Cameroon has a GDP of $51.3B compared to $82.8B for Ghana, ranking 92/197 and 79/197 by economy size, respectively.
Cameroon has $21.9B in government debt (39.9% of GDP), compared to $58.4B (66.4% of GDP) in Ghana.
The chart below compares the two countries' GDP growth in both current (nominal) and constant dollars, accounting for inflation over time.
| Year | GDP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cameroon
|
Ghana
|
|||
| Current $ | Constant $ | Current $ | Constant $ | |
| 1960 | $614,206,068 | $4,827,329,402 | $1,217,230,095 | $7,662,648,270 |
| 1961 | $652,777,608 | $4,884,469,574 | $1,302,674,325 | $7,925,452,127 |
| 1962 | $694,247,864 | $5,033,033,600 | $1,382,515,654 | $8,251,121,525 |
| 1963 | $718,320,845 | $5,221,397,415 | $1,540,797,589 | $8,614,663,811 |
| 1964 | $776,650,177 | $5,406,608,720 | $1,731,296,200 | $8,804,989,947 |
| 1965 | $814,083,266 | $5,516,149,517 | $2,053,462,968 | $8,925,530,160 |
| 1966 | $851,112,535 | $5,770,717,369 | $2,126,300,672 | $8,545,455,169 |
| 1967 | $936,175,260 | $5,141,012,904 | $1,747,187,645 | $8,808,259,025 |
| 1968 | $1,046,191,218 | $5,467,278,233 | $1,666,909,518 | $8,840,749,198 |
| 1969 | $1,100,551,489 | $5,735,255,756 | $1,962,050,556 | $9,371,740,063 |
| 1970 | $1,151,216,993 | $5,912,593,777 | $2,215,028,588 | $10,282,998,639 |
| 1971 | $1,236,941,394 | $6,118,334,765 | $2,417,108,578 | $10,819,372,657 |
| 1972 | $1,498,251,890 | $6,281,929,449 | $2,112,293,280 | $10,550,223,948 |
| 1973 | $1,901,393,361 | $6,618,369,537 | $3,006,766,758 | $10,854,554,041 |
| 1974 | $2,157,415,533 | $7,328,802,680 | $2,894,409,938 | $11,598,364,184 |
| 1975 | $2,857,037,371 | $8,152,930,849 | $2,810,106,383 | $10,156,498,576 |
| 1976 | $2,898,090,002 | $7,704,916,015 | $2,765,254,237 | $9,797,955,609 |
| 1977 | $3,394,664,024 | $8,763,561,577 | $3,189,428,571 | $10,020,771,627 |
| 1978 | $4,662,852,583 | $10,691,808,462 | $3,662,478,185 | $10,870,125,777 |
| 1979 | $5,919,002,983 | $11,337,071,802 | $4,020,227,920 | $10,596,748,482 |
| 1980 | $6,674,569,047 | $11,114,265,274 | $4,445,228,216 | $10,646,732,914 |
| 1981 | $6,610,938,617 | $13,012,879,895 | $4,222,441,860 | $10,273,770,733 |
| 1982 | $6,611,255,964 | $13,990,954,313 | $4,035,994,398 | $9,562,450,763 |
| 1983 | $6,870,200,010 | $14,951,689,440 | $4,057,275,132 | $9,126,045,611 |
| 1984 | $7,311,938,026 | $16,069,264,314 | $4,412,279,843 | $9,915,226,744 |
| 1985 | $8,544,810,498 | $17,364,955,075 | $4,504,306,723 | $10,420,072,142 |
