Rural population density in Ghana
Ghana: Rural population density was 250.34 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 2011. ▼ Falling
Latest (2011)
250.34 rural population per sq. km of arable land
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
30th
of 53 countries
All-time high
405.37 rural population per sq. km of arable land
in 1981
All-time low
250.34 rural population per sq. km of arable land
in 2011
Years of data
51
1961–2011
Rural population density in Ghana, 1961–2011
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates. Measured in rural population per sq. km of arable land.
Analysis
Ghana recorded 250.34 rural population per sq. km of arable land for rural population density in 2011. That is the lowest value across all 51 years on record.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 6.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population density in Ghana peaked at 405.37 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 1981 and was at its lowest, 250.34 rural population per sq. km of arable land, in 2011.
That places Ghana 30th out of 53 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Rural population density in Ghana, year by year
| Year | rural population per sq. km of arable land | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 311.83 rural population per sq. km of arable land | — |
| 1962 | 319.36 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.4% |
| 1963 | 326.69 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 333.49 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.1% |
| 1965 | 339.53 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.8% |
| 1966 | 344.58 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.5% |
| 1967 | 348.87 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.2% |
| 1968 | 352.9 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.2% |
| 1969 | 357.37 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 362.74 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.5% |
| 1971 | 371.19 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.3% |
| 1972 | 380.7 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 390.62 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 400 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.4% |
| 1975 | 385.56 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -3.6% |
| 1976 | 391.94 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.7% |
| 1977 | 397.33 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 381.44 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -4.0% |
| 1979 | 387.59 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 395.71 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 405.37 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 377.2 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -6.9% |
| 1983 | 388.68 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 365.47 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -6.0% |
| 1985 | 359.9 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -1.5% |
| 1986 | 366.89 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 358.35 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -2.3% |
| 1988 | 350.15 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -2.3% |
| 1989 | 355.76 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.6% |
| 1990 | 348.24 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -2.1% |
| 1991 | 341.38 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -2.0% |
| 1992 | 347.11 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 352.83 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 358.3 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 339.15 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -5.3% |
| 1996 | 321.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -5.1% |
| 1997 | 289.33 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -10.1% |
| 1998 | 276.97 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -4.3% |
| 1999 | 276.16 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 271.94 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 267.39 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 262.43 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 264.97 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 280.12 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +5.7% |
| 2005 | 282.97 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 272.39 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -3.7% |
| 2007 | 268.84 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 259.49 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 253.56 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 253.18 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 250.34 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 337.18 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 311.83 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 357.37 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 9 |
| 1970s | 384.91 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 362.74 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 400 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 10 |
| 1980s | 372.35 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 350.15 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 405.37 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 10 |
| 1990s | 325.14 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 276.16 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 358.3 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 10 |
| 2000s | 268.41 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 253.56 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 282.97 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 10 |
| 2010s | 251.76 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 250.34 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 253.18 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 27 Congo 300.96 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 28 Tanzania, United Republic of 291.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 29 Guinea-Bissau 289.31 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 31 Zambia 241.1 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 32 Guinea 231.49 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 33 Nigeria 227.39 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
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)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, annual growth rate 78.11 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 t per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per capita 0.0047 t per person (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, annual growth rate 30.08 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, per unit of GDP 0 1000 USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population density in Ghana?
- Rural population density in Ghana was 250.34 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates.
- What is the highest rural population density recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 405.37 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 1981.
- What is the lowest rural population density recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 250.34 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 2011.
- How does Ghana rank for rural population density?
- Ghana ranks 30th out of 53 countries with data for 2011.
- Is rural population density rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates, published as part of Rural population density (rural population per sq. km of arable land). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Rural population density is the rural population divided by the arable land area. Rural population is calculated as the difference between the total population and the urban population. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.