Land use for palm oil production in Cameroon
Cameroon: Land use for palm oil production was 223,979 hectares in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
223,979 hectares
Change on year
up 2.7%
World rank
12th
of 44 countries
All-time high
265,980 hectares
in 2021
All-time low
28,000 hectares
in 1962
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Land use for palm oil production in Cameroon, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for land use for palm oil production in Cameroon is 223,979 hectares, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 2.7% on the previous year and up 64.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use for palm oil production in Cameroon peaked at 265,980 hectares in 2021 and was at its lowest, 28,000 hectares, in 1962.
That places Cameroon 12th out of 44 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Land use for palm oil production in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 30,000 hectares | — |
| 1962 | 28,000 hectares | -6.7% |
| 1963 | 35,000 hectares | +25.0% |
| 1964 | 37,000 hectares | +5.7% |
| 1965 | 45,000 hectares | +21.6% |
| 1966 | 33,000 hectares | -26.7% |
| 1967 | 45,000 hectares | +36.4% |
| 1968 | 47,000 hectares | +4.4% |
| 1969 | 43,000 hectares | -8.5% |
| 1970 | 37,000 hectares | -14.0% |
| 1971 | 34,000 hectares | -8.1% |
| 1972 | 35,000 hectares | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 36,000 hectares | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 37,000 hectares | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 42,000 hectares | +13.5% |
| 1976 | 33,000 hectares | -21.4% |
| 1977 | 33,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 36,000 hectares | +9.1% |
| 1979 | 38,000 hectares | +5.6% |
| 1980 | 43,000 hectares | +13.2% |
| 1981 | 35,000 hectares | -18.6% |
| 1982 | 40,000 hectares | +14.3% |
| 1983 | 33,000 hectares | -17.5% |
| 1984 | 45,000 hectares | +36.4% |
| 1985 | 45,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 45,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 45,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 45,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 55,000 hectares | +22.2% |
| 1990 | 55,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 52,000 hectares | -5.5% |
| 1992 | 52,500 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 48,000 hectares | -8.6% |
| 1994 | 49,000 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 50,000 hectares | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 51,000 hectares | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 52,000 hectares | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 52,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 55,000 hectares | +5.8% |
| 2000 | 56,075 hectares | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 55,000 hectares | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 56,000 hectares | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 57,000 hectares | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 57,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 70,000 hectares | +22.8% |
| 2006 | 72,000 hectares | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 72,857 hectares | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 78,202 hectares | +7.3% |
| 2009 | 102,109 hectares | +30.6% |
| 2010 | 112,430 hectares | +10.1% |
| 2011 | 121,770 hectares | +8.3% |
| 2012 | 128,000 hectares | +5.1% |
| 2013 | 135,000 hectares | +5.5% |
| 2014 | 136,356 hectares | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 145,919 hectares | +7.0% |
| 2016 | 170,761 hectares | +17.0% |
| 2017 | 183,103 hectares | +7.2% |
| 2018 | 197,561 hectares | +7.9% |
| 2019 | 197,150 hectares | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 260,102 hectares | +31.9% |
| 2021 | 265,980 hectares | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 215,058 hectares | -19.1% |
| 2023 | 218,160 hectares | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 223,979 hectares | +2.7% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 223,979 hectares is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 41,858 hectares, 5.4× the median. (18 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 223,979 hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18,156 hectares, 12.3× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Land use for palm oil production in Cameroon changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | +36.4% | 33,000 hectares | 45,000 hectares |
| 1984 | +36.4% | 33,000 hectares | 45,000 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 38,111 hectares | 28,000 hectares | 47,000 hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 36,100 hectares | 33,000 hectares | 42,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 43,100 hectares | 33,000 hectares | 55,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 51,650 hectares | 48,000 hectares | 55,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 67,624 hectares | 55,000 hectares | 102,109 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 152,805 hectares | 112,430 hectares | 197,561 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 236,656 hectares | 215,058 hectares | 265,980 hectares | 5 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More environment data for Cameroon
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -8.11 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.68 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.211 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.15 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.6539 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 0.4385 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is land use for palm oil production in Cameroon?
- Land use for palm oil production in Cameroon was 223,979 hectares in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest land use for palm oil production recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 265,980 hectares in 2021.
- What is the lowest land use for palm oil production recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 28,000 hectares in 1962.
- How does Cameroon rank for land use for palm oil production?
- Cameroon ranks 12th out of 44 countries with data for 2024.
- Is land use for palm oil production rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 64.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Land use for palm oil production. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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