| 1986 | $11,857,056,199 | $18,540,851,327 | $5,735,677,434 | $10,961,828,435 |
| 1987 | $13,049,659,981 | $18,142,844,102 | $5,074,829,932 | $11,487,437,024 |
| 1988 | $12,236,057,362 | $16,723,414,750 | $5,197,765,032 | $12,133,969,367 |
| 1989 | $11,012,566,195 | $16,419,195,682 | $5,251,858,440 | $12,751,087,602 |
| 1990 | $12,314,482,628 | $15,416,689,238 | $5,889,106,573 | $13,175,548,086 |
| 1991 | $11,840,192,296 | $14,829,529,308 | $6,603,185,268 | $13,871,457,663 |
| 1992 | $12,071,775,335 | $14,369,813,424 | $6,416,103,926 | $14,409,589,639 |
| 1993 | $16,181,814,713 | $13,229,990,256 | $5,968,922,939 | $15,108,454,816 |
| 1994 | $8,902,446,252 | $13,478,291,934 | $5,446,383,727 | $15,607,033,786 |
| 1995 | $10,864,772,471 | $13,868,353,888 | $6,464,382,808 | $16,248,860,404 |
| 1996 | $11,093,538,846 | $14,452,915,010 | $6,932,991,739 | $16,996,707,892 |
| 1997 | $10,789,458,433 | $15,107,243,821 | $6,891,443,192 | $17,709,950,508 |
| 1998 | $11,298,144,990 | $15,821,141,893 | $7,482,069,162 | $18,542,387,390 |
| 1999 | $11,565,826,465 | $16,534,881,735 | $7,718,109,982 | $19,358,251,847 |
| 2000 | $10,566,579,295 | $17,168,567,485 | $4,982,850,662 | $20,074,507,181 |
| 2001 | $10,953,485,349 | $17,910,981,186 | $5,314,872,854 | $20,877,487,494 |
| 2002 | $12,417,251,350 | $18,712,860,619 | $6,166,197,848 | $21,816,974,339 |
| 2003 | $15,970,315,035 | $19,733,301,669 | $7,632,723,556 | $22,951,457,033 |
| 2004 | $18,826,214,136 | $21,124,275,033 | $8,881,417,907 | $24,236,738,625 |
| 2005 | $19,509,852,207 | $21,594,980,960 | $10,744,568,381 | $25,666,707,130 |
| 2006 | $20,910,512,975 | $22,417,659,743 | $20,885,037,597 | $27,309,353,955 |
| 2007 | $23,928,250,433 | $23,387,803,923 | $24,827,339,138 | $28,496,442,170 |
| 2008 | $27,715,142,033 | $24,053,813,244 | $28,679,383,241 | $31,103,809,333 |
| 2009 | $27,932,970,317 | $24,674,221,649 | $26,048,720,006 | $32,610,629,349 |
| 2010 | $27,507,501,821 | $25,389,533,435 | $32,197,655,567 | $35,186,775,129 |
| 2011 | $30,630,910,495 | $26,247,499,414 | $39,336,668,081 | $40,129,504,915 |
| 2012 | $30,155,062,329 | $27,461,703,152 | $41,271,701,061 | $43,858,655,297 |
| 2013 | $33,728,621,180 | $28,833,560,541 | $62,845,721,960 | $47,065,830,438 |
| 2014 | $36,386,544,706 | $30,482,787,768 | $54,678,533,806 | $48,410,143,590 |
| 2015 | $32,210,233,020 | $32,210,233,020 | $49,436,806,230 | $49,436,806,230 |
| 2016 | $33,814,337,044 | $33,671,222,913 | $56,144,179,398 | $51,104,539,956 |
