The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Ghana
Ghana: The share and number of people living in extreme poverty was 39.0% in 2016. ▼ Falling
The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Ghana, 1987–2016
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2016, the share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Ghana stood at 39.0%. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 35.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, the share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Ghana peaked at 80.4% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 39.0%, in 2016.
Ghana ranks 13th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 78.2% | — |
| 1988 | 77.4% | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 80.4% | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 65.3% | -18.7% |
| 2005 | 60.9% | -6.8% |
| 2012 | 41.8% | -31.4% |
| 2016 | 39.0% | -6.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 77.8% | 77.4% | 78.2% | 2 |
| 1990s | 72.9% | 65.3% | 80.4% | 2 |
| 2000s | 60.9% | 60.9% | 60.9% | 1 |
| 2010s | 40.4% | 39.0% | 41.8% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More poverty & inequality data for Ghana
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 1 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 3.4 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 2,688 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 10.43 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 13.54 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 13.5% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is the share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Ghana?
- The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Ghana was 39.0% in 2016, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest the share and number of people living in extreme poverty recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 80.4% in 1991.
- What is the lowest the share and number of people living in extreme poverty recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.0% in 2016.
- How does Ghana rank for the share and number of people living in extreme poverty?
- Ghana ranks 13th out of 120 countries with data for 2016.
- Is the share and number of people living in extreme poverty rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of The share and number of people living in extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below $3 per day.