Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Cameroon
Cameroon: Population of compulsory school age, both sexes was 4.74 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Cameroon, 1998–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2025, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Cameroon stood at 4.74 million. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
The figure is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 27.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Cameroon peaked at 4.74 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 2.42 million, in 1998.
That places Cameroon 49th out of 197 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 2.42 million | — |
| 1999 | 2.48 million | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 2.53 million | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 2.58 million | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 2.63 million | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 2.67 million | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 2.72 million | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 2.77 million | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 2.84 million | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 2.90 million | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 2.98 million | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 3.06 million | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 3.16 million | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 3.26 million | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 3.37 million | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 3.48 million | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 3.59 million | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 3.71 million | +3.3% |
| 2016 | 3.82 million | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 3.93 million | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 4.03 million | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 4.12 million | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 4.21 million | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 4.30 million | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 4.40 million | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 4.51 million | +2.5% |
| 2024 | 4.62 million | +2.6% |
| 2025 | 4.74 million | +2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.45 million | 2.42 million | 2.48 million | 2 |
| 2000s | 2.77 million | 2.53 million | 3.06 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.65 million | 3.16 million | 4.12 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.46 million | 4.21 million | 4.74 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More education data for Cameroon
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,023 tertiary education (2024)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 121,453 (2024)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 2 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 4 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 56.1% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 41.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Cameroon?
- Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Cameroon was 4.74 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 4.74 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.42 million in 1998.
- How does Cameroon rank for population of compulsory school age, both sexes?
- Cameroon ranks 49th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population of compulsory school age, both sexes rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population of compulsory school age, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 28 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release