| 2017 | $36,098,547,033 | $34,863,580,363 | $60,385,409,435 | $55,258,774,289 |
| 2018 | $39,955,552,190 | $36,242,614,249 | $67,259,353,966 | $58,684,861,221 |
| 2019 | $39,667,757,528 | $37,502,066,833 | $68,352,629,246 | $62,503,939,827 |
| 2020 | $40,773,241,177 | $37,599,547,049 | $70,008,243,860 | $62,825,173,619 |
| 2021 | $45,011,937,347 | $38,854,942,335 | $79,514,204,730 | $66,014,472,471 |
| 2022 | $44,347,206,073 | $40,306,867,605 | $73,919,003,210 | $68,526,224,001 |
| 2023 | $49,279,410,983 | $41,616,173,715 | $80,547,146,878 | $70,678,009,792 |
| 2024 | $51,326,764,685 | $43,143,796,435 | $82,825,288,889 | $74,695,964,608 |
Economic indicators
|
Cameroon
|
Ghana
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Gross domestic product |
$51.3B
2024 |
$82.8B
2024 |
| GDP rank |
92/197
2024 |
79/197
2024 |
| GDP growth |
4.15%
2023-2024 |
2.83%
2023-2024 |
| GDP per capita |
$1,762
2024 |
$2,406
2024 |
| GDP per capita rank |
159/197
2024 |
150/197
2024 |
| GDP per capita, PPP |
$5,591
2024 |
$8,027
2024 |
| Government debt |
$21.9B
2024 |
$58.4B
2024 |
| Debt-to-GDP ratio |
39.9%
2025 |
66.4%
2025 |
| Government debt per person |
$752
2024 |
$1,696
2024 |
| Government debt per person rank |
152/185
2024 |
122/185
2024 |
| Average annual personal income after taxes |
$1,492
2025 |
$1,836
2025 |
| Market capitalization of domestic companies | n/a |
$7.58B
2024 |
| Income share by richest 10% |
31.1%
2021 |
32.2%
2016 |
| Income share by poorest 10% |
2.1%
2021 |
1.6%
2016 |
| Government expenditure, % of GDP |
16.3%
2025 |
18.8%
2025 |
| Consumer prices inflation |
4.53%
2023-2024 |
22.8%
2023-2024 |
| Central bank interest rate | n/a |
28%
2024 |
| Unemployment rate |
3.28%
2021 |
2.87%
2022 |
| Population |
30491011
|
35572974
|
GDP per capita in Cameroon vs Ghana
Cameroon's GDP per capita is $1,762, ranking 159/197, compared to $2,406 in Ghana, ranking 150/197. Adjusted for purchasing power (GDP per capita PPP), Cameroon ranks 155th at $5,591, while Ghana ranks 138th at $8,027.
| Year | Current $ | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cameroon
|
Ghana
|
|||
| GDP per capita | GDP per capita, PPP | GDP per capita | GDP per capita, PPP | |
| 1960 | $119.1 | - | $174.9 | - |
| 1961 | $124.6 | - | $181.9 | - |
| 1962 | $130 | - | $188.4 | - |
| 1963 | $131.6 | - | $205 | - |
| 1964 | $139.2 | - | $225 | - |
| 1965 | $142.7 | - | $260.5 | - |
| 1966 | $145.8 | - | $263.3 | - |
| 1967 | $156.6 | - | $211.2 | - |
