As of 2021, the Ashanti and Greater Accra regions were the most populous in Ghana, each accounting for around six million inhabitants. Following these were the Central and Eastern regions, each registering 2.9 million people. Since 2010, the total population of Ghana has grown to reach almost 31 million people in 2021. In 2018, Ghana created six new regions in a referendum, bringing the total number of regions to 16.
In 2021, as it was in 2010, the Greater Accra region of Ghana was the most dense in terms of number of inhabitants per square kilometer. Rural-urban migration is one of the main reasons accounting for the high population density (around 1.2 thousand inhabitants per square kilometer) in this region. In the said year, the Greater Accra region hosted 5.4 million inhabitants.
As of 2021, Western North was the region in Ghana with the highest male population share, reaching 51.3 percent. On the other hand, female inhabitants were most populous in the Volta region, as they occupied a share of 52.3 percent of the region's total inhabitants. Overall, majority of the regions in Ghana had a lower male population in comparison to female ones.
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Population density per pixel at 100 metre resolution. WorldPop provides estimates of numbers of people residing in each 100x100m grid cell for every low and middle income country. Through ingegrating cencus, survey, satellite and GIS datasets in a flexible machine-learning framework, high resolution maps of population counts and densities for 2000-2020 are produced, along with accompanying metadata. DATASET: Alpha version 2010 and 2015 estimates of numbers of people per grid square, with national totals adjusted to match UN population division estimates (http://esa.un.org/wpp/) and remaining unadjusted. REGION: Africa SPATIAL RESOLUTION: 0.000833333 decimal degrees (approx 100m at the equator) PROJECTION: Geographic, WGS84 UNITS: Estimated persons per grid square MAPPING APPROACH: Land cover based, as described in: Linard, C., Gilbert, M., Snow, R.W., Noor, A.M. and Tatem, A.J., 2012, Population distribution, settlement patterns and accessibility across Africa in 2010, PLoS ONE, 7(2): e31743. FORMAT: Geotiff (zipped using 7-zip (open access tool): www.7-zip.org) FILENAMES: Example - AGO10adjv4.tif = Angola (AGO) population count map for 2010 (10) adjusted to match UN national estimates (adj), version 4 (v4). Population maps are updated to new versions when improved census or other input data become available. Ghana data available from WorldPop here.
The population and housing census (PHC) is the unique source of reliable and comprehensive data about the size of population and also on major socio-economic & socio-demographic characteristics of the country. It provides data on geographic and administrative distribution of population and household in addition to the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of all the people in the country. Generally, it provides for comparing and projecting demographic data, social and economic characteristics, as well as household and housing conditions at all levels of the country’s administrative units and dimensions: national, regional, districts and localities. The data from the census is classified, tabulated and disseminated so that researchers, administrators, policy makers and development partners can use the information in formulating and implementing various multi-sectorial development programs at the national and community levels. Data on all key variables namely area, household, population, economic activity, literacy and education, fertility and child survival, housing conditions and sanitation are collected and available in the census data. The 2021 PHC in Ghana had an overarching goal of generating updated demographic, social and economic data, housing characteristics and dwelling conditions to support national development planning activities.
National Coverage , Region , District
All persons who spent census night (midnight of 27th June 2021) in Ghana
Census/enumeration data [cen]
This 10% sample data for the 2021 PHC is representative at the district/subdistrict level and also by the urban rural classification.
Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]
GSS developed two categories of instruments for the 2021 PHC: the listing form and the enumeration instruments. The listing form was only one, while the enumeration instruments comprised six questionnaires, designated as PHC 1A, PHC 1B, PHC 1C, PHC 1D, PHC 1E and PHC 1F. The PHC 1A was the most comprehensive with the others being its subsets.
Listing Form: The listing form was developed to collect data on type of structures, level of completion, whether occupied or vacant and use(s) of the structures. It was also used to collect information about the availability, number and types of toilet facilities in the structures. It was also used to capture the number of households in a structure, number of persons in households and the sex of the persons residing in the households if occupied. Finally, the listing form was used to capture data on non-household populations such as the population in institutions, floating population and sex of the non-household populations.
