Ghana’s population growth rate drops to 2.1%, population to double in 33 years – Gov’t Statistician

Ghana's annual population growth rate has decreased to 2.1%, according to Government Statistician Dr Alhassan Iddrisu. This decline extends the time frame for the country's population to double to around 33 years. The statistician explained that the current growth rate is lower than in previous years, which has slowed the rate of population expansion.

With a 2.1% growth rate, it would now take approximately 33 years for Ghana's population of 33.7 million to double. Iddrisu noted that a higher growth rate would have shortened the doubling period. For instance, if the population were growing at 2.7% annually, it would take about 26 years to double, while a growth rate of 2.5% would result in a doubling period of around 28 years.

Currently, Ghana has an estimated population of 33.7 million, with an annual addition of 500,000 to 700,000 people. The country's settlement patterns are also evolving, with urban residents accounting for 32% of the population in 1984, compared to 68% in rural areas. This urban population increased to 43% in 2000 and overtaken rural residents in 2010, when it represented 50.9% of the total population.

Data from the 2021 Population and Housing Census showed that 56.7% of Ghanaians now live in urban areas, while the remaining 43% reside in rural communities.