| 1968 | $170.8 | - | $196.7 | - |
| 1969 | $175.2 | - | $225.8 | - |
| 1970 | $178.5 | - | $248.2 | - |
| 1971 | $186.7 | - | $263.4 | - |
| 1972 | $220.1 | - | $223.8 | - |
| 1973 | $271.8 | - | $310 | - |
| 1974 | $299.9 | - | $289.4 | - |
| 1975 | $386 | - | $273 | - |
| 1976 | $381 | - | $261 | - |
| 1977 | $435 | - | $292.3 | - |
| 1978 | $582 | - | $326 | - |
| 1979 | $718 | - | $347 | - |
| 1980 | $784 | - | $372 | - |
| 1981 | $750 | - | $344 | - |
| 1982 | $732 | - | $319 | - |
| 1983 | $746 | - | $311 | - |
| 1984 | $772 | - | $330 | - |
| 1985 | $875 | - | $330 | - |
| 1986 | $1,179 | - | $411 | - |
| 1987 | $1,258 | - | $355 | - |
| 1988 | $1,145 | - | $355 | - |
| 1989 | $1,001 | - | $350 | - |
| 1990 | $1,087 | $2,032 | $383 | $1,581 |
| 1991 | $1,015 | $1,963 | $418 | $1,678 |
| 1992 | $1,005 | $1,890 | $396 | $1,739 |
| 1993 | $1,310 | $1,731 | $360 | $1,821 |
| 1994 | $701 | $1,752 | $321 | $1,875 |
| 1995 | $832 | $1,790 | $372 | $1,947 |
| 1996 | $827 | $1,850 | $389 | $2,026 |
| 1997 | $783 | $1,915 | $378 | $2,097 |
| 1998 | $799 | $1,975 | $400 | $2,167 |
| 1999 | $796 | $2,039 | $403 | $2,239 |
| 2000 | $709 | $2,108 | $253.7 | $2,315 |
| 2001 | $715 | $2,191 | $263.5 | $2,397 |
| 2002 | $790 | $2,263 | $297.5 | $2,475 |
| 2003 | $988 | $2,368 | $358 | $2,584 |
| 2004 | $1,133 | $2,533 | $406 | $2,729 |
| 2005 | $1,143 | $2,598 | $479 | $2,904 |
| 2006 | $1,191 | $2,704 | $906 | $3,103 |
| 2007 | $1,326 | $2,818 | $1,050 | $3,241 |
| 2008 | $1,492 | $2,870 | $1,183 | $3,516 |
| 2009 | $1,461 | $2,879 | $1,048 | $3,617 |
| 2010 | $1,399 | $2,914 | $1,264 | $3,855 |
| 2011 | $1,514 | $2,989 | $1,507 | $4,381 |
| 2012 | $1,449 | $3,060 | $1,544 | $4,934 |
| 2013 | $1,576 | $3,239 | $2,295 | $5,215 |
| 2014 | $1,649 | $3,422 | $1,950 | $5,517 |
| 2015 | $1,415 | $3,498 | $1,723 | $5,191 |
| 2016 | $1,442 | $3,627 | $1,912 | $5,011 |
| 2017 | $1,496 | $3,767 | $2,012 | $5,171 |
| 2018 | $1,611 | $4,011 | $2,195 | $5,536 |
| 2019 | $1,555 | $4,241 | $2,187 | $6,003 |
| 2020 | $1,556 | $4,365 | $2,195 | $6,047 |
| 2021 | $1,672 | $4,794 | $2,445 | $6,608 |
| 2022 | $1,605 | $5,189 | $2,230 | $7,208 |
| 2023 | $1,737 | $5,406 | $2,384 | $7,556 |
| 2024 | $1,762 | $5,591 | $2,406 | $8,027 |
Spending and national debt comparison
In 2024, Cameroon's government spending was $8.52B, accounting for 16.3% of its GDP, while Ghana's spent $19.3B, or 18.8% of GDP.
Debt-to-GDP ratio is 39.9% in Cameroon and 66.4% in Ghana, ranking 136/185 and 64/185, respectively.
