Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (UNESCO Institute) in Ghana
Ghana: Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (UNESCO Institute) was 3.4 births per woman in 2023. ▼ Falling
Fertility rate, total in Ghana, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertility rate, total in Ghana is 3.4 births per woman, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 54 years on record.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 17.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate, total in Ghana peaked at 6.95 births per woman in 1970 and was at its lowest, 3.4 births per woman, in 2023.
Ghana ranks 46th of 215 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (UNESCO Institute) in Ghana, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6.95 births per woman | — |
| 1971 | 6.95 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1972 | 6.92 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 6.87 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1974 | 6.82 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1975 | 6.76 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1976 | 6.7 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 6.64 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1978 | 6.56 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1979 | 6.51 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1980 | 6.47 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 6.42 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 6.31 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1983 | 6.23 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 6.15 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 6.12 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 6.08 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 6.02 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 5.92 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1989 | 5.82 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1990 | 5.74 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 5.63 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 5.52 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1993 | 5.41 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 5.25 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 1995 | 5.11 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 1996 | 4.96 births per woman | -2.9% |
| 1997 | 4.88 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 4.83 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 4.82 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 4.83 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 4.77 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 4.69 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 4.6 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 4.5 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 4.5 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 4.4 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 4.29 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 4.22 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 4.18 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 4.18 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 4.18 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 4.15 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 4.11 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 4.03 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 3.98 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 3.87 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 3.71 births per woman | -4.1% |
| 2018 | 3.65 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 3.59 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 3.54 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 3.49 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 3.43 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 3.4 births per woman | -1.1% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 3.4 births per woman is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.15 births per woman, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 3.4 births per woman is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4 births per woman, 85% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.77 births per woman | 6.51 births per woman | 6.95 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.15 births per woman | 5.82 births per woman | 6.47 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.22 births per woman | 4.82 births per woman | 5.74 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.5 births per woman | 4.18 births per woman | 4.83 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.95 births per woman | 3.59 births per woman | 4.18 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.47 births per woman | 3.4 births per woman | 3.54 births per woman | 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)
- Population growth rate 0.141 (2100)
- Population density 296.87 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 4.28 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate, total in Ghana?
- Fertility rate, total in Ghana was 3.4 births per woman in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest fertility rate, total recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 6.95 births per woman in 1970.
- What is the lowest fertility rate, total recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.4 births per woman in 2023.
- How does Ghana rank for fertility rate, total?
- Ghana ranks 46th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertility rate, total rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Fertility rate, total (births per woman). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release