Annual change in population in Ghana
Ghana: Annual change in population was 638,764 people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
638,764 people
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
35th
of 236 countries
All-time high
660,665 people
in 2016
All-time low
148,470 people
in 1951
Years of data
73
1951–2023
Annual change in population in Ghana, 1951–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Ghana recorded 638,764 people for annual change in population in 2023.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and down 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual change in population in Ghana peaked at 660,665 people in 2016 and was at its lowest, 148,470 people, in 1951.
That places Ghana 35th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 73 years of available data.
Annual change in population in Ghana, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 148,470 people | — |
| 1952 | 158,360 people | +6.7% |
| 1953 | 166,475 people | +5.1% |
| 1954 | 175,461 people | +5.4% |
| 1955 | 185,503 people | +5.7% |
| 1956 | 194,671 people | +4.9% |
| 1957 | 202,894 people | +4.2% |
| 1958 | 207,659 people | +2.3% |
| 1959 | 215,388 people | +3.7% |
| 1960 | 225,671 people | +4.8% |
| 1961 | 201,456 people | -10.7% |
| 1962 | 174,706 people | -13.3% |
| 1963 | 177,343 people | +1.5% |
| 1964 | 181,023 people | +2.1% |
| 1965 | 186,865 people | +3.2% |
| 1966 | 191,920 people | +2.7% |
| 1967 | 197,395 people | +2.9% |
| 1968 | 203,810 people | +3.2% |
| 1969 | 214,650 people | +5.3% |
| 1970 | 235,429 people | +9.7% |
| 1971 | 250,451 people | +6.4% |
| 1972 | 261,925 people | +4.6% |
| 1973 | 276,426 people | +5.5% |
| 1974 | 285,913 people | +3.4% |
| 1975 | 293,784 people | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 300,606 people | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 316,951 people | +5.4% |
| 1978 | 336,584 people | +6.2% |
| 1979 | 348,798 people | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 344,200 people | -1.3% |
| 1981 | 340,271 people | -1.1% |
| 1982 | 362,098 people | +6.4% |
| 1983 | 386,021 people | +6.6% |
| 1984 | 340,750 people | -11.7% |
| 1985 | 290,646 people | -14.7% |
| 1986 | 303,984 people | +4.6% |
| 1987 | 323,889 people | +6.5% |
| 1988 | 347,467 people | +7.3% |
| 1989 | 370,237 people | +6.6% |
| 1990 | 387,836 people | +4.8% |
| 1991 | 392,845 people | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 397,368 people | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 404,658 people | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 403,669 people | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 405,833 people | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 411,161 people | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 428,777 people | +4.3% |
| 1998 | 449,080 people | +4.7% |
| 1999 | 461,834 people | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 487,210 people | +5.5% |
| 2001 | 529,988 people | +8.8% |
| 2002 | 562,319 people | +6.1% |
| 2003 | 567,318 people | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 571,588 people | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 581,148 people | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 591,258 people | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 601,580 people | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 607,661 people | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 612,722 people | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 612,333 people | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 620,091 people | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 639,182 people | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 651,920 people | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 655,399 people | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 654,479 people | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 660,665 people | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 651,628 people | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 629,228 people | -3.4% |
| 2019 | 621,351 people | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 628,859 people | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 630,860 people | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 630,490 people | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 638,764 people | +1.3% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 638,764 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 167,005 people, 3.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 638,764 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 359,940 people, 1.8× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 183,876 people | 148,470 people | 215,388 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 195,484 people | 174,706 people | 225,671 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 290,687 people | 235,429 people | 348,798 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 340,956 people | 290,646 people | 386,021 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 414,306 people | 387,836 people | 461,834 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 571,279 people | 487,210 people | 612,722 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 639,628 people | 612,333 people | 660,665 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 632,243 people | 628,859 people | 638,764 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More population data for Ghana
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.1514 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.1514 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2469 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 52,232 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.76 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5066 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.1% (2100)
- Population density 296.87 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 4.28 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual change in population in Ghana?
- Annual change in population in Ghana was 638,764 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual change in population recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 660,665 people in 2016.
- What is the lowest annual change in population recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 148,470 people in 1951.
- How does Ghana rank for annual change in population?
- Ghana ranks 35th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual change in population rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual change in population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual change in population, calculated as the difference between population on 1 July of consecutive years.