| Year | % of GDP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cameroon
|
Ghana
|
|||
| Government spending | Government debt | Government spending | Government debt | |
| 1962 | - | - | 12.5% | 11.8% |
| 1963 | - | - | 15.3% | 30.5% |
| 1964 | - | - | 15.8% | 30.8% |
| 1965 | - | - | 14.2% | 30.2% |
| 1966 | - | - | 9.12% | 29.8% |
| 1967 | - | - | 11.5% | 33.9% |
| 1968 | - | - | 12.3% | 34.5% |
| 1969 | - | - | 11.2% | 31.4% |
| 1970 | - | - | 12.2% | 31.9% |
| 1971 | - | - | 11.7% | 29.5% |
| 1972 | - | - | 11.4% | 29.8% |
| 1973 | - | - | 9.35% | 25.4% |
| 1974 | - | - | 9.52% | 21.8% |
| 1975 | - | - | 13.2% | 21.8% |
| 1976 | - | - | 12.8% | 26% |
| 1977 | - | - | 10.5% | 20.7% |
| 1978 | - | - | 6.54% | 11.4% |
| 1979 | - | - | 9.14% | 11.9% |
| 1980 | - | - | 7.77% | 10.1% |
| 1981 | - | - | 5.82% | 8.88% |
| 1982 | - | - | 4.76% | 8.58% |
| 1983 | - | - | 3.63% | 9.6% |
| 1984 | - | - | 4.88% | 13.7% |
| 1985 | - | - | 6.36% | 15.1% |
| 1986 | - | - | 7.82% | 19.5% |
| 1987 | - | - | 7.89% | 28.9% |
| 1988 | - | - | 7.83% | 25.4% |
| 1989 | - | - | 7.8% | 24.8% |
| 1990 | - | - | 6.59% | 17.8% |
| 1991 | - | - | 7.09% | 17.3% |
| 1992 | - | - | 9.2% | 21.3% |
| 1993 | - | - | 12.1% | 34.1% |
| 1994 | - | - | 12.7% | 50.6% |
| 1995 | - | - | 13% | 47.6% |
| 1996 | - | - | 12.4% | 42.9% |
| 1997 | - | - | 12% | 45.2% |
| 1998 | - | 67.8% | 11.8% | 37.6% |
| 1999 | - | 68.4% | 11.1% | 51.7% |
| 2000 | 14.6% | 75.9% | 12% | 74.5% |
| 2001 | 14.6% | 62.2% | 13.8% | 57.8% |
| 2002 | 13.9% | 56.6% | 10.7% | 54.1% |
| 2003 | 13.2% | 51.5% | 12.1% | 49.3% |
| 2004 | 13.4% | 51.7% | 13.7% | 38.4% |
| 2005 | 12.4% | 43.8% | 12.9% | 31.7% |
| 2006 | 12.5% | 18.4% | 14.4% | 17.3% |
| 2007 | 13.5% | 13.8% | 16.8% | 21.1% |
| 2008 | 15.9% | 11.2% | 16.6% | 23.2% |
| 2009 | 14.7% | 11.3% | 16.6% | 25.4% |
| 2010 | 15.2% | 14% | 19% | 32.9% |
| 2011 | 17.8% | 15% | 19.5% | 31.2% |
| 2012 | 17.2% | 14.9% | 22.1% | 35.5% |
| 2013 | 19.2% | 17.5% | 21.6% | 42.9% |
| 2014 | 20.1% | 20.7% | 21% | 50.1% |
| 2015 | 20.1% | 31.6% | 18.6% | 53.9% |
| 2016 | 20.2% | 32.1% | 19.9% | 55.9% |
| 2017 | 19.2% | 36.5% | 17.6% | 57% |
| 2018 | 18% | 38.3% | 20.9% | 62% |
| 2019 | 18.7% | 41.6% | 22.5% | 58.3% |
| 2020 | 16.6% | 44.9% | 31.5% | 72.3% |
| 2021 | 17.1% | 47.2% | 27.2% | 79.2% |
| 2022 | 17.1% | 45.6% | 27.5% | 85.7% |
| 2023 | 17.1% | 43.2% | 18.5% | 76.4% |
| 2024 | 16.6% | 42.7% | 23.3% | 70.5% |
| 2025 | 16.3% | 39.9% | 18.8% | 66.4% |
Government deficit by year
In 2024, Cameroon's government deficit, the difference between spending and revenue, was -$307M, equivalent to -0.6% of GDP. This compares to Ghana's deficit of -$6.36B, or -7.68% of GDP.
