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Accra

#114 largest metro areaAfrica

In Ghana

Metro population
2,557,000
0.031% of world population
Archive estimate
Annual growth
+2.85%
About 200 people a day
Archive estimate
Density
2,861/km²
894 km² metro area
City proper
1,963,264
Within the administrative boundary
GeoNames

About Accra

Accra's metropolitan area encompasses 2,557,000 people, making it one of Africa's largest urban centers. The city proper holds 1,963,264 residents at a density of 2,861 people per km², reflecting concentrated settlement across its relatively compact footprint. Annual growth of 2.9% indicates steady demographic expansion.

Located at 33 meters elevation on Ghana's coast, Accra is served by Kotoka International Airport. The city is governed by mayor Elizabeth K.T. Sackey.

This summary is AI-generated from the statistics on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.

Key Facts

Country
Ghana
Continent
Africa
World rank
#114 of 140
Share of country
7.3%
Leadership
Elizabeth K.T. Sackey
Elevation
33 m
Coordinates
5.556, -0.197

Airports

Scheduled-service airports within 100 km, nearest first.

  • Kotoka International AirportACC

    6 km from the city centre

Source: OurAirports, matched by distance.

Compared with the World's Largest Cities

Metropolitan population against the fifteen largest metro areas.

  1. Tokyo37.4M
  2. Delhi32.9M
  3. Shanghai29.2M
  4. São Paulo22.6M
  5. Dhaka22.5M
  6. Mexico City22.3M
  7. Cairo22.2M
  8. Mumbai21.7M
  9. Beijing21.5M
  10. Osaka19M
  11. New York18.9M
  12. Karachi17.1M
  13. Kinshasa17.1M
  14. Chongqing16.9M
  15. Lagos15.9M
  16. Accra2.56M
Metro populations are archive estimates; boundaries differ between national statistical agencies.
Accra compared with the fifteen largest metropolitan areas
NameMetro population
Tokyo37.4M
Delhi32.9M
Shanghai29.2M
São Paulo22.6M
Dhaka22.5M
Mexico City22.3M
Cairo22.2M
Mumbai21.7M
Beijing21.5M
Osaka19M
New York18.9M
Karachi17.1M
Kinshasa17.1M
Chongqing16.9M
Lagos15.9M
Accra2.56M

Population Trend in Ghana

No free source publishes metropolitan population back to 1950, so the parent country's series is shown instead.

010M20M30M40M50M60M70M1950197520002025205020752100projected →
This is Ghana's national population, not Accra's. The legacy city series this page previously carried was generated by scaling the current figure, so it has been dropped rather than presented as history. Source: UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Ghana population, 1950 to 2100
YearPopulation
19505,080,664
19606,961,215
19708,925,813
198011,941,448
199015,394,648
200019,637,087
201025,474,995
202031,887,809
203038,222,089
204044,568,350
205050,553,047
206055,750,054
207060,088,946
208063,606,282
209066,099,925
210067,547,746

Nearest Major Cities

Closest cities in our dataset by great-circle distance.

Accra Population FAQ

What is the population of Accra?

Accra's metropolitan area has about 2,557,000 people, making it the 114th largest metro area in our dataset of 140 major cities.

What is the difference between Accra's city and metro population?

About 1,963,264 people live within the city proper, while the wider metropolitan area holds roughly 2,557,000. Metro figures include surrounding commuter areas that fall outside the city's administrative boundary.

Is Accra growing or shrinking?

Accra is growing at +2.85% a year.

What share of Ghana's population lives in Accra?

Accra's metro area holds about 7.3% of Ghana's total population.

How densely populated is Accra?

Accra has roughly 2,861 people per km² across a metro area of about 894 km².

Which airports serve Accra?

The nearest major airports are Kotoka International Airport (ACC).

Which country is Accra in?

Accra is in Ghana, in Africa.

Explore More Cities

All 140 cities →Ghana country profile →