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Cameroon vs Uganda
Side-by-side comparison of Cameroon and Uganda from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Cameroon
Sub-Saharan Africa · nation age 66 years
In short
Uganda scores 32.6 in the NationsTree Index (154th in the world) and Cameroon scores 26.3 (172nd), a gap of 6.3 points. Their trees are 6.9 m and 7.2 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Uganda has 72% more people than Cameroon. Cameroon has 97% more land area than Uganda. Cameroon and Uganda have economies of similar size (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Cameroon 29.9 million and Uganda 51.4 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $5,788 in Cameroon and $3,488 in Uganda (2025, international dollars). People in Uganda live on average 4.5 years longer (68.5 vs 64.0 years).
Of 31 indicators reported by both countries, Cameroon ranks higher in the world on 14 and Uganda on 17. Cameroon is clearly stronger in science & innovation, infrastructure & digital and natural resources. Uganda is clearly stronger in institutions & safety and military.
As a nation, Cameroon is the older of the two (statehood since 1960, 66 years), compared with Uganda (since 1962). Over the last five years Uganda improved faster (direction score 73 vs 18 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Cameroon and Uganda.
Cameroonbetter
9,880
45th of 183
Uganda
824
135th of 183
Government budget balanceEconomy
Cameroonbetter
-2.1%
79th of 192
Uganda
-6.6%
170th of 192
GDP growthEconomy
Cameroon
3.2%
106th of 210
Ugandabetter
6.3%
28th of 210
DPT immunizationSociety & health
Cameroon
77%
153rd of 193
Ugandabetter
91%
93rd of 193
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Uganda overtook Cameroon in GDP (PPP) in 2024 and has stayed ahead since.
Uganda overtook Cameroon in the NationsTree Index in 2021 and has stayed ahead since.
Uganda overtook Cameroon in life expectancy in 2005 and has stayed ahead since.
Cameroon has been ahead of Uganda in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Uganda has been ahead of Cameroon in population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
CameroonUganda All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Cameroon | Uganda |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 475,44255th/216 · 2024 | 241,55180th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 472,71052nd/216 · 2024 | 200,52085th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 29.9 m51st/217 · 2025 | 51.4 m31st/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 2.56%22nd/217 · 2025 | 2.70%21st/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 61.6143rd/216 · 2024 | 249.455th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 55.7%142nd/217 · 2025 | 31.9%192nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 41.1%16th/217 · 2025 | 43.1%10th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 2.8%200th/217 · 2025 | 2.2%212th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $58.93 bn92nd/210 · 2025 | $61.99 bn89th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $172.94 bn85th/199 · 2025 | $179.21 bn83rd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $147.78 bn84th/199 · 2025 | $153.15 bn83rd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $1,972176th/210 · 2025 | $1,206189th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $5,788162nd/199 · 2025 | $3,488182nd/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $1,860168th/201 · 2025 | $1,120182nd/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 3.2%106th/210 · 2025 | 6.3%28th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 3.4%101st/180 · 2025 | 3.6%108th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 3.6%61st/187 · 2025 | 2.7%31st/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 79.5%1999 | 54.4%28th/55 · 2024 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 40.5%63rd/189 · 2025 | 53.2%96th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -2.1%79th/192 · 2025 | -6.6%170th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 16.8%43rd/197 · 2025 | 26.1%18th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 24.8%90th/200 · 2025 | 24.3%93rd/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 14.6%47th/192 · 2025 | 14.5%49th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 50.4%143rd/200 · 2025 | 42.1%178th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $7.71 bn117th/182 · 2025 | $13.29 bn102nd/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $11.96 bn117th/182 · 2025 | $17.83 bn97th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 13.1%168th/183 · 2025 | 21.4%140th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 20.3%166th/183 · 2025 | 28.8%136th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 33.4%175th/183 · 2025 | 50.2%143rd/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 54.1%22nd/170 · 2023 | 2.3%98th/170 · 2024 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 6.0%145th/171 · 2023 | 14.3%120th/171 · 2024 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 22.8%65th/171 · 2023 | 39.3%42nd/171 · 2024 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 2.2%102nd/171 · 2023 | 0.7%142nd/171 · 2024 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 2.1%129th/168 · 2023 | 1.9%132nd/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -3.8%127th/191 · 2025 | -5.1%139th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 1.0%144th/196 · 2025 | 5.4%40th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 5.5%68th/209 · 2021 | 7.5%57th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 2.36%36th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.58%36th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 2.58%29th/209 · 2021 | 