Ghana's Population Reaches 18.4 Million

ACCRA, Ghana (PANA) - Provisional results of Ghana's population and housing census held in March puts the country's population at 18.4 million, with a slight increase in female representation compared to the previous count in 1984.

Kwaku Twwum-Baah, acting government statistician, told journalists late Thursday that preliminary results of the entire exercise would be ready by December.

He said the current figure represents an increase of 49.7 percent over the 1984 figures. Females now comprise 51 percent of the population compared to 50.7 percent in 1984.

According to the current census, the female population stands at 9.38 million, slightly above the males' figure of 9.02 million.

Twum-Baah said population density per sq. km had grown to 77.1 as against 51.5 registered in the 1984 census.

The results show Ashanti Region as the most populous area in the country. It registered the highest number of 3.1 million people, of whom 1.6 million are females.

Ghana's population average growth rate is currently at 2.5 percent per year.