PHC 1A: The PHC 1A questionnaire was used to collect data from all households in the country. Primarily, it was used to capture household members and visitors who spent the Census Night in the dwelling of the household, and their relationship with the head of the household. It was also used to collect data on homeless households. Members of the households who were absent were enumerated at the place where they had spent the Census Night. The questionnaire was also used to collect the following household information: emigration; socio-demographic characteristics (sex, age, place of birth and enumeration, survival status of parents, literacy and education; economic activities; difficulty in performing activities; ownership and usage of information, technology and communication facilities; fertility; mortality; housing characteristics and conditions and sanitation.
PHC 1B: The PHC 1B questionnaire was used to collect data from persons in stable institutions comprising boarding houses, hostels and prisons who were present on Census Night. Other information that was captured with this instrument are socio-demographic characteristics, literacy and education, economic activities, difficulty in performing activities; ownership and usage of information, technology and communication facilities; fertility; mortality; housing characteristics and conditions and sanitation.
PHC 1C: The PHC 1C questionnaire was used to collect data from persons in “unstable” institutions such as hospitals and prayer camps who were present at these places on Census Night. The instrument was used to capture only the socio-demographic characteristics of individuals.
PHC 1D: The PHC 1D questionnaire was used to collect data from the floating population. This constitutes persons who were found at airports, seaports, lorry stations and similar locations waiting for or embarking on long-distance travel, as well as outdoor sleepers on Census Night. The instrument captured the socio-demographic information of individuals.
PHC 1E: All persons who spent the Census Night at hotels, motels and guest houses were enumerated using the PHC 1E. The content of the questionnaire was similar to that of the PHC 1D.
PHC 1F: The PHC 1F questionnaire was administered to diplomats in the country.
The Census data editing was implemented at three levels: 1. data editing by enumerators and supervisors during data collection 2. data editing was done at the regional level by the regional data quality monitors during data collection 3. Final data editing was done at the national level using the batch edits in CSPro and STATA Data editing and cleaning was mainly digital.
100 percent
A post Enumeration Survey (PES) was conducted to assess the extent of coverage and content error.
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Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Ghana was reported at 146 sq. Km in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Ghana - Population density (people per sq. km) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.
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Population density per pixel at 100 metre resolution. WorldPop provides estimates of numbers of people residing in each 100x100m grid cell for every low and middle income country. Through ingegrating cencus, survey, satellite and GIS datasets in a flexible machine-learning framework, high resolution maps of population counts and densities for 2000-2020 are produced, along with accompanying metadata.
DATASET: Alpha version 2010 and 2015 estimates of numbers of people per grid square, with national totals adjusted to match UN population division estimates (http://esa.un.org/wpp/) and remaining unadjusted.
REGION: Africa
SPATIAL RESOLUTION: 0.000833333 decimal degrees (approx 100m at the equator)
PROJECTION: Geographic, WGS84
UNITS: Estimated persons per grid square
MAPPING APPROACH: Land cover based, as described in: Linard, C., Gilbert, M., Snow, R.W., Noor, A.M. and Tatem, A.J., 2012, Population distribution, settlement patterns and accessibility across Africa in 2010, PLoS ONE, 7(2): e31743.
FORMAT: Geotiff (zipped using 7-zip (open access tool): www.7-zip.org)
FILENAMES: Example - AGO10adjv4.tif = Angola (AGO) population count map for 2010 (10) adjusted to match UN national estimates (adj), version 4 (v4). Population maps are updated to new versions when improved census or other input data become available.
The 2010 Census was undertaken to update current information on the size, sex, age, composition and other characteristics of Ghana's population and to ascertain the specific changes in these characteristics which had taken place since the last census was conducted in 2000. The Census was expected to ensure the continuation of a time series of demographic and socio-economic benchmark data at the national and sub-national levels and enhance the capability-building programme of the Statistical Service.
National coverage
Household, individual
The 2010 census covered a de-facto population count of Ghana on Census Night (26th September 2010). These were all usual residents, infants sick as well as the mentally challenged, inmates of institutions. Out-door sleepers and all persons who spend census night within the boarders of Ghana, semi-stable floating population enumeration was done immediately after midnight of Census Night. Enumeration was done on Census Night of fishermen, other persons at sea, and other persons in Field Camps.
