Ghana’s population has increased to 30.8 million, according to the provisional figures of the 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC).
The population of Ghana in the last census (2010 PHC) was 24.7 million, which means the country population has increased by 6.1 million.
According to the Ghana Statistical Service, the 2021 census shows that women represent 50.7 per cent of the population while men represent 49.3 per cent of the population.
Regarding regional figures, the total number of people living in the Greater Accra Region is 5,446, 237, and that of the Ashanti Region is 5,432,485.
This means Greater Accra Region is marginally leading Ashanti Region by 13,750 people.
According to the census, the Region with the least population is Ahafo (600,000) and the Region with the most populated women is Volta Region.
The Chief Census Officer and Government Statistician, Professor Samuel Kobina Annim, who disclosed this, said Greater Accra had overtaken Ashanti Region regarding the total number of people living in geographical boundaries in Ghana. In contrast, Ahafo Region has taken the place of the Upper West Region as the least populated area in the country.
The results revealed that population in the Northern Region has increased by almost 50 per cent as compared to the figures recorded in the 2010 PHC, he said
The population of the Greater Accra Region increased by 35.8 per cent, which means it is the second geographical area of Ghana, which recorded the highest population change, he added.
In terms of household size, the Greater Accra and Eastern Regions recorded the least household size (3.2%) while the North East Region recorded the largest household (6.0%), he hinted.
“In nine out of the 16 regions, households had less than four members, on average, with the smaller household sizes observed in the southern part of the country,” Prof. Annim said.
He said the southern part of the country has the largest population density. The Greater Accra Region population density is 1,236 person per square kilometre, the highest in the country.
He disclosed that the full report of the census would be released on 18th November 2021.
The Government Statistician said the regional sex ratios in the 2021 Census range from 91 males for every 100 females in the Volta Region to 105 males for every 100 females in the Western North Region.
These rates, he explained, were consistent with the findings from the 2010 Census where the then Volta region had the lowest sex ratio of 89 with the then Western Region recording the highest of 104.
Touching on households, the Professor said the total number of households had grown by 2.8 million, representing a 52 per cent increase over the 5,467,136 households enumerated in 2010.
Patience Anaadem, ISD
