Ghana Population

elaineqho May 6, 2024 1 Comment

Population Distribution

As of 2023, the latest population of Ghana is 29,340,248, based on our calculation of the current data from UN (United Nations).

Total population	29,340,248
Population growth rate	2.15%
Birth rate	30.50 births per 1,000 people
Life expectancy
Overall	65.32 years
Men	62.99 years
Women	67.71 years
Age structure
0-14 years	37.83%
15-64 years	57.87%
65 years and above	4.30%
Median age	20.90 years
Gender ratio (Male to Female)	0.98
Population density	123.00 residents per km²
Urbanization	45.40%
Ethnicities
especially Kwa- u. Gur groups, Mande, Hausa, Fulbe
Religions
Indigenous religions 38%, Muslims 30%, Christians 24%, others 8%
Human Development Index (HDI)	0.596
HDI ranking	142nd out of 194

People in Ghana

Many peoples live in Ghana. Each has its own culture and language. The Akan ethnic group has the largest share of the population (47.5 percent). Several subgroups belong to the Akan. The best known and largest is the Ashanti group, another the Fanti. Other ethnic groups in Ghana are the Dagomba (16.6 percent), the Ewe (13.9 percent) and the Ga-Adangme (7.4 percent).

The Ashanti and the Fanti were not well disposed towards each other before. The Ashanti owned a large empire until the end of the 19th century. The Fanti who live on the coast worked with the British and their area was the first to become a British colony. The Ashanti fought for a long time against the British and the Fanti, allied with them.

The Akan still maintain their old traditions, especially if they live in the country. They weave Kent fabrics with geometric patterns and often in the colors red, yellow and green. Clay and wood goods, but also clothing, especially among the Ashanti, are stamped with Adinkra symbols and then worn on certain festive days or at funerals. Every symbol has a meaning. The Sankofa bird stands for “learning from the past”.

The tribes still have their chiefs, and even every family (every clan) has a nana, the leader of the clan. The Ashanti have an Ashanti king, the Asantehene. He lives in a palace in Kumasi. He has no political power, but still plays an important role for the Ashanti.

People love dance and music. Traditional music mainly includes drums. In the past, drums were also used to transmit messages.

Holidays are very important. On the one hand, there are religious holidays such as Easter and Christmas for Christians or the end of Ramadan for Muslims. On the other hand, there are public holidays like March 6th, Independence Day. The yams festival, called Adae, is celebrated in a big way every year. One thanks the ancestors here.

What exactly is rural exodus?

More and more people are moving to the cities. This is a typical phenomenon in West Africa (for example also in the Ivory Coast). This is called rural exodus. The more people come to cities, the more housing and jobs are lacking. In Ghana, just over half of the people live in cities (56 percent).

Languages in Ghana

Until 1957, Ghana was under British colonial rule. That is why English had become the official language. This is the language that is officially spoken and used, for example in government offices or in newspapers.

But there are also the languages ​​of the peoples who live in Ghana. That’s more than 70 languages! Many Ghanaians speak several languages ​​fluently. The languages ​​of the peoples are usually called the same as the people who speak them. The Mole-Dagbani speak Mole-Dagbani, the Ewe speak Ewe, the Ga-Dangme speak Ga-Dangme, etc. The largest ethnic group in Ghana are the Akan. Their language is called Akan language or Twi (pronounced: Tschui). It belongs to the Kwa languages. There are several dialects in Twi.

Not all, but some of these languages ​​are also written. This also includes the Akan language. It is written using the Latin alphabet (which you also learn in school). There are also other letters from the so-called Africa alphabet. They can be used to record sounds from African languages ​​in writing, for example the ḅ, a “b” with a dot below it. It’s pronounced like a “b”, but the airflow goes inwards instead of outwards! Give it a try!

“Good morning” in the Akan language means Twi: “M’aakye”. It is pronounced like this: Ma-atsche.

Religions in Ghana

About 71 percent of the population belong to Christianity. Most of the Christians live in the south of the country. Another 18 percent belong to Islam. Five percent are followers of natural religions. These include the Akan religion and the Ga religion. The remainder belong to other religions or to no church.

Ghana Overview

Ghana, located along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean in West Africa, is celebrated for its diverse wildlife, secluded beaches, and rich history. The capital, Accra, features vibrant markets and a thriving cultural scene. Ghana is notably famous for its significant role in the gold and slave trades, highlighted by historic forts like Elmina Castle. It was the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence from colonial rule, leading to a strong sense of national pride. Ghana is also known for its colorful traditional kente cloth and lively music and dance scenes, including highlife music.

State Facts of Ghana:

• Capital City: Accra
• Population: Approximately 31 million
• Area: Approximately 238,533 square kilometers
• Full Country Name: Republic of Ghana
• Currency: Ghanaian cedi (GHS)
• Language: English
• ISO Country Codes: GH, GHA, 288

Bordering Countries of Ghana

Ghana is a West African country located in the Gulf of Guinea and it borders a total of six countries. To the north, Ghana shares its border with Burkina Faso, to the east lies Togo, to the south-east is Côte d’Ivoire, and to the west are La Côte d’Ivoire and La Côte d’Ivoire.

Burkina Faso is located directly north of Ghana and it is connected by land via a 518 mile border between the two countries. It has an area of 105,869 square miles with an estimated population of 20 million in 2020. The terrain consists mostly of flat plains with some hills in its northern region. Burkina Faso is a semi-presidential republic with its official language being French.

Togo lies to the east of Ghana and has an area of 21,925 square miles with an estimated population of 8 million people in 2020. It has a tropical climate that features hot temperatures throughout most of the year as well as heavy rainfall during certain seasons. Togo is also a semi-presidential republic like Burkina Faso but its official language is Ewe instead of French as one would expect due to their proximity to each other.

Côte d’Ivoire shares its south-eastern border with Ghana and has an area of 32,462 square miles with an estimated population of 25 million people in 2020. Its terrain consists mostly of tropical forests but also includes coastal plains along its western coast due to its close proximity to Ghana’s Atlantic Ocean coastline. The Côte d’Ivoire is also a semi-presidential republic like Burkina Faso but its official language is French instead of Ewe as one would expect due to their proximity to each other.