Share of women who are married or in a union in Cameroon
Cameroon: Share of women who are married or in a union was 18.6% in 2018. ▼ Falling
Share of women who are married or in a union in Cameroon, 1970–2018
Source: United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Cameroon recorded 18.6% for share of women who are married or in a union in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 49 years on record.
The figure is down 4.5% on the previous year and down 31.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are married or in a union in Cameroon peaked at 44.5% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 18.6%, in 2018.
Cameroon ranks 26th of 221 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 49 years of available data.
Share of women who are married or in a union in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 44.5% | — |
| 1971 | 44.5% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 44.5% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 44.5% | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 44.5% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 44.5% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 44.5% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 44.0% | -1.1% |
| 1978 | 43.5% | -1.1% |
| 1979 | 43.1% | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 42.6% | -1.1% |
| 1981 | 42.1% | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 41.6% | -1.2% |
| 1983 | 41.1% | -1.2% |
| 1984 | 40.6% | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 40.1% | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 39.6% | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 39.1% | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 38.6% | -1.3% |
| 1989 | 38.2% | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 37.7% | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 37.2% | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 36.7% | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 36.2% | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 35.7% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 35.2% | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 34.7% | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 34.2% | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 33.7% | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 33.3% | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 32.8% | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 32.3% | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 31.8% | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 31.3% | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 30.8% | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 29.9% | -2.8% |
| 2006 | 29.1% | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 28.2% | -3.0% |
| 2008 | 27.3% | -3.1% |
| 2009 | 26.4% | -3.2% |
| 2010 | 25.6% | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 24.7% | -3.4% |
| 2012 | 23.8% | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 23.0% | -3.7% |
| 2014 | 22.1% | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 21.2% | -3.9% |
| 2016 | 20.4% | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 19.5% | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 18.6% | -4.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 44.2% | 43.1% | 44.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 40.4% | 38.2% | 42.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 35.5% | 33.3% | 37.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.0% | 26.4% | 32.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.1% | 18.6% | 25.6% | 9 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
- 23 Gambia 18.9% compare
- 24 Senegal 18.8% compare
- 25 Iran, Islamic Republic of 18.8% compare
- 27 Iraq 18.4% compare
- 27 Tanzania, United Republic of 18.4% compare
- 29 French Polynesia 18.3% compare
More gender data for Cameroon
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 13,337 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.53 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 465,137 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 475,018 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 453,098 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 461,925 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 443,236 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 452,058 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 436,011 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 444,018 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are married or in a union in Cameroon?
- Share of women who are married or in a union in Cameroon was 18.6% in 2018, according to United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 44.5% in 1970.
- What is the lowest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.6% in 2018.
- How does Cameroon rank for share of women who are married or in a union?
- Cameroon ranks 26th out of 221 countries with data for 2018.
- Is share of women who are married or in a union rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women who are married or in a union. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of women aged 15-19 sharing a household with their partner, whether married, cohabiting, in consensual partnerships, or in other non-marital unions.