🇨🇲 Cameroon (Africa)

Visiting: Recommend CautionLGBT+ visiting: Not Recommended

They call Cameroon 'Africa in miniature' — a volcano rising straight out of the Atlantic, Sahel wildlife up north, green highlands along the Ring Road, and around 250 languages spoken in between. Parts of the country are genuinely troubled, so this is a trip you plan region by region rather than roam freely. Homosexuality is illegal, and it's enforced: LGBT+ travellers should go elsewhere.

Homicide

Intentional homicides per 100,000 people — lower is better.

64.3(worst)
0.0(best)

Cameroon: 6.8

Ranked 55th in the world for the highest homicide rate.

6.76 homicides per 100,000 people in 2022 — an elevated rate by world standards.

Higher than 69% of the 230 countries and territories measured.

Source: UNODC intentional homicide statistics (UN SDG database, indicator 16.1.1) · published 2026

Peace

How peaceful the country is — lower is better.

3.4(worst)
1.0(best)

Cameroon: 2.7

Ranked 27th least peaceful country in the world.

More peaceful than 16% of the 163 countries ranked, scoring 2.683.

Up 5 places since 2024.

Source: Global Peace Index 2025, Institute for Economics & Peace · published June 2025

Freedom

Personal and economic freedom — higher is better.

2.5(worst)
9.3(best)

Cameroon: 5.1

Ranked 31st least free country in the world.

Less free than 86% of the 165 countries measured — 5.13 out of 10.

Day-to-day life (speech, movement, religion) scores 4.76; doing business and owning property, 5.64.

Source: Human Freedom Index 2025, Cato Institute / Fraser Institute · published December 2025

LGBT

LGBT+ equality in law and daily life — higher is better.

0.0(worst)
9.3(best)

Cameroon: Illegal

Ranked 55th least equal in the world for LGBT+ people.

Homosexuality is criminalised here, with a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and a fine of 200,000 West African CFA Francs.

Public attitudes score 11 out of 100 — the law and public opinion are not the same thing.

Source: Human Dignity Trust, Map of Criminalisation · published 2026 (live map)