Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Ghana
Ghana: Armed forces personnel as a share of total population was 0.1% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Ghana, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Ghana recorded 0.1% for armed forces personnel as a share of total population in 2020.
The figure is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 17.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Ghana peaked at 0.1% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2005.
Ghana ranks 161st of 173 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 32 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 9 |
| 2010s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 158 Madagascar 0.1% compare
- 159 Equatorial Guinea 0.1% compare
- 160 Burkina Faso 0.1% compare
- 162 Kenya 0.0% compare
- 163 Tanzania 0.0% compare
- 164 Niger 0.0% compare
More reference data data for Ghana
- Spring temperature anomalies -0.2851 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies -0.0419 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.8532 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.3544 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.6214 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 855.78 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Ghana?
- Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Ghana was 0.1% in 2020, according to The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 0.1% in 1985.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2005.
- How does Ghana rank for armed forces personnel as a share of total population?
- Ghana ranks 161st out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Armed forces personnel as a share of total population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if their training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces.