Ghana vs Nigeria
Ghana vs Nigeria: Forest area
Forest area in 2024: 30.9% in Ghana and 19% in Nigeria, by FAO estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in Ghana, by 11.9 percentage points, or 1.63 times that in Nigeria.
% of land · FAO
What the numbers say
- Ghana has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1990.
- In 2024, Ghana ranked 111 and Nigeria ranked 132 of 209 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of land · FAO
| Year | Ghana | Nigeria | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 30.9 | 19 | – |
| 2023 | 30.7 | 19.1 | 31.1 |
| 2022 | 30.5 | 19.2 | 31.1 |
| 2021 | 30.4 | 19.4 | 31.2 |
| 2020 | 30.2 | 19.5 | 31.2 |
| 2019 | 30.1 | 19.6 | 31.2 |
| 2018 | 29.9 | 19.8 | 31.3 |
| 2017 | 29.8 | 19.9 | 31.3 |
| 2016 | 29.6 | 20.1 | 31.3 |
| 2015 | 29.4 | 20.2 | 31.4 |
| 2014 | 29.3 | 20.3 | 31.4 |
| 2013 | 29.1 | 20.5 | 31.4 |
| 2012 | 29 | 20.6 | 31.5 |
| 2011 | 28.8 | 20.8 | 31.9 |
| 2010 | 28.7 | 20.9 | 32 |
| 2009 | 28.5 | 21 | 32 |
| 2008 | 28.3 | 21.2 | 32 |
| 2007 | 28.2 | 21.3 | 32.1 |
| 2006 | 28 | 21.5 | 32.1 |
| 2005 | 27.9 | 21.6 | 32.1 |
| 2004 | 27.7 | 21.7 | 32.2 |
| 2003 | 27.6 | 21.9 | 32.3 |
| 2002 | 27.4 | 22 | 32.3 |
| 2001 | 27.2 | 22.2 | 32.3 |
| 2000 | 27.1 | 22.3 | 32.4 |
| 1999 | 26.9 | 22.4 | 32.5 |
| 1998 | 26.8 | 22.6 | 32.5 |
| 1997 | 26.6 | 22.7 | 32.6 |
| 1996 | 26.5 | 22.9 | 32.7 |
| 1995 | 26.3 | 23 | 32.7 |
| 1994 | 26.2 | 23.1 | 32.8 |
| 1993 | 26 | 23.3 | 32.8 |
| 1992 | 25.8 | 23.4 | 33 |
| 1991 | 25.7 | 23.5 | – |
| 1990 | 25.5 | 23.7 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of land under trees at least 5 metres tall, natural or planted, leaving out orchards and city parks.
- Source: FAO, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 209 countries with a value in 2024, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Ghana vs Nigeria
Health
- Life expectancyGhana: 65.5 years in 2023Nigeria: 54.5 years in 2023
- Child mortalityGhana: 3.6 per 100 live births in 2024Nigeria: 11.6 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityGhana: 30.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023Nigeria: 69.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterGhana: 44.5% in 2022Nigeria: 29% in 2022
- DepressionGhana: 3.4% in 2017Nigeria: 3.92% in 2017
- Suicide rateGhana: 9.7 per 100,000 people in 2017Nigeria: 7.5 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationGhana: 33.8 million people in 2023Nigeria: 228 million people in 2023
- Population growthGhana: 1.9% a year in 2023Nigeria: 2.1% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateGhana: 3.4 births per woman in 2023Nigeria: 4.48 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationGhana: 58.9% in 2025Nigeria: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageGhana: 20.9 years in 2023Nigeria: 17.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overGhana: 3.6% in 2023Nigeria: 3% in 2023
- Net migration rateGhana: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023Nigeria: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingGhana: 0.48% of GDP in 2025Nigeria: 0.91% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsGhana: $385M in 2025Nigeria: $1.76B in 2025
- Military spending per personGhana: $15 in 2025Nigeria: $9 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingGhana: 2.4% of government spending in 2025Nigeria: 5.9% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelGhana: 16,000 people in 2020Nigeria: 223,000 people in 2020
- National powerGhana: 0.17% of world capability in 2022Nigeria: 1.16% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersGhana: 0.13% of the labour force in 2020Nigeria: 0.23% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsGhana: 5 million TIV in 2025Nigeria: 21 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsGhana: 19 million TIV in 2005Nigeria: 4 million TIV in 2022