Census/enumeration data [cen]
Face-to-face [f2f]
PHC-1A: Household questionnaire - admistered to household population. This questionnaire includes modules on Household roster, Usual household members absent, Emigration, Population, Mortality, ICT, Agriculture and Housing
PHC-1A: Usual Members Absent Continuation Sheet
PHC-1A: Emigration Continuation Sheet
PHC-1B: Group quarter questionnaire - administered to homeless households and group quarter population. This excludes usual members absent, emigration, mortality, ICT at household level, agricultural and housing modules.
PHC-1C: Group quarter questionnaire which was administered to individual members and later transferred to PHC-1B questionnaire
PHC-3: EA Result Sheet - Captured summary information on population by sex and the number of localities in each Enumeration Area (EA).
PHC-4: Final Summary Sheet - Captured summary information on the number of residential structures, number of households, population by sex and household and non-household population and the availability of telecommunication, education, health and toilet facilities in the locality.
The Census data editing was implemented at three levels:
Data editing was partly manual and partly automatic. Occupation and Industry coding was done by the Field Supervisors but they were edited in the office after the field work. The questionnaire reference numbers were also reviewed as part of the preparatory activities before scanning.
100 percent
A post Enumeration Survey (PES) was conducted to assess the extent of coverage and content error. (See Adminstrative Report)
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Ghana GH: Population Density: People per Square Km data was reported at 126.719 Person/sq km in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 123.964 Person/sq km for 2016. Ghana GH: Population Density: People per Square Km data is updated yearly, averaging 62.555 Person/sq km from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2017, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 126.719 Person/sq km in 2017 and a record low of 30.177 Person/sq km in 1961. Ghana GH: Population Density: People per Square Km data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Ghana – Table GH.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates.; Weighted average;
The 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (2022 GDHS) is the seventh in the series of DHS surveys conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health/Ghana Health Service (MoH/GHS) and other stakeholders, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other partners.
The primary objective of the 2022 GDHS is to provide up-to-date estimates of basic demographic and health indicators. Specifically, the GDHS collected information on: - Fertility levels and preferences, contraceptive use, antenatal and delivery care, maternal and child health, childhood mortality, childhood immunisation, breastfeeding and young child feeding practices, women’s dietary diversity, violence against women, gender, nutritional status of adults and children, awareness regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, tobacco use, and other indicators relevant for the Sustainable Development Goals - Haemoglobin levels of women and children - Prevalence of malaria parasitaemia (rapid diagnostic testing and thick slides for malaria parasitaemia in the field and microscopy in the lab) among children age 6–59 months - Use of treated mosquito nets - Use of antimalarial drugs for treatment of fever among children under age 5
The information collected through the 2022 GDHS is intended to assist policymakers and programme managers in designing and evaluating programmes and strategies for improving the health of the country’s population.
National coverage
The survey covered all de jure household members (usual residents), all women aged 15-49, men aged 15-59, and all children aged 0-4 resident in the household.
Sample survey data [ssd]
To achieve the objectives of the 2022 GDHS, a stratified representative sample of 18,450 households was selected in 618 clusters, which resulted in 15,014 interviewed women age 15–49 and 7,044 interviewed men age 15–59 (in one of every two households selected).
The sampling frame used for the 2022 GDHS is the updated frame prepared by the GSS based on the 2021 Population and Housing Census.1 The sampling procedure used in the 2022 GDHS was stratified two-stage cluster sampling, designed to yield representative results at the national level, for urban and rural areas, and for each of the country’s 16 regions for most DHS indicators. In the first stage, 618 target clusters were selected from the sampling frame using a probability proportional to size strategy for urban and rural areas in each region. Then the number of targeted clusters were selected with equal probability systematic random sampling of the clusters selected in the first phase for urban and rural areas. In the second stage, after selection of the clusters, a household listing and map updating operation was carried out in all of the selected clusters to develop a list of households for each cluster. This list served as a sampling frame for selection of the household sample. The GSS organized a 5-day training course on listing procedures for listers and mappers with support from ICF. The listers and mappers were organized into 25 teams consisting of one lister and one mapper per team. The teams spent 2 months completing the listing operation. In addition to listing the households, the listers collected the geographical coordinates of each household using GPS dongles provided by ICF and in accordance with the instructions in the DHS listing manual. The household listing was carried out using tablet computers, with software provided by The DHS Program. A fixed number of 30 households in each cluster were randomly selected from the list for interviews.
