S. citizen residing in Bamenda was murdered, and a British family was held at gunpoint in their hotel room for almost an hour in the middle of the night. Shortly after the attackers left, one of the victims went for help only to be shot at several times. This incident happened in the vicinity of Melong and Mount Manengouba National Park in the Littoral Region. In the past, armed bandits have erected road barricades to steal vehicles. While there have been no major incidents of banditry involving westerners since 2010, travelers may encounter random security checkpoints intended to curb the practice. Cameroonian law requires that you must carry identification at all times, and security personnel may request that travelers show their passport, residence card, driver's license, and/or vehicle registration at these roadblocks. You should keep certified copies of these important documents in a secure location separate from the originals. In an effort to monitor road safety, security personnel have also established roadblocks along major highways to check for safety triangles and fire extinguishers. Vehicles without these items may be required to pay a fine. Security personnel have been known to ask for bribes, but normally allow expatriate travelers to continue after delaying them for a period of time. The U.S. government does not condone bribery or corruption of any kind. There have been many crimes involving public transportation. Taxis can be dangerous; U.S. Embassy personnel cannot use taxi cabs in Cameroon. Taxis in Cameroon function more like a U.S. bus system, with drivers stopping along the road to pick up additional passengers as long as there is space left in the vehicle. Taxi drivers and accomplices posing as passengers often conspire to commit serious crimes including rape, robbery, and assault. If you must use a taxi, consider hiring a driver you know and his/her private taxi for your exclusive use for that particular trip. Taxi passengers should be particularly vigilant at night. The risk of street and residential crime is high. Incidents often involve gangs and relate to home invasions and kidnappings. Periodic efforts by authorities in Yaoundé to clear streets and public spaces of illegally constructed homes and market stalls can become confrontational and may contribute to surges in criminality as these very modest homes and businesses are destroyed. Many crimes involve an “inside man” and target individuals or locations involved with payrolls or other activities involving large sums of cash. Carjackings and robberies have also been reported on rural highways, especially in the northern region near Cameroon's border with the Central African Republic and Chad. The Embassy has identified a wide range of internet scams based in Cameroon. These schemes cover a broad spectrum of bogus activities, including adoptions, insurance claims, dating, real estate, the provision of domestic services (such as nannies and household help), agricultural products, antiques, and exotic or domesticated animals. Often, these are advance-fee scams where the victim pays money to someone in anticipation of receiving something of greater value, such as a loan, contract, investment, or gift, and then receives little or nothing in return. U.S. citizens should never send money or travel to Cameroon to meet someone contacted via the Internet without first checking with the Embassy’s Commercial Section. Commercial scams targeting foreigners, many including U.S. citizens, continue to be a problem. The scams generally involve phony offers of lucrative sales and repeated requests for additional funds to pay for unforeseen airport and/or customs fees. Do not share your personal financial or account information. Additionally, the U.S. Embassy is aware of complaints by U.S. citizens shipping vehicles or other merchandise to Cameroon who are unable to complete the transaction as they had expected, and who have ended up being detained based on these commercial disputes. The ability of U.S. Embassy officers to extricate U.S. citizens from the legal consequences of unlawful business deals is limited. U.S. citizens are urged to complete financial transactions with trusted partners only, insist on written contracts, and avoid informal agreements. For more information on international financial scams, including those involving internet dating, a promise of an inheritance windfall, a promise of a work contract overseas, overpayment for goods purchased online, or money laundering, see the Department of State's publication International Financial Scams. If you have concerns about the legitimacy of a transaction in Cameroon, contact the U.S. Embassy in Cameroon. The Embassy’s commercial section regularly assists U.S. citizens seeking to determine the legitimacy of commercial transactions. In many countries around the world, counterfeit and pirated goods are widely available. Transactions involving such products may be illegal under local law. In addition, bringing them back to the United States may result in forfeitures and/or fines.

Criminal Penalties

While you are in a foreign country, you are subject to that country’s laws and regulations, even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own. Cameroonian law does not afford many of the protections to which you may be accustomed in the United States. Legal proceedings tend to be complex, lengthy, and subject to inappropriate influence. If you violate the law in Cameroon, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses, and the condition of detention centers, while improving, is poor. During the February 2008 civil unrest, there were reports of arbitrary arrests by law enforcement officials. Although no expatriates were known to have been arrested, the Department of State cautions you against venturing out during such periods of unrest. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking of illegal drugs in Cameroon are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. There are also some things that might be legal in Cameroon, but still illegal in the United States. You can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States. If you break local laws in your host country, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going. Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, bilateral agreements with certain countries, and customary international law, if you are arrested in Cameroon, you have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the nearest U.S. Embassy or the Embassy Branch Office in Douala of your arrest, and to have communications from you forwarded to the Embassy or Branch Office. In Cameroon, the U.S. Embassy contact number is 22 20 15 00 and is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.