Population density in Ghana
Ghana: Population density was 148.5 people per sq. km of land area in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
148.5 people per sq. km of land area
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
76th
of 215 countries
All-time high
148.5 people per sq. km of land area
in 2023
All-time low
31.48 people per sq. km of land area
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Population density in Ghana, 1961–2023
Source: FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in people per sq. km of land area.
Analysis
In 2023, population density in Ghana stood at 148.5 people per sq. km of land area. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 23.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in Ghana peaked at 148.5 people per sq. km of land area in 2023 and was at its lowest, 31.48 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
Ghana ranks 76th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Population density in Ghana, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 31.48 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 32.25 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1963 | 33.03 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1964 | 33.82 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1965 | 34.64 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 35.49 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 36.35 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1968 | 37.25 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1969 | 38.19 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1970 | 39.23 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1971 | 40.33 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 41.48 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 42.69 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 43.95 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 45.24 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 46.56 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 47.96 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 49.44 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 50.97 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 52.48 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 53.98 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 55.57 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 57.26 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 58.76 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 60.04 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 61.37 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 62.8 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 64.33 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 65.95 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 67.66 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 69.38 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 71.13 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 72.91 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 74.68 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 76.47 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 78.27 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 80.16 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 82.13 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 84.16 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 86.3 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 88.63 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 91.1 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 93.6 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 96.11 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 98.66 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 101.26 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 103.9 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 106.57 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 109.27 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 111.96 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 114.68 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 117.49 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 120.36 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 123.24 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 126.11 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 129.02 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 131.88 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 134.65 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 137.38 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 140.15 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 142.92 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 145.69 people per sq. km of land area | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 148.5 people per sq. km of land area | +1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 34.72 people per sq. km of land area | 31.48 people per sq. km of land area | 38.19 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 44.78 people per sq. km of land area | 39.23 people per sq. km of land area | 50.97 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 59.25 people per sq. km of land area | 52.48 people per sq. km of land area | 65.95 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 75.69 people per sq. km of land area | 67.66 people per sq. km of land area | 84.16 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 97.54 people per sq. km of land area | 86.3 people per sq. km of land area | 109.27 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 124.68 people per sq. km of land area | 111.96 people per sq. km of land area | 137.38 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 144.31 people per sq. km of land area | 140.15 people per sq. km of land area | 148.5 people per sq. km of land area | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 73 China 150.26 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 74 Denmark 148.67 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 75 Indonesia 148.58 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 77 Isle of Man 147.66 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 78 United Arab Emirates 147.62 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 79 Cyprus 145.56 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for Ghana
- Population in the largest city 19.5% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 28.14 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.1946 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 6.82 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 3.02 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 28.25 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 4.04 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 0.49 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 232.51 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in Ghana?
- Population density in Ghana was 148.5 people per sq. km of land area in 2023, according to FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest population density recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 148.5 people per sq. km of land area in 2023.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.48 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does Ghana rank for population density?
- Ghana ranks 76th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population density rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Population density (people per sq. km of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.