Sub-Saharan Africa · Lower middle income
Ghana: the economy in numbers
Per person: $3,257, or $8,610 at purchasing power parity. Population: 35.1 million (2025).
GDP in 2025, current US dollars: #70 of 204 economies. IMF forecast for 2026: +5.7%.
GDP
Adjusted for US inflation, in 2025 dollars: $13.3 billion in 1960, $114 billion in 2025.
GDP per capita
In 2025 dollars: $1,905 per person in 1960, $3,257 in 2025.
Real GDP growth
Average over 2016–2025: 4.8% a year. Years of falling GDP since 1961: 8 of 65.
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Inflation
Consumer prices rose 44.6 times from 2000 to 2025. Highest annual inflation: 122.9% in 1983. Years with inflation above 100%: 3. The chart cuts the scale at 100%; “Full scale” shows everything.
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Government debt, % of GDP
Highest since 1990: 92.7% of GDP in 2022. IMF forecast for 2031: 47.3%.
Stock market capitalization, % of GDP
In 2025 listed domestic companies were worth $16.4 billion, or 14.4% of GDP.
Population
1960: 6.96 million · 2025: 35.1 million.
Unemployment rate
1991: 3.5% · 2025: 3.0%.
Life expectancy at birth
1960: 46.9 years · 2024: 65.7 years.
Exports of goods and services
1960: 28.2% · 2024: 35.1%.
Data by year
Show the year-by-year table
| Year | GDP | GDP per capita | Per capita, PPP | Real growth | Inflation | Gov. debt, % GDP | Population | Unemployment | Stock market, % GDP | Life expectancy | Exports, % GDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2031 | 5.0%f | 8.0%f | 47.3%f | ||||||||
| 2030 | 5.0%f | 8.0%f | 48.1%f | ||||||||
| 2029 | 5.0%f | 8.0%f | 49.0%f | ||||||||
| 2028 | 5.0%f | 8.0%f | 49.7%f | ||||||||
| 2027 | 5.2%f | 7.8%f | 50.8%f | ||||||||
| 2026 | 5.7%f | 4.8%f | 51.7%f | ||||||||
| 2025 | $114B | $3,257 | $8,610 | 6.0% | 14.2% | 48.8% | 35.1M | 3.0% | 14.4% | ||
| 2024 | $83.3B | $2,419 | $8,051 | 5.8% | 22.8% | 70.1% | 34.4M | 2.8% | 9.1% | 65.7 | 35.1% |
| 2023 | $80.5B | $2,384 | $7,563 | 3.1% | 38.1% | 79.1% | 33.8M | 2.8% | 7.7% | 65.5 | 31.8% |
| 2022 | $73.9B | $2,230 | $7,207 | 3.8% | 31.3% | 92.7% | 33.1M | 2.9% | 8.7% | 65.2 | 34.7% |
| 2021 | $79.5B | $2,445 | $6,608 | 5.1% | 10.0% | 86.9% | 32.5M | 3.2% | 13.2% | 64.3 | 30.1% |
| 2020 | $70B | $2,195 | $6,047 | 0.5% | 9.9% | 79.1% | 31.9M | 3.2% | 13.2% | 64.3 | 31.5% |
| 2019 | $68.4B | $2,187 | $6,003 | 6.5% | 7.1% | 62.9% | 31.3M | 3.1% | 14.6% | 64.5 | 37.4% |
| 2018 | $67.3B | $2,195 | $5,536 | 6.2% | 7.8% | 62.0% | 30.6M | 3.2% | 64.1 | 33.5% | |
| 2017 | $60.4B | $2,012 | $5,171 | 8.1% | 12.4% | 57.0% | 30M | 3.4% | 63.8 | 33.9% | |
| 2016 | $56.1B | $1,912 | $5,011 | 3.4% | 17.5% | 55.9% | 29.4M | 5.3% | 63.5 | 31.2% | |
| 2015 | $49.4B | $1,723 | $5,191 | 2.1% | 17.1% | 53.9% | 28.7M | 6.8% | 63.2 | 33.8% | |
| 2014 | $54.7B | $1,950 | $5,517 | 2.9% | 15.5% | 50.1% | 28M | 4.4% | 62.8 | 28.2% | |
| 2013 | $62.8B | $2,295 | $5,215 | 7.3% | 11.7% | 42.9% | 27.4M | 2.2% | 62.4 | 25.4% | |
| 2012 | $41.3B | $1,544 | $4,934 | 9.3% | 11.2% | 35.5% | 26.7M | 3.1% | 62.0 | 40.4% | |
| 2011 | $39.3B | $1,507 | $4,381 | 14.0% | 8.7% | 31.2% | 26.1M | 4.2% | 7.9% | 61.6 | 36.9% |
| 2010 | $32.2B | $1,264 | $3,855 | 7.9% | 10.7% | 32.9% | 25.5M | 5.4% | 9.2% | 61.3 | 29.5% |
