Quick facts
Bamenda overview
Bamenda (orange) and the other large cities of Cameroon
Bamenda lies in North-West in Cameroon at 5.96°N, 10.15°E, about 1,258 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Douala (UTC+1); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Yaoundé (1,299,369) and larger than Bafoussam (373,268). The largest city in Cameroon is Douala with 1,338,082 people; the capital, Yaoundé, has 1,299,369.
The national capital, Yaoundé, is about 278 km away; the nearest large city is Mbouda, 39 km from Bamenda.
Cameroon as a whole has a live population of 30,862,635 (+2.5% a year) and ranks #51 of 238 countries — see the Cameroon population page for the full statistics and the Cameroon atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Bamenda
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Mbouda West | 39 km | 71,867 |
| Dschang West | 58 km | 99,582 |
| Bafoussam West | 61 km | 373,268 |
| Kumbo North-West | 63 km | 125,124 |
| Foumbot West | 74 km | 74,319 |
| Foumban West | 87 km | 130,287 |
| Melong Littoral | 95 km | 76,716 |
| Nkongsamba Littoral | 114 km | 162,309 |
Largest cities in Cameroon
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bamenda?
Bamenda has about 420,445 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Bamenda the capital of Cameroon?
No. The capital of Cameroon is Yaoundé (1,299,369 people), about 278 km away. Bamenda is the 3rd largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Bamenda compared with the rest of Cameroon?
Its 420,445 residents are 1.4% of the 30,862,635 people living in Cameroon today. Douala is larger with 1,338,082 people.
Where is Bamenda?
In North-West, Cameroon, at latitude 5.96 and longitude 10.15, 1,258 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Mbouda (39 km), Dschang (58 km), Bafoussam (61 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Bamenda Population 2026 — Cameroon. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/cameroon/bamenda/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/cameroon/bamenda/">Bamenda Population 2026 — Cameroon</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.