The Daily Graphic reports that provisional results released by the National Census Secretariat has put the population of Ghana at 18,412,247, registering an increase of 49.7 per cent over the 1984 figure of 12, 296,081.
The release gave the new figure as comprising 9,025,069 males and 9,387,278, representing a rise in the female population from 50.7 per cent of 1984 to 51.0 per cent.
Dr. Kwaku Twum Baah, acting Government Statistician and National Census Co-ordinator, is reported as saying that the growth rate is 2.5 per cent.
The report, according to the paper, also found the population of Greater Accra more than doubled for the period while Ashanti region is the most densely populated with Northern region as the least.
Dr Twum Baah is reported as saying that the preliminary report, which will be ready by the end of December 2000, will provide more details while that of demographic and economic characterisation will also be available within two years of the release of the preliminary results.