| 2009 | $26B | $1,048 | $3,617 | 4.8% | 19.2% | 25.4% | 24.9M | 5.4% | 9.3% | 60.9 | 29.3% |
| 2008 | $28.7B | $1,183 | $3,516 | 9.1% | 16.5% | 23.2% | 24.2M | 5.1% | 9.9% | 60.6 | 25.0% |
| 2007 | $24.8B | $1,050 | $3,241 | 4.3% | 10.7% | 21.1% | 23.6M | 5.1% | 9.7% | 60.3 | 24.5% |
| 2006 | $20.9B | $906 | $3,103 | 6.4% | 11.7% | 17.3% | 23M | 4.9% | 3.6% | 60.0 | 24.7% |
| 2005 | $10.7B | $479 | $2,904 | 5.9% | 15.4% | 31.7% | 22.4M | 5.8% | 5.7% | 59.6 | 36.4% |
| 2004 | $8.88B | $406 | $2,729 | 5.6% | 18.0% | 38.4% | 21.9M | 6.8% | 5.4% | 59.3 | 39.3% |
| 2003 | $7.63B | $358 | $2,584 | 5.2% | 29.8% | 49.3% | 21.3M | 7.7% | 8.4% | 59.0 | 40.7% |
| 2002 | $6.17B | $297 | $2,475 | 4.5% | 9.4% | 54.1% | 20.7M | 8.7% | 5.7% | 58.7 | 42.6% |
| 2001 | $5.31B | $264 | $2,397 | 4.0% | 41.5% | 57.8% | 20.2M | 9.6% | 5.3% | 58.4 | 45.2% |
| 2000 | $4.98B | $254 | $2,315 | 3.7% | 40.2% | 74.5% | 19.6M | 10.5% | 10.0% | 58.1 | 48.8% |
| 1999 | $7.72B | $403 | $2,239 | 4.4% | 4.9% | 51.7% | 19.1M | 10.1% | 11.9% | 57.8 | 32.1% |
| 1998 | $7.48B | $400 | $2,167 | 4.7% | 14.6% | 37.6% | 18.7M | 8.2% | 18.5% | 57.5 | 33.9% |
| 1997 | $6.89B | $378 | $2,097 | 4.2% | 27.9% | 45.2% | 18.2M | 7.6% | 16.4% | 57.2 | 32.4% |
| 1996 | $6.93B | $389 | $2,026 | 4.6% | 46.6% | 42.9% | 17.8M | 7.1% | 23.9% | 57.0 | 32.1% |
| 1995 | $6.46B | $372 | $1,947 | 4.1% | 59.5% | 47.6% | 17.4M | 6.5% | 25.8% | 56.7 | 24.5% |
| 1994 | $5.45B | $321 | $1,875 | 3.3% | 24.9% | 50.6% | 17M | 5.9% | 34.9% | 56.2 | 25.3% |
| 1993 | $5.97B | $360 | $1,821 | 4.9% | 25.0% | 34.1% | 16.6M | 5.2% | 2.0% | 56.3 | 20.3% |
| 1992 | $6.42B | $396 | $1,739 | 3.9% | 10.1% | 21.3% | 16.2M | 4.7% | 56.1 | 17.2% | |
| 1991 | $6.6B | $418 | $1,678 | 5.3% | 18.0% | 17.3% | 15.8M | 3.5% | 55.7 | 17.0% | |
| 1990 | $5.89B | $383 | $1,581 | 3.3% | 37.3% | 17.8% | 15.4M | 55.4 | 16.9% | ||
| 1989 | $5.25B | $350 | 5.1% | 25.2% | 15M | 54.9 | 16.7% | ||||
| 1988 | $5.2B | $355 | 5.6% | 31.4% | 14.6M | 54.4 | 18.2% | ||||
| 1987 | $5.07B | $355 | 4.8% | 39.8% | 14.3M | 53.8 | 19.7% | ||||
| 1986 | $5.74B | $411 | 5.2% | 24.6% | 14M | 53.3 | 16.6% | ||||
| 1985 | $4.5B | $330 | 5.1% | 10.3% | 13.7M | 52.7 | 10.7% | ||||
| 1984 | $4.41B | $330 | 8.6% | 39.7% | 13.4M | 52.2 | 8.0% | ||||
| 1983 | $4.06B | $311 | −4.6% | 122.9% | 13M | 51.8 | 5.6% | ||||
| 1982 | $4.04B | $319 | −6.9% | 22.3% | 12.6M | 51.4 | 3.3% | ||||
| 1981 | $4.22B | $344 | −3.5% | 116.5% | 12.3M | 51.3 | 4.8% | ||||
| 1980 | $4.45B | $372 | 0.5% | 50.1% | 11.9M | 51.1 | 8.5% | ||||
| 1979 | $4.02B | $347 | −2.5% | 54.4% | 11.6M | 50.8 | 11.2% | ||||
| 1978 | $3.66B | $326 | 8.5% | 73.1% | 11.2M | 50.5 | 8.4% | ||||
| 1977 | $3.19B | $292 | 2.3% | 116.5% | 10.9M | 50.1 | 10.5% | ||||
| 1976 | $2.77B | $261 | −3.5% | 56.1% | 10.6M | 49.7 | 15.7% | ||||
| 1975 | $2.81B | $273 | −12.4% | 29.8% | 10.3M | 49.3 | 19.4% | ||||
| 1974 | $2.89B | $289 | 6.9% | 18.1% | 10M | 48.9 | 18.3% | ||||
| 1973 | $3.01B | $310 | 2.9% | 17.7% | 9.71M | 48.6 | 21.5% | ||||
| 1972 | $2.11B | $224 | −2.5% | 10.1% | 9.44M | 48.3 | 20.7% | ||||
| 1971 | $2.42B | $263 | 5.2% | 9.6% | 9.18M | 47.9 | 15.8% | ||||
| 1970 | $2.22B | $248 | 9.7% | 3.0% | 8.93M | 47.9 | 21.3% | ||||
| 1969 | $1.96B | $226 | 6.0% | 7.3% | 8.69M | 47.9 | 19.7% | ||||
