Total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Ghana
Ghana: Total population living in extreme poverty by world region was 11.65 million people in 2016. ▬ Flat
Total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Ghana, 1987–2016
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2016, total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Ghana stood at 11.65 million people.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 16.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Ghana peaked at 13.91 million people in 2005 and was at its lowest, 11.31 million people, in 1987.
That places Ghana 14th out of 120 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the top quarter.
Total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Ghana, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 11.31 million people | — |
| 1988 | 11.48 million people | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 12.92 million people | +12.6% |
| 1998 | 12.27 million people | -5.1% |
| 2005 | 13.91 million people | +13.4% |
| 2012 | 11.38 million people | -18.2% |
| 2016 | 11.65 million people | +2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 11.40 million people | 11.31 million people | 11.48 million people | 2 |
| 1990s | 12.59 million people | 12.27 million people | 12.92 million people | 2 |
| 2000s | 13.91 million people | 13.91 million people | 13.91 million people | 1 |
| 2010s | 11.52 million people | 11.38 million people | 11.65 million people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 11 Malawi 14.47 million people compare
- 12 Zambia 14.44 million people compare
- 13 Philippines 13.25 million people compare
- 15 Indonesia 11.53 million people compare
- 16 South Africa 11.00 million people compare
- 17 Bangladesh 10.01 million people compare
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 total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Ghana?
- Total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Ghana was 11.65 million people in 2016, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total population living in extreme poverty by world region recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 13.91 million people in 2005.
- What is the lowest total population living in extreme poverty by world region recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.31 million people in 1987.
- How does Ghana rank for total population living in extreme poverty by world region?
- Ghana ranks 14th out of 120 countries with data for 2016.
- Is total population living in extreme poverty by world region rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- 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 Total population living in extreme poverty by world region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 7 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people living in households with an income or consumption below $3 per day.