For further details on sample design, see APPENDIX A of the final report.
Face-to-face computer-assisted interviews [capi]
Four questionnaires were used in the 2022 GDHS: the Household Questionnaire, the Woman’s Questionnaire, the Man’s Questionnaire, and the Biomarker Questionnaire. The questionnaires, based on The DHS Program’s model questionnaires, were adapted to reflect the population and health issues relevant to Ghana. In addition, a self-administered Fieldworker Questionnaire collected information about the survey’s fieldworkers.
The GSS organized a questionnaire design workshop with support from ICF and obtained input from government and development partners expected to use the resulting data. The DHS Program optional modules on domestic violence, malaria, and social and behavior change communication were incorporated into the Woman’s Questionnaire. ICF provided technical assistance in adapting the modules to the questionnaires.
DHS staff installed all central office programmes, data structure checks, secondary editing, and field check tables from 17–20 October 2022. Central office training was implemented using the practice data to test the central office system and field check tables. Seven GSS staff members (four male and three female) were trained on the functionality of the central office menu, including accepting clusters from the field, data editing procedures, and producing reports to monitor fieldwork.
From 27 February to 17 March, DHS staff visited the Ghana Statistical Service office in Accra to work with the GSS central office staff on finishing the secondary editing and to clean and finalize all data received from the 618 clusters.
A total of 18,540 households were selected for the GDHS sample, of which 18,065 were found to be occupied. Of the occupied households, 17,933 were successfully interviewed, yielding a response rate of 99%. In the interviewed households, 15,317 women age 15–49 were identified as eligible for individual interviews. Interviews were completed with 15,014 women, yielding a response rate of 98%. In the subsample of households selected for the male survey, 7,263 men age 15–59 were identified as eligible for individual interviews and 7,044 were successfully interviewed.
The estimates from a sample survey are affected by two types of errors: (1) nonsampling errors and (2) sampling errors. Nonsampling errors are the results of mistakes made in implementing data collection and data processing, such as failure to locate and interview the correct household, misunderstanding of the questions on the part of either the interviewer or the respondent, and data entry errors. Although numerous efforts were made during the implementation of the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (2022 GDHS) to minimize this type of error, nonsampling errors are impossible to avoid and difficult to evaluate statistically.
Sampling errors, on the other hand, can be evaluated statistically. The sample of respondents selected in the 2022 GDHS is only one of many samples that could have been selected from the same population, using the same design and identical size. Each of these samples would yield results that differ somewhat from the results of the actual sample selected. Sampling errors are a measure of the variability between all possible samples. Although the degree of variability is not known exactly, it can be estimated from the survey results. A sampling error is usually measured in terms of the standard error for a particular statistic (mean, percentage, etc.), which is the square root of the variance. The standard error can be used to calculate confidence intervals within which the true value for the population can reasonably be assumed to fall. For example, for any given statistic calculated from a sample survey, the value of that statistic will fall within a range of plus or minus two times the standard error of that statistic in 95% of all possible samples of identical size and design.
If the sample of respondents had been selected as a simple random sample, it would have been possible to use straightforward formulas for calculating sampling errors. However, the 2022 GDHS sample was the result of a multistage stratified design, and, consequently, it was necessary to use more complex formulas. The computer software used to calculate sampling errors for the GDHS 2022 is an SAS program. This program used the Taylor linearization method to estimate variances for survey estimates that are means, proportions, or ratios. The Jackknife repeated replication method is used for variance estimation of more complex statistics such as fertility and mortality rates.
A more detailed description of estimates of sampling errors are presented in APPENDIX B of the survey report.
Data Quality Tables
Population censuses have been conducted in Ghana at approximately ten-year intervals since 1891 except in 1941, when the series was interrupted as a result of World War II but was resumed in 1948. The first post-independence census was conducted in 1960 and the next in 1970, with the expectation that a decennial census programme would be maintained. Due to circumstances beyond the control of the statistical organization, however, the third post-independence census could not be conducted until 1984. Similarly, the next census which was expected to have been conducted in 1994 was delayed. Only in 1995 was it possible to have the needed commitment to ensure the conduct of the fourth post-independence census which was scheduled for the year 2000.
