Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Ghana instead of South Korea, you would:

Health

live 13.6 years less

In South Korea, the average life expectancy is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In Ghana, that number is 69 years (68 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2022.

be 2.3 times more likely to be obese

In South Korea, 4.7% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Ghana, that number is 10.9% of people as of 2016.

Economy

pay a 34.2% lower top tax rate

South Korea has a top tax rate of 38.0% as of 2016. In Ghana, the top tax rate is 25.0% as of 2016.

make 86.8% less money

South Korea has a GDP per capita of $50,600 as of 2023, while in Ghana, the GDP per capita is $6,700 as of 2023.

be 16.7% more likely to be unemployed

In South Korea, 2.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Ghana, that number is 3.1% as of 2023.

be 62.5% more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Korea, 14.4% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Ghana, however, that number is 23.4% as of 2016.

Life

have 4.0 times more children

In South Korea, there are approximately 6.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Ghana, there are 27.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 32.9 times more likely to die during childbirth

In South Korea, approximately 8.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Ghana, 263.0 women do as of 2020.

be 19.4% less likely to be literate

In South Korea, the literacy rate is 98.0% as of 2019. In Ghana, it is 79.0% as of 2018.

be 11.4 times more likely to die during infancy

In South Korea, approximately 2.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Ghana, on the other hand, 32.6 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 14.9% less likely to have access to electricity

In South Korea, approximately 100% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Ghana, 85% of the population do as of 2022.

be 30.6% less likely to have internet access

In South Korea, approximately 98.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Ghana, about 68.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 14.9% less on education

South Korea spends 4.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Ghana spends 4.0% of total GDP on education as of 2018.

spend 52.4% less on healthcare

South Korea spends 8.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Ghana, that number is 4.0% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 77.7% less coastline

South Korea has a total of 2,413 km of coastline. In Ghana, that number is 539 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ghana Revenue Authority, National Tax Service, South Korea.

Ghana: At a glance

Ghana is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 227,533 sq km. Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. Ghana endured a long series of coups before Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS took power in 1981 and banned political parties. After approving a new constitution and restoring multiparty politics in 1992, RAWLINGS won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996 but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. John Atta MILLS won the 2008 presidential election and took over as head of state, but he died in July 2012 and was constitutionally succeeded by his vice president John Dramani MAHAMA, who subsequently won the December 2012 presidential election.
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How big is Ghana compared to South Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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