Poverty: Share of population living on less than $1 a day in Ghana
Ghana: Poverty: Share of population living on less than $1 a day was 6.8% in 2016. ▼ Falling
Poverty: Share of population living on less than $1 a day in Ghana, 1987–2016
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2016, poverty: share of population living on less than $1 a day in Ghana stood at 6.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 40.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty: share of population living on less than $1 a day in Ghana peaked at 19.8% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 4.9%, in 2012.
Ghana ranks 6th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Poverty: Share of population living on less than $1 a day in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 16.2% | — |
| 1988 | 15.5% | -4.1% |
| 1991 | 19.8% | +27.5% |
| 1998 | 13.5% | -32.0% |
| 2005 | 11.5% | -14.5% |
| 2012 | 4.9% | -57.5% |
| 2016 | 6.8% | +39.1% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 6.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.2%, 31.6× the median. (29 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 6.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.9%, 7.3× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 15.9% | 15.5% | 16.2% | 2 |
| 1990s | 16.6% | 13.5% | 19.8% | 2 |
| 2000s | 11.5% | 11.5% | 11.5% | 1 |
| 2010s | 5.9% | 4.9% | 6.8% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More reference data data for Ghana
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2805 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1989 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9405 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.9478 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 12.64 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.08 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is poverty: share of population living on less than $1 a day in Ghana?
- Poverty: share of population living on less than $1 a day in Ghana was 6.8% in 2016, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest poverty: share of population living on less than $1 a day recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 19.8% in 1991.
- What is the lowest poverty: share of population living on less than $1 a day recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.9% in 2012.
- How does Ghana rank for poverty: share of population living on less than $1 a day?
- Ghana ranks 6th out of 120 countries with data for 2016.
- Is poverty: share of population living on less than $1 a day rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.8%. 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 Poverty: Share of population living on less than $1 a day. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below $1 per day.