The 2000 Population and Housing Census was undertaken to update current information on the size, sex, age, composition and other characteristics of Ghana's population and to ascertain the specific changes in these characteristics which had taken place since the last census was conducted in 1984. The Census was expected to ensure the continuation of a time series of demographic and socio-economic benchmark data at the national and sub-national levels and enhance the capability-building programme of the Statistical Service.
The main objective of the 2000 Population and Housing Census was to update the statistical information on the characteristics of the population of Ghana. The 2000 Population and Housing Census was the first time a full-scale housing census was conducted with a population census in one single operation.
National
Sample survey data [ssd]
Face-to-face [f2f]
Consultation with Users Work on the census questionnaire started in 1998 bearing in mind the data needs of the country. A simple questionnaire was sent to the ministries, relevant government departments, research institutions, relevant departments in the universities, private business associations and other users seeking information on the following: · whether the organization had used any previous census data · the specific census data used · what use the census data were put · any data that were needed but had not been provided in previous censuses · general comments on population censuses. Response to the questionnaire was encouraging; some respondents sent in the completed forms while others came over to discuss their data needs.
Selection of Topics Selecting topics for inclusion in the questionnaire involved the review and consideration of the following: · topics covered in the 1984 population census, · recommended topics from the United Nations Principles and Recommendations for the 2000 round of Population and Housing Censuses, · data requests and suggestions from users based on the answers to the questionnaire sent to them, · list of users' requests compiled by the Statistical Service over a period of time.
A number of meetings were held at both the Census Secretariat and the Technical Advisory Committee levels to discuss the topics and requests. Decisions on topics for inclusion were based on the relevance of topics and the data needs of the country as well as practical considerations of application of concepts.
The final questionnaire consisted of 15 questions on housing characteristics and 20 questions on population covering the following areas: · household characteristics · geographical location and internal migration · demographic and social characteristics · economic characteristics · literacy and education · fertility and mortality.
All the population topics investigated in 1970 and 1984 censuses were maintained, because they were considered as still relevant to the country's data needs, especially in terms of maintaining a time series of socio-economic data.
The questionaires were published in English.
The Census data editing was implemented at three levels:
Data editing was partly manual and partly automatic.
Editing of the census data involved correcting errors from the field and those introduced during the capturing process. Both Structural Edits and Within Record Edits were used to clean the census data.
a) Structural Edits
Structure edits check coverage and relationships between different units: persons, households, housing units, enumeration areas, etc. Specifically, they checked that: · all households and collective quarters records within an enumeration area were present and were in the proper order; · all occupied housing units have person records, but vacant units have no person records; · households have neither duplicate person records, nor missing person records; · enumeration areas have neither duplicate nor missing housing records.
Each EA have the right geographic codes (region, district, locality, EA number, etc.)
Every housing unit in an EA is entered and every record has a valid EA code
The Structural edit looked at the following situations:
· Geography edits · Hierarchy of records · Correspondence between housing and population records · Editing relationships in a household · Family nuclei
b) Within Record Edits: This consisted of validity checks and consistency edits.
· Validity checks: were performed to see if the values of individual variables are plausible or lie with a reasonable range.
· Consistency edits were performed to ensure that there is coherence between two or more variables.
The Top-down editing approach, which starts by editing top priority variables, (such as age, sex, etc.) and moves sequentially through all variables in decreasing priority was used to edit the census data.
The Hot Deck or Dynamic Imputation was also used for both missing data and inconsistent/invalid items.
The Census Secretariat carefully developed Editing and Imputation rules with written sets of consistency rules and corrections. These rules were translated into three CONCOR editing applications (Pop-Edit.exe, Hse-Edit.exe and Fertility.exe), which were used to 'clean' the data. This was done at the Regional level.
A post Enumeration Survey (PES) was conducted to assess the extent of coverage and content error.
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Ghana GH: Urban Population Living in Areas Where Elevation is Below 5 meters: % of Total Population data was reported at 1.787 % in 2010. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.732 % for 2000. Ghana GH: Urban Population Living in Areas Where Elevation is Below 5 meters: % of Total Population data is updated yearly, averaging 1.732 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2010, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.787 % in 2010 and a record low of 1.646 % in 1990. Ghana GH: Urban Population Living in Areas Where Elevation is Below 5 meters: % of Total Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Ghana – Table GH.World Bank: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Urban population below 5m is the percentage of the total population, living in areas where the elevation is 5 meters or less.; ; Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)/Columbia University. 2013. Urban-Rural Population and Land Area Estimates Version 2. Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/lecz-urban-rural-population-land-area-estimates-v2.; Weighted Average;
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Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Tamale, Ghana metro area from 1950 to 2025.
