Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Ghana
Ghana: Exclusive breastfeeding rate was 42.9% in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Ghana, 1988–2018
Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children under 6 months.
Analysis
Ghana recorded 42.9% for exclusive breastfeeding rate in 2018.
That represents a change of down 30.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exclusive breastfeeding rate in Ghana peaked at 62.1% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 1988.
That places Ghana 37th out of 72 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | 23.3% | 7.4% | 31.5% | 3 |
| 2000s | 56.7% | 53.0% | 62.1% | 3 |
| 2010s | 46.9% | 42.9% | 52.1% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 34 Pakistan 47.8% compare
- 35 El Salvador 46.7% compare
- 36 Kyrgyzstan 45.6% compare
- 38 Zimbabwe 41.9% compare
- 39 Benin 41.4% compare
- 40 Mozambique 41.0% 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 exclusive breastfeeding rate in Ghana?
- Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Ghana was 42.9% in 2018, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest exclusive breastfeeding rate recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 62.1% in 2008.
- What is the lowest exclusive breastfeeding rate recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 1988.
- How does Ghana rank for exclusive breastfeeding rate?
- Ghana ranks 37th out of 72 countries with data for 2018.
- Is exclusive breastfeeding rate rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Exclusive breastfeeding rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The share of infants less than six months old who were fed only with breast milk in the past 24 hours. WHO and UNICEF recommend that children be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life – meaning no other foods or liquids are provided, including water.