Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita in Ghana
Ghana: Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita was 44.0% in 2011. ▲ Rising
Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita in Ghana, 1960–2011
Source: Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in Ghana is 44.0%, measured in 2011. That is the highest value across all 52 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.1% on the previous year and up 37.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in Ghana peaked at 44.0% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 23.2%, in 1960.
That places Ghana 34th out of 44 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 23.2% | — |
| 1961 | 23.7% | +2.2% |
| 1962 | 24.0% | +1.3% |
| 1963 | 25.2% | +5.0% |
| 1964 | 24.8% | -1.6% |
| 1965 | 25.3% | +2.0% |
| 1966 | 25.5% | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 25.5% | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 25.5% | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 26.9% | +5.5% |
| 1970 | 27.5% | +2.2% |
| 1971 | 28.6% | +4.0% |
| 1972 | 28.4% | -0.7% |
| 1973 | 28.7% | +1.1% |
| 1974 | 29.7% | +3.5% |
| 1975 | 28.7% | -3.4% |
| 1976 | 26.9% | -6.3% |
| 1977 | 28.3% | +5.2% |
| 1978 | 28.7% | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 27.7% | -3.5% |
| 1980 | 26.6% | -4.0% |
| 1981 | 27.4% | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 26.1% | -4.7% |
| 1983 | 25.8% | -1.1% |
| 1984 | 26.4% | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 27.3% | +3.4% |
| 1986 | 27.9% | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 29.3% | +5.0% |
| 1988 | 29.9% | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 30.4% | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 31.0% | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 29.7% | -4.2% |
| 1992 | 29.7% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 29.5% | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 29.6% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 29.7% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 29.9% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 30.4% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 30.6% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 30.8% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 31.0% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 32.1% | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 33.1% | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 33.9% | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 35.0% | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 36.6% | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 38.0% | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 39.1% | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 40.7% | +4.1% |
| 2009 | 41.7% | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 43.5% | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 44.0% | +1.1% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 44.0% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 36.2%, 1.2× the median. (11 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 44.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 34.7%, 1.3× the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 25.0% | 23.2% | 26.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 28.3% | 26.9% | 29.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 27.7% | 25.8% | 30.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 30.1% | 29.5% | 31.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.1% | 31.0% | 41.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.8% | 43.5% | 44.0% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More work & labour data for Ghana
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.1512 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.1464 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.1562 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.2734 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.99 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 37,518 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 13,752 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 34,429 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 33,119 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 67,548 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in Ghana?
- Share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in Ghana was 44.0% in 2011, according to Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 44.0% in 2011.
- What is the lowest share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.2% in 1960.
- How does Ghana rank for share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita?
- Ghana ranks 34th out of 44 countries with data for 2011.
- Is share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 37.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The vertical axis shows historical estimates of the employment share in the service sector. The horizontal axis shows GDP per capita, adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.