Stories and facts
Geography
The Akatsi South District is situated between latitudes 60S 70N and longitudes 00W 10E. It covers a total land area of approximately 536 square kilometers. The district's geographical boundaries include the Keta Municipal and Anloga Districts to the South, Ketu North District to the East, South Tongu, and Central Tongu Districts to the West, and Akatsi North District to the North.
Population
As of the 2010 Population and Housing Census, the Akatsi South District had a population of 98,684, accounting for 4.6% of the total population of the then Volta region. The district consists of 25,758 households, with an average household size of 3.8 persons per household.
Climate
The district falls within the coastal savannah equatorial climatic regime, characterized by high temperatures (minimum: 21°C, maximum: 34.5°C), high relative humidity (85%), and a moderate to low rainfall regime (1,084 mm) with distinct wet and dry seasons of about equal lengths. Mean annual temperatures remain relatively constant at around 27°C, with the highest mean monthly maxima recorded in February, March, and April (around 34°C) and the lowest average monthly temperatures occurring in July, August, and September (around 30°C).
Age-Dependency Ratio
The age-dependency ratio for the Akatsi South district is 83.9. This indicates that there are 83 persons in the dependent age group (0-14 years and 65+) for every 100 people in the working age group (15-64 years). A higher age-dependency ratio suggests a greater economic burden on the working-age population. Specifically, the dependency ratio is higher in rural areas (93.5) compared to urban areas (66.6).
Migration Patterns
According to the 2010 Population and Housing Census, there were a total of 27,022 migrants residing in the Akatsi South District. Of these migrants, 73.5% (19,849) were born elsewhere in the Volta Region, 21.4% were born in other regions of Ghana, and the remaining 5.1% were born outside Ghana. The majority of migrants (37.8%) have been residing in the district for ten years or more.
Settlement Types
Akatsi, the district's capital, is the only urban town, while the majority of settlements in the hinterland follow a scattered/sparsely populated pattern due to agricultural activities. Some notable nucleated settlements include Wute, Avenorpeme, Avenorpedo, and Gefia.
Ethnic Composition
The Akatsi South District is primarily ethnically dominated by the Ewe ethnic group, representing 98.6% of the population. Other ethnic groups such as Akan (0.5%), Ga Adangme (0.2%), Guan (0.1%), and various other ethnic groups (0.5%) constitute the minority.
Religious Affiliations
The religious landscape in the district is predominantly Christian, with 60.6% of the population identifying as Christians. Traditionalists make up 27.9% of the population, while 8.5% have no religious affiliation. A smaller proportion follows Islam (2.1%), and other religious groups account for 0.1%.
The Akatsi South District, established in 2012, encompasses a diverse population, geography, and climate. With its urban center, Akatsi, and scattered settlements in the hinterland, the district showcases the cultural richness of the Ewe ethnic group, with Christianity as the dominant religion. Understanding the district's demographics and characteristics is essential for effective development planning and policy implementation to cater to the needs of its population.
