Ghana Poverty Rate
Poverty headcount ratio at $2.15/day SI.POV.DDAY
Ghana's poverty rate was 39.00% in 2016, ranked 78th globally. This represents a 6.7% decrease from 2015. Data from World Bank, covering 1987–2016.
Overview
Ghana's poverty rate stood at 39.00% in 2016, a decline of +2.80pp from 2012. Ghana ranked 78th globally.
Ghana’s poverty rate fell dramatically from an all‑time peak of 80.40 % in 1991 to a trough of 39.00 % in 2016, placing the country at 78th in the world ranking for that year. The reduction represents a 41.40‑percentage‑point decline over 25 years, reflecting sustained economic growth, expanded social protection programmes and increased agricultural productivity. Compared with peer nations, Ghana’s 2016 rate remains higher than Liberia’s 33.60 % but lower than Eswatini’s 44.50 %, underscoring a middle‑of‑the‑road performance within the regional cohort. The steepest falls occurred during the early 2000s, when Ghana benefited from commodity price booms and structural reforms that boosted formal employment and household incomes. Although the downward trajectory suggests continued improvement, maintaining this pace will require further diversification of the economy, stronger investment in education and health, and policies that shield vulnerable groups from external shocks.
Data & projection
| Year | Poverty Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 39.00% | −2.80pp | #78 |
| 2012 | 41.80% | −19.10pp | #84 |
| 2005 | 60.90% | −4.40pp | #76 |
| 1998 | 65.30% | −15.10pp | #48 |
| 1991 | 80.40% | +3.00pp | #22 |
| 1988 | 77.40% | −0.80pp | #16 |
| 1987 | 78.20% | – | #23 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Ghana matched the Currency Crisis Pattern pattern in 2023. Historically, 27% of countries showing this pattern (35 out of 128) saw poverty rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Ghana's poverty rate was 39.00% in 2016. Ranked 78th globally. This represents a 6.7% decrease from the previous year.
Ghana's poverty rate peaked at 80.40% in 1991.
The lowest poverty rate in Ghana was 39.00% in 2016.
Ghana ranks 78th globally in poverty rate as of 2016.
The World Bank indicator code is SI.POV.DDAY. Data sourced from World Bank.
The poverty rate of Ghana in 2016 was 39.00%. This ranks 78th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_ghana_poverty-rate,
title = {Ghana Poverty Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/ghana/poverty-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}