West: population, poverty, health, schools, businesses and prices
West is a region of Cameroon, number 6 of 10 by population. The National Institute of Statistics projected the population of the West region at 2,232,844 for 2025 (7.6% of Cameroon's 29.44 million); 5th smallest of the 10 regions. This is a projection from the 2005 census, the latest census with published results.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in West: The 2023 General Census of Enterprises counted 42,741 businesses and establishments in the West region, 9.7% of Cameroon's 438,893, up from 14,291 in 2016 (+199.1%; Cameroon: +109.5%).
- Health in West: Out of every 1,000 children born in the West region in the ten years before the 2018 survey, 51 died before their first birthday and 78 before age five; 5th lowest of the 11 survey areas with data for under-five deaths (Cameroon, last five years: 48 and 80).
- Education in West: Primary schools in the West region had 613,035 pupils and 13,188 teachers in 2021/22, 46 pupils per teacher, 5th highest of the 10 regions (Cameroon: 43).
How fast is the population of the West region growing?
The projections have West's population growing from 2,014,282 in 2016 to 2,232,844 in 2025, about 1.2% a year (Cameroon: 2.5%).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (INS) and Ministry of Public Health (MINSANTE) · saved copyHow many children do women in the West region have?
Women in the West region had 5.5 children each on average in the 2018 Demographic and Health Survey, 3rd highest of the 12 survey areas (Cameroon: 4.8).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate in the West region?
30.4% of people in the West region lived below the national poverty line (813 CFA francs a day per person) in 2022, according to ECAM5, the national household survey; 6th highest of the 12 survey areas (Cameroon: 37.7%).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique · saved copyHow many poor households are there in the West region?
0.5% of people in the West region lived in households in the poorest fifth nationally by assets and housing in 2018, 3rd lowest of the 10 regions (by design, 20% nationally).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copyDo people in the West region have enough to eat?
31.4% of women aged 15 to 49 in the West region faced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2018, and 7.1% severe food insecurity; the lowest of the 10 regions for moderate or severe (Cameroon: 47.2% and 16.2%).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copyHow common is domestic violence in the West region?
38.7% of married or formerly married women in the West region had suffered emotional, physical or sexual violence from a husband or partner in the past 12 months, 2nd highest of the 10 regions (Cameroon: 31.5%).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copyHow regions are governed in Cameroon
Regions (10). Regional council (90 councillors, five-year term) chosen indirectly; council elects a regional president. A governor appointed by the president represents the state.. Regional development, some education, health and sport functions; first regional councils took office after the December 2020 regional elections.
Every tier of government in Cameroon
Other regions of Cameroon
- Far North 5,499,114
- Centre 5,487,641
- Littoral 4,498,870
- North 3,485,915
- North-West 2,428,173
- South-West 2,098,488
- Adamawa 1,541,773
- East 1,283,771
- South 885,738
Up a level: Cameroon · government and power in Cameroon
Sources
- Institut National de la Statistique: Note sur les prix au Cameroun en décembre 2025 (consumer price index by regional capital; inflation in 2025), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4c55e0a546c1…)
- Institut National de la Statistique: Note sur les prix au Cameroun en juillet 2026 (consumer price index by regional capital), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 9dc29d67ea92…)
- Institut National de la Statistique (with ICF, The DHS Program): Enquête Démographique et de Santé du Cameroun 2018 (EDSC-V), final report: regional tables 2.1.2, 2.3.2, 2.6, 2.13, 3.3.1, 3.13, 5.2, 8.2-8.3, 9.5, 10.3, 11.1, 12.15, 14.4, 17.10.1, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b2fd029d9c33…)
- Institut National de la Statistique: Fifth Cameroon Household Survey (ECAM5): Situation of household living conditions in 2021-2022, policy brief (Figure 4: income poverty rate by survey region, 2022), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d0d09e4798f8…)
- Institut National de la Statistique with the education ministries (SIGE school census): Annuaire statistique sectoriel 2021-2022 de l'éducation et de la formation (key figures by region: primary VI.1, general secondary IX.1), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fe339187a8b4…)
- Institut National de la Statistique (INS) and Ministry of Public Health (MINSANTE): Projections démographiques et estimations des cibles prioritaires des différents programmes et interventions de santé, 2016-2025 (Tableaux 12-24: population by region and year), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a6b4012f1b22…)
- Institut National de la Statistique: 3rd General Census of Enterprises (RGE3), main report: businesses by region 2009-2023, turnover by region 2022, permanent jobs by region 2022, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 62895f181cfb…)
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