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Rural population (% of total population) in Ghana was reported at 40.76 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Ghana - Rural population - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.
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Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Accra, Ghana metro area from 1950 to 2025.
Raw data from population census in the year 2000 for Upper East Region. Per district: Bawku West, Bawku East, Bongo, Builsa.
The population density in Ghana increased by 2.8 inhabitants per square kilometer (+1.96 percent) in 2022 in comparison to the previous year. With 145.69 inhabitants per square kilometer, the population density thereby reached its highest value in the observed period. Notably, the population density continuously increased over the last years.Population density refers to the average number of residents per square kilometer of land across a given country or region. It is calculated by dividing the total midyear population by the total land area.Find more key insights for the population density in countries like Guinea and Senegal.
The primary objective of the 2014 GDHS was to generate recent reliable information on fertility, family planning, infant and child mortality, maternal and child health, and nutrition. In addition, the survey collected specialised data on malaria treatment, prevention, and prevalence among children age 6-59 months; blood pressure among adults; anaemia among women and children; and HIV prevalence among adults. This information is essential for making informed policy decisions and for planning, monitoring, and evaluating programmes related to health in general, and reproductive health in particular, at both the national and regional levels. Analysis of data collected in the 2014 GDHS provides updated estimates of basic demographic and health indicators covered in the earlier rounds of the 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, and 2008 surveys.
The GDHS will assist policymakers and programme managers in evaluating and designing programmes and strategies for improving the health of Ghana’s population. The 2014 GDHS also provides comparable data for long-term trend analysis in Ghana, since the surveys were implemented by the same organisation, using similar data collection procedures. Furthermore, the survey adds to the international database on demographic and health–related information for research purposes.
National
Sample survey data [ssd]
The sampling frame used for the 2014 GDHS is an updated frame from the 2010 Ghana Population and Housing Census provided by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS 2013b). The sampling frame excluded nomadic and institutional populations such as persons in hotels, barracks, and prisons.
The 2014 GDHS followed a two-stage sample design and was intended to allow estimates of key indicators at the national level as well as for urban and rural areas and each of Ghana's 10 administrative regions. The first stage involved selecting sample points (clusters) consisting of enumeration areas (EAs) delineated for the 2010 PHC. A total of 427 clusters were selected, 216 in urban areas and 211 in rural areas.
The second stage involved the systematic sampling of households. A household listing operation was undertaken in all the selected EAs in January-March 2014, and households to be included in the survey were randomly selected from the list. About 30 households were selected from each cluster to constitute the total sample size of 12,831 households. Because of the approximately equal sample sizes in each region, the sample is not self-weighting at the national level, and weighting factors have been added to the data file so that the results will be proportional at the national level.
All women age 15-49 who were either permanent residents of the selected households or visitors who stayed in the household the night before the survey were eligible to be interviewed and have their blood pressure measured.
In half of the households, all men age 15-59 who were either permanent residents of the selected households or visitors who stayed in the households the night before the survey were eligible to be interviewed. In addition, in the subsample of households selected for the male survey: • blood pressure measurements were performed among eligible men who consented to being tested; • children age 6-59 months were tested for anaemia and malaria with the parent's or guardian's consent; • eligible women who consented were tested for anaemia; • blood samples were collected for laboratory testing of HIV from eligible women and men who consented; and • height and weight information was collected from eligible women, men, and children age 0- 59 months.
For further details on sample selection, see Appendix A of the final report.
Face-to-face [f2f]
Three questionnaires were used for the 2014 GDHS: the Household Questionnaire, the Woman’s Questionnaire, and the Man’s Questionnaire. These questionnaires, which were based on standard Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) questionnaires, were adapted to reflect the population and health issues relevant to Ghana. Comments on the questionnaires were solicited from various stakeholders representing government ministries and agencies, nongovernmental organisations, and international donors. The definitive questionnaires were first prepared in English; they were then translated into the major local languages, namely Akan, Ga, and Ewe.
