Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Ghana
Ghana: Total shortfall from extreme poverty was 5.18 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2016. ▼ Falling
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Ghana, 1987–2016
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total shortfall from extreme poverty in Ghana is 5.18 billion international-$ in 2021 prices, measured in 2016.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 21.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total shortfall from extreme poverty in Ghana peaked at 6.99 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 1991 and was at its lowest, 4.68 billion international-$ in 2021 prices, in 2012.
Ghana ranks 12th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5.65 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 5.63 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 5.68 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 2 |
| 1990s | 6.54 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 6.10 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 6.99 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 2 |
| 2000s | 6.60 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 6.60 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 6.60 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 1 |
| 2010s | 4.93 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 4.68 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 5.18 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 9 Zambia 8.77 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 10 Kenya 8.18 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 11 Malawi 7.10 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 13 Niger 5.08 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 14 Burundi 4.50 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 15 South Africa 3.52 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
More poverty & inequality data for Ghana
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 1 surveys (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)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 13.5% (2023)
- Gender Inequality Index 0.514 (2023)
- Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient in women 0.1687 (2023)
- Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient by sex 0.1687 (2023)
- Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient in men 0.1991 (2023)
- Share of government consumption in GDP vs. share of population living in extreme poverty 12.6% (2023)
- Income inequality: Atkinson index 0.5095 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total shortfall from extreme poverty in Ghana?
- Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Ghana was 5.18 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2016, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 6.99 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 1991.
- What is the lowest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.68 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2012.
- How does Ghana rank for total shortfall from extreme poverty?
- Ghana ranks 12th out of 120 countries with data for 2016.
- Is total shortfall from extreme poverty rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.5%. 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 Total shortfall from extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This is the amount of money that would be theoretically needed to lift the income or consumption of all people in poverty up to $3 per day. However, this is not a measure of the actual cost of eliminating poverty, since it does not take into account the costs involved in making the necessary transfers nor any changes in behavior they would bring about.