7.48%9th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 13.1%81st/206 · 2024 | 43.6%11th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 9,88045th/183 · 2022 | 824135th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 1.0 m97th/194 · 2019 | 473,000128th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $437.0 m100th/175 · 2020 | $518.0 m97th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 7.1%73rd/168 · 2020 | 9.2%62nd/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | — | 568,00074th/107 · 2016 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 64.0194th/217 · 2024 | 68.5166th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 64.8181st/196 · 2024 | 48.7166th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.14158th/174 · 2022 | 0.19147th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 2.72016 | 0.52010 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 77%153rd/193 · 2024 | 91%93rd/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 30.3%2018 | 23.1%137th/153 · 2024 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 44.8%160th/173 · 2023 | 24.1%2007 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 12.7%47th/55 · 2021 | 1.5%2016 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 5.0%200th/217 · 2025 | 4.1%212th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 4.6%136th/193 · 2023 | 4.2%150th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 72.6%2018 | 77.0%70th/98 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 16.7%126th/150 · 2024 | 4.6%2014 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.588155th/193 · 2023 | 0.582157th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 42.292nd/108 · 2021 | 38.275th/108 · 2023 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 26.7%92nd/108 · 2021 | 54.4%103rd/108 · 2023 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 72.0%176th/215 · 2024 | 55.3%192nd/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | — | 18.1%141st/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | — | 20.4%126th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 46.3%152nd/186 · 2024 | 8.9%185th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 108125th/210 · 2024 | 83165th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 2.1157th/208 · 2022 | 0.2189th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.10142nd/164 · 2022 | 2.19139th/164 · 2018 |
| Rail lines route-km | 88468th/82 · 2021 | 2592002 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 331,025122nd/161 · 2023 | 21,650152nd/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.3535th/203 · 2024 | 0.1721st/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 79.2%19th/212 · 2021 | 90.9%5th/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 55.6191st/200 · 2023 | 31.2155th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 40.7%78th/214 · 2024 | 11.9%159th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 330139th/149 · 2024 | 503119th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 36.1165th/205 · 2025 | 46.0133rd/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 23.7180th/207 · 2025 | 25.8177th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 39.0178th/207 · 2025 | 47.6147th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 36.0190th/207 · 2025 | 50.4173rd/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 41.9162nd/205 · 2025 | 45.3143rd/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 34.7169th/205 · 2025 | 39.2152nd/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 6.8106th/145 · 2022 | 9.0114th/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $627.5 m95th/156 · 2025 | $1.30 bn79th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.1%110th/156 · 2025 | 2.0%67th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 6.5%53rd/154 · 2025 | 9.0%35th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 34,00085th/170 · 2020 | 46,00073rd/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.34%141st/168 · 2020 | 0.24%151st/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 2.0 m144th/163 · 2023 | 2.0 m144th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | — | 4.0 m2016 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | — | 0.44%64th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | — | 2290th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 1,54778th/197 · 2023 | 1,42482nd/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Cameroon or Uganda?
Uganda has the larger population: 51.4 m (2025) compared with 29.9 m for Cameroon (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Cameroon or Uganda?
Cameroon is larger: 475,442 km² (2024) compared with 241,551 km² for Uganda (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Cameroon or Uganda?
Uganda has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $179.21 bn intl. (2025) compared with $172.94 bn intl. for Cameroon (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Cameroon or Uganda?
Cameroon has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $5,788 intl. (2025) compared with $3,488 intl. for Uganda (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Cameroon or Uganda?
Uganda has the higher life expectancy at birth: 68.5 years (2024) compared with 64.0 years for Cameroon (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Cameroon or Uganda?
Uganda spends more on the military: $1.30 bn (2025) compared with $627.5 m for Cameroon (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Cameroon or Uganda?
Uganda: 32.6 points (154th in the world); Cameroon: 26.3 points (172nd). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Côte d'Ivoire
DR Congo
SudanSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Cameroon vs Uganda — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/cameroon-vs-uganda. Data as of 26 October 2026.