Ghana adds 500,000 to 700,000 people to its population annually – Statistician

Ghana's population is expanding by an estimated 500,000 to 700,000 individuals each year, with the current total at around 33.7 million people, according to Government Statistician Dr Alhassan Iddrisu. The country's annual population growth rate currently sits at 2.1 percent, which could result in the population doubling within approximately 33 years if the trend remains consistent.

During an interview on Channel One TV on November 4, Dr Iddrisu revealed that the country's population currently consists of about 33.7 million people, with the annual increase of 500,000 to 700,000 people reflecting the continuous growth. While the population continues to rise, the rate of growth has slowed down compared to previous years.

Had the growth rate been 2.7 percent, the population would have doubled in about 26 years, while a 2.5 percent growth rate would have led to a doubling period of around 28 years. Dr Iddrisu also noted a shift in the country's population distribution, with urban areas now housing 32 percent of Ghana's population in 1984, increasing to 43 percent by 2000, and overtaking rural areas in 2010, when they accounted for 50.9 percent of the total population.

The 2021 Population and Housing Census indicates that approximately 60 percent of Ghana's 33.7 million residents now reside in urban areas.