Over the past 25 years, Cameroon recorded a fiscal deficit in 17 of those years, while Ghana ran a deficit in 25 years. On average, Cameroon posted an annual deficit equal to -0.007% of GDP, compared to deficit of -6.16% of GDP for Ghana.
| Year | Deficit/surplus, % of GDP | |
|---|---|---|
|
Cameroon
|
Ghana
|
|
| 1962 | - | -5.04% |
| 1963 | - | -5.66% |
| 1964 | - | -3.72% |
| 1965 | - | -3.29% |
| 1966 | - | -1.29% |
| 1967 | - | -2.32% |
| 1968 | - | -2.34% |
| 1969 | - | -2.67% |
| 1970 | - | -2.35% |
| 1971 | - | 0.13% |
| 1972 | - | -2.19% |
| 1973 | - | -2.64% |
| 1974 | - | -2.06% |
| 1975 | - | -4.05% |
| 1976 | - | -5.53% |
| 1977 | - | -4.68% |
| 1978 | - | -1.21% |
| 1979 | - | -3.61% |
| 1980 | - | -4.9% |
| 1981 | - | -3.85% |
| 1982 | - | -2.05% |
| 1983 | - | -1.18% |
| 1984 | - | -1.03% |
| 1985 | - | -1.25% |
| 1986 | - | -1.35% |
| 1987 | - | -1% |
| 1988 | - | -1.16% |
| 1989 | - | -0.88% |
| 1990 | - | -1.93% |
| 1991 | - | -1.47% |
| 1992 | - | -4.5% |
| 1993 | - | -5.39% |
| 1994 | - | -4.99% |
| 1995 | - | -4.52% |
| 1996 | - | -5.61% |
| 1997 | - | -6.14% |
| 1998 | - | -5.27% |
| 1999 | - | -5.64% |
| 2000 | 1.54% | -3.98% |
| 2001 | 0.86% | -3.64% |
| 2002 | 1.51% | -2.73% |
| 2003 | 0.56% | -1.99% |
| 2004 | -0.46% | -2.02% |
| 2005 | 3.03% | -1.87% |
| 2006 | 28.2% | -3.11% |
| 2007 | 3.87% | -4.91% |
| 2008 | 2% | -5.56% |
| 2009 | -0.04% | -5.05% |
| 2010 | -0.93% | -7.13% |
| 2011 | -2.26% | -5.47% |
| 2012 | -1.4% | -8.36% |
| 2013 | -3.55% | -9.12% |
| 2014 | -4.09% | -7.81% |
| 2015 | -4.25% | -4.01% |
| 2016 | -5.88% | -6.75% |
| 2017 | -4.72% | -3.97% |
| 2018 | -2.41% | -6.79% |
| 2019 | -3.24% | -7.52% |
| 2020 | -3.19% | -17.4% |
| 2021 | -3.01% | -12% |
| 2022 | -1.11% | -11.8% |
| 2023 | -0.63% | -3.37% |
| 2024 | -0.6% | -7.68% |
| 2025 | -0.84% | -2.76% |
Inflation comparison by year
Over the past 29 years, Cameroon has recorded an average annual inflation rate of 2.79%, compared with 18.6% in Ghana. In 2024, inflation was 4.53% in Cameroon and 22.8% in Ghana.
