Background Characteristics

This report focuses on the regions and districts, which constitute the units of administration and planning in the country. It presents data on the population of administrative units, age and sex structure and the background characteristics of the population.

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Table of contents

1. Highlights
   • Non-Ghanaians by country and region of residence
   • Ethnicity and religious affiliation
   • Marital status
   • Health insurance
2. Background Information
3. Definition of Concepts
4. Related Links

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Highlights

Non-Ghanaians By Country and Region of Residence

Only one percent (294,341) of the enumerated population are non-Ghanaians and nine out of 10 non-Ghanaian population (270,838– 92.0%) are from ECOWAS countries. Nationals from Asia (11,313) are more than twice the number from the Americas (2,788) and Europe (3,102).

Figure 1. Population of non-Ghanaians by country of nationality and region of residence in Ghana

Six in ten non-Ghanaians live in urban areas (61.2%). The proportions in urban areas are relatively low for nationals from Cote d’Ivoire (46.6%), Togo (42.8%) and Burkina Faso (19.4%).

Figure 2: Population of non-Ghanaians by country of nationality and type of locality of residence

Higher proportion of males (73.6%) than females (71.6%) were enumerated in the localities where they were born.

Figure 3: Population by place of birth relative to place of enumeration and sex

Ethnicity and Religious Affiliation 

Three out of the nine major ethnic groups (Akan, Mole-Dagbani and Ewe) constitute more than three-quarters (77%) of the population.

Figure 4: Population by major ethnic group

Urban areas have higher proportions of Christians and Muslims than rural areas while other religions have higher proportions in rural areas.

Figure 5: Population by religious affiliation and type of locality

Marital Status

Higher proportion of never married persons (7,875,880), more than half of whom are men (4,459,622 or 56.6%), are in urban areas (5,180,522 or 65.8 %).

Figure 6: Population 15 years and older by marital status and sex

Four out of five (80.8%) married persons have not registered their marriage. The proportions range from 59.9 percent in Greater Accra Region to 97.1 percent in Northern Region.

Figure 7: Registration status of marriages (persons aged 15 years and older) by region

More married persons in urban areas (27.3%) compared to those in rural areas (9.3%) have registered their marriage.

Figure 8: Registration status of marriage (persons aged 15 years and older) by type of locality and sex

Substantially more women than men are separated, divorced or widowed in both rural and urban areas.

Figure 9: Proportion of widowed, separated and divorced persons (aged 15 years and older) by type of locality and sex

Health Insurance 

Seven in ten persons (68.6 %) have health insurance coverage with higher coverage for females (72.6%) than males (64.5%). Health insurance coverage ranges from 51.9 percent in Oti Region to 86.2 percent in Upper East Region and is higher for females than males in all regions.

Figure 10: Population by health insurance coverage and sex

Source: Ghana Statistical Service, 2021 Census Report

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Background Information

Download the full report for data tables background information and information on methodology and data quality.

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Definition of Concepts

Nationality

Nationality refers to the country to which a person belongs and is classified by birth, naturalisation (adoption and registration) or dual nationality.

1. Ghanaian by birth:
   1. A person born in or outside Ghana, one of whose parents or grandparents is a Ghanaian citizen.
   2. A child of not more than seven (7) years of age found in Ghana whose parents are not known.
2. Ghanaian by naturalisation, includes the following:
   1. Legal acquisition: Citizenship acquired by application.
   2. Adopted child: A child of not more than sixteen (16) years of age neither of whose parents is a citizen of Ghana who is adopted by a Ghanaian.
3. Citizenship by registration: A person who acquired citizenship by registration through marriage.
4. Dual Nationality (Ghanaian and other): A person who holds citizenship of another country in addition to Ghanaian citizenship.
5. Non-Ghanaian: A person who holds citizenship of a country other than Ghana. This group also includes stateless persons.

Ethnicity

It is a grouping defined by common language, culture and history with which a person identifies, or by mother tongue.

Marital Status

This is the civil status of a person aged 12 years or older as at Census Night. It may be one of the following cases:

1. Informal/consensual union/living together: A person living together in a marital union but without civil or traditional recognition.
2. Married under civil/ordinance, customary/traditional and Islamic rites, whether registered or not.
3. Separated: A person who no longer has common living arrangements with the spouse but whose marriage has not been declared customarily or legally dissolved.
4. Divorced: A person whose marriage has been annulled or dissolved either in a court of law or by custom and has not remarried.
5. Widowed: A person whose last marriage ended because of the death of a spouse and has not remarried as at Census Night.
6. Never married: A person who has never entered into any formal or informal marital union.

Place of Birth

It is the usual place of residence (town/village or locality) of a person’s mother at the time of his/her birth. Place of birth within the country is defined by locality, district and region, and outside Ghana by the country.

Religion

Religion refers to the religious affiliation of a person, categorised into eight groups:

1. Catholic Church
2. Protestant — comprises AME Zion, Anglican, Baptist Church, Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Lutheran, Methodist Church Ghana, Presbyterian, Seventh Day Adventist (SDA), etc.
3. Pentecostal/Charismatic — includes Action Chapel, Assemblies of God, Christ Apostolic Church, Foursquare Gospel Church, Global Evangelical Church, Harvest Chapel Int., International Bible Worship Centre, International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Jubilee International Church, Lighthouse Chapel, Perez Chapel, Praise Valley Temple, Rhema Christian Centre, Salvation Army, The Apostolic Church, The Church of Pentecost, Victory Bible Church, etc.
4. Other Christian — includes members of the African Faith Tabernacle Church, Church of Christ, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Church Universal and Triumphant, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Kristo Asafo, Musama Disco Christo Church, Twelve Apostles Church, etc.
5. Islam — includes Al-Sunna/Tijaniya (orthodox), Shia, Ahmadis, and other Islamic denominations.
6. Traditional Religion — includes worship of deities and ancestors.
7. Other — consists of religions other than those captured above. Examples include Eckankar, Baha'i, Shintoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.
8. No Religion — those with no religious affiliation.

Health Insurance Coverage

A paid-up member in a health insurance scheme. An insured person may be covered under National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) or private health insurance schemes.

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Related Links

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