The Household Questionnaire was used to list all the members of and visitors to the selected households. Basic demographic information was collected on the characteristics of each person listed, including his or her age, sex, marital status, education, and relationship to the head of the household. For children under age 18, parents’ survival status was determined. The data on age and sex of household members obtained in the Household Questionnaire were used to identify women and men who were eligible for individual interviews. The Household Questionnaire also included questions on child education as well as the characteristics of the household’s dwelling unit, such as source of water, type of toilet facilities, materials used for the floor of the dwelling unit, and ownership of various durable goods.
The Woman’s Questionnaire was used to collect information from all eligible women age 15-49.
In half of the selected households, the Man’s Questionnaire was administered to all men age 15-59. The Man’s Questionnaire collected much of the same information found in the Woman’s Questionnaire but was shorter because it did not contain a detailed reproductive history or questions on maternal and child health.
The data processing operation included 100 percent verification (also called second data entry) and secondary editing, which involved resolution of computer-identified inconsistencies. The data processing activities at the central office were led by one key GSS officer who took part in the main fieldwork training. Data processing was accomplished using CSPro software. Data entry and editing were initiated in September 2014 and completed in February 2015.
A total of 12,831 households were selected for the sample, of which 12,010 were occupied. Of the occupied households, 11,835 were successfully interviewed, yielding a response rate of 99 percent, the same as the 2008 GDHS household response rate (GSS, GHS, and ICF Macro 2009).
In the interviewed households, 9,656 eligible women were identified for individual interviews; interviews were completed with 9,396 women, yielding a response rate of 97 percent. In the subsample of households selected for the male survey, 4,609 eligible men were identified and 4,388 were successfully interviewed, yielding a response rate of 95 percent. The lower response rate for men was likely due to their more frequent and longer absences from the household.
The estimates from a sample survey are affected by two types of errors: non-sampling errors and sampling errors. Non-sampling errors are the results of mistakes made in implementing data collection and data processing, such as failure to locate and interview the correct household, misunderstanding of the questions on the part of either the interviewer or the respondent, and data entry errors. Although numerous efforts were made during the implementation of the 2014 Ghana DHS (GDHS) to minimize this type of error, non-sampling errors are impossible to avoid and difficult to evaluate statistically.
Sampling errors, on the other hand, can be evaluated statistically. The sample of respondents selected in the 2014 GDHS is only one of many samples that could have been selected from the same population, using the same design and expected size. Each of these samples would yield results that differ somewhat from the results of the actual sample selected. Sampling errors are a measure of the variability between all possible samples. Although the degree of variability is not known exactly, it can be estimated from the survey results.
Sampling error is usually measured in terms of the standard error for a particular statistic (mean, percentage, etc.), which is the square root of the variance. The standard error can be used to calculate confidence intervals within which the true value for the population can reasonably be assumed to fall. For example, for any given statistic calculated from a sample survey, the value of that statistic will fall within a range of plus or minus two times the standard error of that statistic in 95 percent of all possible samples of identical size and design.
If the sample of respondents had been selected as a simple random sample, it would have been possible to use straightforward formulas for calculating sampling errors. However, the 2014 GDHS sample is the result of a multi-stage stratified design, and, consequently, it was necessary to use more complex formulae. Sampling errors are computed in either ISSA or SAS, using programs developed by ICF International. These programs use the Taylor linearization method of variance estimation for survey estimates that are means, proportions or ratios. The Jackknife repeated replication method is used for variance estimation of more complex statistics such as fertility and mortality rates.
The Taylor linearization method treats any percentage or average as a ratio estimate, r = y x , where y represents the total sample value for variable y, and x represents the
EN.POP.DNST. Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes. The World Bank’s ESG Data Draft dataset provides information on 17 key sustainability themes spanning environmental, social, and governance categories.
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Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Kumasi, Ghana metro area from 1950 to 2025.
As of 2021, the Ashanti and Greater Accra regions were the most populous in Ghana, each accounting for around six million inhabitants. Following these were the Central and Eastern regions, each registering 2.9 million people. Since 2010, the total population of Ghana has grown to reach almost 31 million people in 2021. In 2018, Ghana created six new regions in a referendum, bringing the total number of regions to 16.