| 1968 | $1.67B | $197 | 0.4% | 7.9% | 8.48M | 47.8 | 20.4% | ||||
| 1967 | $1.75B | $211 | 3.1% | −8.4% | 8.27M | 47.7 | 17.4% | ||||
| 1966 | $2.13B | $263 | −4.3% | 13.2% | 8.07M | 47.7 | 14.6% | ||||
| 1965 | $2.05B | $261 | 1.4% | 26.4% | 7.88M | 47.7 | 17.1% | ||||
| 1964 | $1.73B | $225 | 2.2% | 7.7M | 47.6 | 19.9% | |||||
| 1963 | $1.54B | $205 | 4.4% | 7.51M | 47.5 | 21.2% | |||||
| 1962 | $1.38B | $188 | 4.1% | 7.34M | 47.3 | 24.2% | |||||
| 1961 | $1.3B | $182 | 3.4% | 7.16M | 47.1 | 26.1% | |||||
| 1960 | $1.22B | $175 | 6.96M | 46.9 | 28.2% |
e: IMF estimate; f: IMF forecast.
Nearby economies in Sub-Saharan Africa
Nearest by distance between capitals, with GDP per capita.
Angola · Benin · Botswana · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cabo Verde · Cameroon · Central African Republic · Chad · Comoros · Côte d’Ivoire · DR Congo · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Gabon · Gambia · Ghana · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Kenya · Lesotho · Liberia · Madagascar · Malawi · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mozambique · Namibia · Niger · Nigeria · Republic of the Congo · Rwanda · Senegal · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Somalia · South Africa · South Sudan · Sudan · São Tomé and Príncipe · Tanzania · Togo · Uganda · Zambia · Zimbabwe
Rankings
GDP by country · GDP per capita · Real GDP growth · Inflation by country · Government debt to GDP · Stock market to GDP · Population by country · Unemployment by country
Data and methods
- GDP: gross domestic product in current US dollars, converted from the local currency at market exchange rates (World Bank); not adjusted for inflation.
- Purchasing power parity (PPP): GDP per person in international dollars, which buy the same basket of goods and services in every country. It compares living standards across countries in the same year; it is not adjusted for inflation over time.
- In 2025 dollars: the charts can remove US inflation (US consumer price index, annual average) so that dollar amounts from different years compare in today's money. Exchange rate swings still show.
- Growth and inflation: World Bank data (calendar years). Years the World Bank does not cover yet, and the estimates and forecasts, come from the IMF World Economic Outlook (October 2026): its forecasts start in 2026, and the years after a country's last actual year are IMF estimates.
- Government debt: gross debt of the general government (central, state and local government and social security funds) as a percentage of GDP, IMF. The World Bank's central government debt is narrower and covers fewer countries.
- Stock market capitalization: the end-of-year value of domestic companies listed on the country's exchanges (World Federation of Exchanges via the World Bank; before 2016, Standard & Poor's), as a percentage of GDP: the “Buffett indicator”. Investment funds are excluded, and so are companies listed only abroad; companies from elsewhere that list on an exchange count for its country (Hong Kong lists many mainland Chinese companies).
- Unemployment: ILO modeled estimates (share of the labor force); comparable across countries, but they may differ from national figures.
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)