| Year | Inflation | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Cameroon
|
Ghana
|
Cameroon
|
Ghana
|
| 1996 | 3.92% | 46.6% | |
| 1997 | 4.79% | 27.9% | |
| 1998 | 3.17% | 14.6% | |
| 1999 | 1.87% | 4.87% | |
| 2000 | 1.23% | 40.2% | |
| 2001 | 4.42% | 41.5% | |
| 2002 | 2.83% | 9.36% | |
| 2003 | 0.62% | 29.8% | |
| 2004 | 0.23% | 18% | |
| 2005 | 2.01% | 15.4% | |
| 2006 | 5.12% | 11.7% | |
| 2007 | 0.92% | 10.7% | |
| 2008 | 5.34% | 16.5% | |
| 2009 | 3.04% | 19.2% | |
| 2010 | 1.28% | 10.7% | |
| 2011 | 2.94% | 8.73% | |
| 2012 | 2.74% | 11.2% | |
| 2013 | 2.05% | 11.7% | |
| 2014 | 1.85% | 15.5% | |
| 2015 | 2.68% | 17.1% | |
| 2016 | 0.87% | 17.5% | |
| 2017 | 0.64% | 12.4% | |
| 2018 | 1.07% | 7.81% | |
| 2019 | 2.45% | 7.14% | |
| 2020 | 2.44% | 9.89% | |
| 2021 | 2.27% | 9.97% | |
| 2022 | 6.25% | 31.3% | |
| 2023 | 7.38% | 38.1% | |
| 2024 | 4.53% | 22.8% | |
Top exports between countries
|
Cameroon
|
|
|---|---|
| Export category | Export value |
| Processed food, beverages & tobacco | $1.48M |
| Raw materials & minerals | $288K |
| Machinery & equipment | $209K |
| Chemicals & pharma | $171K |
| Raw agricultural goods | $145K |
| Metals | $109K |
| Textiles & consumer goods | $47K |
| Miscellaneous | $6K |
|
Ghana
|
|
|---|---|
| Export category | Export value |
| Textiles & consumer goods | $9.83M |
| Processed food, beverages & tobacco | $3.57M |
| Chemicals & pharma | $3.27M |
| Raw agricultural goods | $2.94M |
| Metals | $1.58M |
| Machinery & equipment | $1.48M |
| Raw materials & minerals | $658K |
| Miscellaneous | $337K |
| Animal & marine products | $48K |
| Wood & paper products | $8K |
Balance of trade
|
Cameroon
|
Ghana
|
|
|---|---|---|
Current account balance
|
-$2.02B
2023 |
$1.68B
2024 |
| Current account balance ranking |
143/189
2023 |
48/189
2024 |
| Current account balance, % of GDP |
-4.1%
2023 |
+2.03%
2024 |
| Goods imports |
$7.74B
2023 |
$15.4B
2024 |
| Goods exports |
$6.34B
2023 |
$19.2B
2024 |
| Service imports |
$2.55B
2023 |
$11.5B
2024 |
| Service exports |
$2.01B
2023 |
$9.27B
2024 |
| Imports of goods and services, % of GDP |
21.1%
2024 |
34.1%
2024 |
| Exports of goods and services, % of GDP |
14.7%
2024 |
35.3%
2024 |
Economic freedom indices
The indices of economic freedom below are issued by the Heritage Foundation. Higher scores indicate stronger economic health.
|
Cameroon
|
Ghana
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Economic freedom | 52.1 | 56 |
| Economic freedom ranking | 149/197 | 124/197 |
| Property rights | 31.3 | 50.5 |
| Government integrity | 20.7 | 45.8 |
| Judicial effectiveness | 10.3 | 58.2 |
| Tax burden | 72.9 | 79.9 |
| Government spending | 91.2 | 81.6 |
| Fiscal health | 92.3 | 6.2 |
| Business freedom | 48.8 | 56.6 |
| Labor freedom | 46.5 | 55.9 |
| Monetary freedom | 73.7 | 52.7 |
| Trade freedom | 57.2 | 64.4 |
| Investment freedom | 30 | 60 |
| Financial freedom | 50 | 60 |
Economic freedom by year comparison
The Economic Freedom Index for Cameroon is 52.1, ranking 149/197, compared to 56 for Ghana, ranking 124/197. The chart below displays a comparison of annual changes in economic freedom indexes.
