Land use for palm oil production in Ghana
Ghana: Land use for palm oil production was 435,934 hectares in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
435,934 hectares
Change on year
up 2.5%
World rank
6th
of 44 countries
All-time high
435,934 hectares
in 2024
All-time low
60,000 hectares
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Land use for palm oil production in Ghana, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2024, land use for palm oil production in Ghana stood at 435,934 hectares. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.5% on the previous year and up 24.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use for palm oil production in Ghana peaked at 435,934 hectares in 2024 and was at its lowest, 60,000 hectares, in 1961.
Ghana ranks 6th of 44 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Land use for palm oil production in Ghana, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 60,000 hectares | — |
| 1962 | 60,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 60,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 85,000 hectares | +41.7% |
| 1965 | 88,900 hectares | +4.6% |
| 1966 | 89,000 hectares | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 90,900 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1968 | 100,000 hectares | +10.0% |
| 1969 | 100,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 110,900 hectares | +10.9% |
| 1971 | 110,900 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 113,300 hectares | +2.2% |
| 1973 | 124,600 hectares | +10.0% |
| 1974 | 146,100 hectares | +17.3% |
| 1975 | 143,700 hectares | -1.6% |
| 1976 | 143,300 hectares | -0.3% |
| 1977 | 140,000 hectares | -2.3% |
| 1978 | 150,000 hectares | +7.1% |
| 1979 | 169,900 hectares | +13.3% |
| 1980 | 145,700 hectares | -14.2% |
| 1981 | 143,300 hectares | -1.6% |
| 1982 | 143,300 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 143,300 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 123,000 hectares | -14.2% |
| 1985 | 98,000 hectares | -20.3% |
| 1986 | 100,000 hectares | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 100,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 110,000 hectares | +10.0% |
| 1989 | 130,000 hectares | +18.2% |
| 1990 | 130,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 130,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 135,000 hectares | +3.8% |
| 1993 | 135,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 135,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 140,000 hectares | +3.7% |
| 1996 | 150,000 hectares | +7.1% |
| 1997 | 150,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 160,000 hectares | +6.7% |
| 1999 | 160,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 160,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 180,000 hectares | +12.5% |
| 2002 | 180,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 240,000 hectares | +33.3% |
| 2004 | 317,600 hectares | +32.3% |
| 2005 | 325,200 hectares | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 333,000 hectares | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 299,900 hectares | -9.9% |
| 2008 | 337,800 hectares | +12.6% |
| 2009 | 352,800 hectares | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 360,000 hectares | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 354,577 hectares | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 387,000 hectares | +9.1% |
| 2013 | 318,760 hectares | -17.6% |
| 2014 | 349,040 hectares | +9.5% |
| 2015 | 349,040 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 349,040 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 361,082 hectares | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 366,728 hectares | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 372,777 hectares | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 386,503 hectares | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 394,698 hectares | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 401,916 hectares | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 425,263 hectares | +5.8% |
| 2024 | 435,934 hectares | +2.5% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 435,934 hectares is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 41,858 hectares, 10.4× the median. (18 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 435,934 hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18,156 hectares, 24.0× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Land use for palm oil production in Ghana changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | +41.7% | 60,000 hectares | 85,000 hectares |
| 2003 | +33.3% | 180,000 hectares | 240,000 hectares |
| 2004 | +32.3% | 240,000 hectares | 317,600 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 81,533 hectares | 60,000 hectares | 100,000 hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 135,270 hectares | 110,900 hectares | 169,900 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 123,660 hectares | 98,000 hectares | 145,700 hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 142,500 hectares | 130,000 hectares | 160,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 272,630 hectares | 160,000 hectares | 352,800 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 356,804 hectares | 318,760 hectares | 387,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 408,863 hectares | 386,503 hectares | 435,934 hectares | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More environment data for Ghana
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -13.57 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -11.89 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.26 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.34 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate -27.43 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.72 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 0.8796 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is land use for palm oil production in Ghana?
- Land use for palm oil production in Ghana was 435,934 hectares in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest land use for palm oil production recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 435,934 hectares in 2024.
- What is the lowest land use for palm oil production recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 60,000 hectares in 1961.
- How does Ghana rank for land use for palm oil production?
- Ghana ranks 6th out of 44 countries with data for 2024.
- Is land use for palm oil production rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Land use for palm oil production. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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