Net foreign assets in Cameroon
Cameroon: Net foreign assets was 2.35 trillion current LCU in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Net foreign assets in Cameroon, 1960–2019
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
The most recent figure for net foreign assets in Cameroon is 2.35 trillion current LCU, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 60 years on record.
The figure is up 13.5% on the previous year and up 32.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net foreign assets in Cameroon peaked at 2.35 trillion current LCU in 2019 and was at its lowest, -350.21 billion current LCU, in 1995.
That places Cameroon 45th out of 187 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net foreign assets in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.56 billion current LCU | — |
| 1961 | 3.42 billion current LCU | -3.9% |
| 1962 | 5.71 billion current LCU | +67.0% |
| 1963 | 5.54 billion current LCU | -3.0% |
| 1964 | 7.02 billion current LCU | +26.7% |
| 1965 | 5.12 billion current LCU | -27.1% |
| 1966 | 7.60 billion current LCU | +48.4% |
| 1967 | 4.07 billion current LCU | -46.4% |
| 1968 | 7.83 billion current LCU | +92.1% |
| 1969 | 11.95 billion current LCU | +52.6% |
| 1970 | 17.75 billion current LCU | +48.5% |
| 1971 | 14.78 billion current LCU | -16.7% |
| 1972 | 3.92 billion current LCU | -73.5% |
| 1973 | 8.66 billion current LCU | +121.0% |
| 1974 | 8.80 billion current LCU | +1.6% |
| 1975 | -4.84 billion current LCU | -155.0% |
| 1976 | -3.13 billion current LCU | -35.3% |
| 1977 | -7.14 billion current LCU | +128.1% |
| 1978 | -22.59 billion current LCU | +216.6% |
| 1979 | -701.14 million current LCU | -96.9% |
| 1980 | -20.04 billion current LCU | +2758.4% |
| 1981 | 23.50 billion current LCU | -217.2% |
| 1982 | -31.42 billion current LCU | -233.7% |
| 1983 | 34.22 billion current LCU | -208.9% |
| 1984 | 103.46 billion current LCU | +202.4% |
| 1985 | 135.36 billion current LCU | +30.8% |
| 1986 | -44.01 billion current LCU | -132.5% |
| 1987 | -21.58 billion current LCU | -51.0% |
| 1988 | -216.25 billion current LCU | +902.2% |
| 1989 | -203.48 billion current LCU | -5.9% |
| 1990 | -193.81 billion current LCU | -4.8% |
| 1991 | -195.92 billion current LCU | +1.1% |
| 1992 | -185.96 billion current LCU | -5.1% |
| 1993 | -235.41 billion current LCU | +26.6% |
| 1994 | -323.60 billion current LCU | +37.5% |
| 1995 | -350.21 billion current LCU | +8.2% |
| 1996 | -313.45 billion current LCU | -10.5% |
| 1997 | -218.28 billion current LCU | -30.4% |
| 1998 | -226.11 billion current LCU | +3.6% |
| 1999 | -221.47 billion current LCU | -2.1% |
| 2000 | -22.15 billion current LCU | -90.0% |
| 2001 | 108.93 billion current LCU | -591.8% |
| 2002 | 282.79 billion current LCU | +159.6% |
| 2003 | 242.04 billion current LCU | -14.4% |
| 2004 | 339.77 billion current LCU | +40.4% |
| 2005 | 479.29 billion current LCU | +41.1% |
| 2006 | 1.02 trillion current LCU | +111.9% |
| 2007 | 1.50 trillion current LCU | +48.0% |
| 2008 | 1.74 trillion current LCU | +15.5% |
| 2009 | 1.78 trillion current LCU | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 1.85 trillion current LCU | +3.9% |
| 2011 | 1.63 trillion current LCU | -11.9% |
| 2012 | 1.54 trillion current LCU | -5.4% |
| 2013 | 1.55 trillion current LCU | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 1.67 trillion current LCU | +7.5% |
| 2015 | 2.20 trillion current LCU | +32.0% |
| 2016 | 1.72 trillion current LCU | -22.0% |
| 2017 | 2.00 trillion current LCU | +16.6% |
| 2018 | 2.07 trillion current LCU | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 2.35 trillion current LCU | +13.5% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 2.35 trillion current LCU is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 256.19 billion current LCU, 9.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 2.35 trillion current LCU is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 241.93 billion current LCU, 9.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net foreign assets 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | -2758.4% | -701.14 million current LCU | -20.04 billion current LCU |
| 1988 | -902.2% | -21.58 billion current LCU | -216.25 billion current LCU |
| 2001 | +591.8% | -22.15 billion current LCU | 108.93 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.18 billion current LCU | 3.42 billion current LCU | 11.95 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.55 billion current LCU | -22.59 billion current LCU | 17.75 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | -24.02 billion current LCU | -216.25 billion current LCU | 135.36 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | -246.42 billion current LCU | -350.21 billion current LCU | -185.96 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 746.68 billion current LCU | -22.15 billion current LCU | 1.78 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.86 trillion current LCU | 1.54 trillion current LCU | 2.35 trillion current LCU | 10 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More financial sector data for Cameroon
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 27.34 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 0.0753 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 21.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 0.055 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 27.34 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 0.0753 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 21.26 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net foreign assets in Cameroon?
- Net foreign assets in Cameroon was 2.35 trillion current LCU in 2019, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest net foreign assets recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 2.35 trillion current LCU in 2019.
- What is the lowest net foreign assets recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was -350.21 billion current LCU in 1995.
- How does Cameroon rank for net foreign assets?
- Cameroon ranks 45th out of 187 countries with data for 2019.
- Is net foreign assets rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Net foreign assets (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Net foreign assets are the sum of foreign assets held by monetary authorities and deposit money banks, less their foreign liabilities. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.