| Year | Economic freedom index | |
|---|---|---|
|
Cameroon
|
Ghana
|
|
| 1995 | 51.3 | 55.6 |
| 1996 | 45.7 | 57.7 |
| 1997 | 44.6 | 56.7 |
| 1998 | 48 | 57 |
| 1999 | 50.3 | 57.9 |
| 2000 | 49.9 | 58.1 |
| 2001 | 53.3 | 58 |
| 2002 | 52.8 | 57.2 |
| 2003 | 52.7 | 58.2 |
| 2004 | 52.3 | 59.1 |
| 2005 | 53 | 56.5 |
| 2006 | 54.6 | 55.6 |
| 2007 | 55.6 | 57.6 |
| 2008 | 54.3 | 57 |
| 2009 | 53 | 58.1 |
| 2010 | 52.3 | 60.2 |
| 2011 | 51.8 | 59.4 |
| 2012 | 51.8 | 60.7 |
| 2013 | 52.3 | 61.3 |
| 2014 | 52.6 | 64.2 |
| 2015 | 51.9 | 63 |
| 2016 | 54.2 | 63 |
| 2017 | 51.8 | 56.2 |
| 2018 | 51.9 | 56 |
| 2019 | 52.4 | 57.5 |
| 2020 | 53.6 | 59.4 |
| 2021 | 53.4 | 59.2 |
| 2022 | 52.9 | 59.8 |
| 2023 | 51.9 | 58 |
| 2024 | 53.6 | 55.8 |
| 2025 | 52.1 | 56 |
More economic indicators
|
Cameroon
|
Ghana
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Services, % of GDP |
49.9%
2024 |
43.9%
2024 |
| Industry, % of GDP |
25.6%
2024 |
28.8%
2024 |
| Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP |
17.4%
2024 |
20.7%
2024 |
|
GNI, Atlas method
|
$49B
2024 |
$79.8B
2024 |
| GNI per capita, PPP |
$5,490
2024 |
$7,730
2024 |
| Total reserves including gold |
$4.88B
2023 |
$3.62B
2023 |
| Total reserves ranking |
103/177
2023 |
112/177
2023 |
|
Net foreign direct investment
|
-$901M
2023 |
-$1.76B
2024 |
|
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
|
$925M
2024 |
$1.77B
2024 |
|
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
|
$5.56M
2024 |
$5.37M
2024 |
|
Servicing debt to the IMF, % of GNI
|
3.53%
2023 |
1.71%
2023 |
| Poverty at national poverty lines |
37.7%
2021 |
23.4%
2016 |
|
Gross capital formation, % of GDP
|
21.4%
2024 |
9.96%
2024 |
GDP per capita map
GDP per capita
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Economy comparisons
The current account balance is the sum of net trade in goods and services, net earnings from cross-border investments, and net transfer payments. It reflects a country's economic transactions with the rest of the world and is a fundamental component of the balance of payments. A surplus indicates that a country exports more than it imports, while a deficit shows the opposite.
Gross National Income (GNI) measures a country's total income. It encompasses income earned by residents, businesses, and foreign sources, defined as employee compensation and investment profits. GNI adds product taxes not included elsewhere and subtracts subsidies. It accounts for income from residents working abroad but excludes earnings from foreigners within the country.
A negative value for Net Foreign Direct Investment indicates a country is a net receiver of investments, as foreign inflows exceed outflows after Balance of Payments adjustments. A positive value indicates a net provider, with outflows exceeding inflows. Inflows are credits (increasing foreign claims on domestic assets), while outflows are debits (increasing domestic assets abroad).
Foreign direct investment (FDI, net inflows) shows how much capital foreign investors bring into a country after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of overseas companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in the reporting country. A positive number means more capital entered the country than was withdrawn, while a negative number means foreign investors pulled out more than they invested.
Foreign direct investment (FDI, net outflows) shows how much capital residents of a country invest abroad after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of domestic companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in other countries. A positive number means more capital was invested abroad than withdrawn, while a negative number means residents pulled back more than they invested.
Principal and interest payments to the IMF in currency, goods, or services on long-term debt expressed as a share of GNI.
Formerly gross domestic investment, gross capital formation measures the share of a country’s economic output invested in fixed assets, including buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. It indicates how much of the economy is devoted to building productive capacity.