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Population density: Cameroon vs China compared

Updated on by Georank team

Cameroon has a population density of 168 people per square mile compared to 387 people in China. Cameroon has 175,720 sq ft of land per person vs 73,316 sq ft in China. Cameroon and China rank 126th and 67th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Cameroon has 0.36% of the world's population and 0.32% of all countries' land area, compared to 17.3% of the population and 6.3% of the land area for China, making the population density in Cameroon 56.6% lower than in China.

Population density by year

Cameroon
China

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Cameroon China
2026 168 387
2025 163.7 388
2024 159.6 389
2023 155.5 389
2022 151.4 390
2021 147.5 390
2020 143.6 389
2019 139.7 388
2018 135.9 387
2017 132.2 385
2016 128.5 383
2015 124.7 381
2014 120.9 378
2013 117.3 376
2012 114 374
2011 110.9 371
2010 107.8 369
2009 104.7 367
2008 101.8 365
2007 98.9 364
2006 96.2 362
2005 93.6 360
2004 91 358
2003 88.5 355
2002 86.2 353
2001 83.9 351
2000 81.7 348
1999 79.6 346
1998 77.5 343
1997 75.5 339
1996 73.5 336
1995 71.5 332
1994 69.6 329
1993 67.7 325
1992 65.8 321
1991 63.9 317
1990 62.1 313
1989 60.3 309
1988 58.5 304
1987 56.8 299.1
1986 55.1 294.3
1985 53.5 290
1984 51.9 286
1983 50.5 282.3
1982 49.5 278.3
1981 48.3 274.2
1980 46.6 270.7
1979 45.1 267.3
1978 43.9 263.8
1977 42.7 260.3
1976 41.6 256.8
1975 40.5 252.8
1974 39.4 248.4
1973 38.3 243.3
1972 37.3 237.8
1971 36.3 232
1970 35.3 225.8
1969 34.4 219.6
1968 33.6 213.7
1967 32.7 208.2
1966 32 202.9
1965 31.3 197.3
1964 30.6 192.7
1963 29.9 188.2
1962 29.3 183.7
1961 28.7 182.2

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/population-density/cameroon/china | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Cameroon increased by 74.7%, compared to a 6.98% growth in China.

In 2006, Cameroon ranked 138th by population density and is 126th now. China was 57th in 2006 and ranks 67th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Cameroon
China
1x
Year Urban population
Cameroon China
2024 55.4% 65.9%
2023 55.1% 65.5%
2022 54.8% 65.2%
2021 54.6% 64.7%
2020 54.3% 63.5%
2019 53.9% 62.7%
2018 53.6% 61.5%
2017 53.3% 60.2%
2016 53% 58.8%
2015 52.6% 57.3%
2014 52.3% 55.8%
2013 51.9% 54.5%
2012 51.6% 53.1%
2011 51.2% 51.8%
2010 50.9% 49.2%
2009 50.5% 48.3%
2008 50.1% 47%
2007 49.7% 45.9%
2006 49.2% 44.3%
2005 48.6% 43%
2004 48.2% 41.8%
2003 47.7% 40.5%
2002 47.3% 39.1%
2001 46.8% 37.7%
2000 46.2% 36.4%
1999 45.7% 34.8%
1998 45.1% 33.4%
1997 44.6% 31.9%
1996 44% 30.5%
1995 43.4% 29%
1994 42.7% 28.5%
1993 42.1% 28%
1992 41.4% 27.5%
1991 40.8% 26.9%
1990 40.1% 26.2%
1989 39.4% 26.2%
1988 38.7% 25.8%
1987 38% 25.3%
1986 37.3% 24.5%
1985 36.5% 23.7%
1984 35.7% 23%
1983 34.9% 21.6%
1982 34.1% 20.6%
1981 33.2% 20.2%
1980 32.3% 19.4%
1979 31.4% 19%
1978 30.4% 17.9%
1977 29.4% 17.6%
1976 28.4% 17.4%
1975 27.2% 17.3%
1974 25.8% 17.2%
1973 24.2% 17.2%
1972 22.7% 17.1%
1971 21.4% 17.3%
1970 20.3% 17.4%
1969 19.4% 17.5%
1968 18.6% 17.6%
1967 17.7% 17.7%
1966 16.9% 17.9%
1965 16.2% 18%
1964 15.5% 18.3%
1963 14.9% 16.8%
1962 14.4% 17.3%
1961 13.9% 19.3%
1960 13.6% 19.7%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/cameroon/china | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 48.2% to 55.4% in Cameroon and from 41.8% to 65.9% in China.

Densely populated cities

Cameroon
City Population
Douala 2.77M
Yaounde 2.44M
Garoua 1.75M
Bafoussam 480K
Bamenda 349K
Maroua 201K
Ngaoundere 190K
Kumba 144K
Buea 131K
Limbe 84.2K
China
City Population
Chongqing 32.1M
Shanghai 24.9M
Beijing 21.9M
Chengdu 20.9M
Guangzhou 18.7M
Shenzhen 17.5M
Tianjin 13.9M
Xi'an 13M
Suzhou 12.7M
Zhengzhou 12.6M

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population-density/cameroon/china | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2001–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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