Stories and facts

The Karaga District stands as one of the integral components within Ghana's administrative framework, classified as one of the 261 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) across the nation. It holds its place within the Northern Region, constituting one of the 16 MMDAs within this larger geographic division.

Geographical Location

Positioned in the northeastern expanse of the Northern Region, the Karaga District's geographical coordinates range between latitudes 9°30’ and 10°30’ North and longitudes 0° and 45’ West. The district capital, Karaga, is situated approximately 2,844 kilometres away from Gushegu and 94 kilometres from Tamale, which serves as the Regional Capital.

The Karaga District is bordered by four adjoining districts. To the north, it shares boundaries with the West Mamprusi and East Mamprusi Municipalities. The Savelugu Municipal district is to the west, and on the eastern flank lies the Gushegu Municipal district, serving as the district of origin.

Age Composition

The district's population structure leans towards the younger spectrum, with individuals below the age of 15 constituting 46.9 percent of the total populace. This demographic composition results in a broad-based population pyramid that narrows down towards a smaller proportion of elderly individuals, aged 60 and above, accounting for 4.1 percent. The age dependency ratio for the district reaches 104, with a higher ratio for males (115) in comparison to females (94).

Fertility, Mortality, and Migration

The district's Total Fertility Rate of 2.9 ranks as the second lowest in the Northern region. The General Fertility Rate, at 86.8 births per 1000 women aged 15-49 years, is the third lowest among districts in the region. The Crude Birth Rate (CBR) stands at 21 births per 1000 population, while the crude death rate is 7 deaths per 1000. Deaths attributed to accidents, violence, homicide, and suicide constitute 2.7 percent of the total deaths.

A substantial proportion, 78.6 percent, of migrants within the Karaga District were born elsewhere in the Northern region, while 21.4 percent hail from other regions. Among the migrants born in other regions, those originating outside of Ghana account for the highest proportion, at 50.6 percent, followed by those born in the Upper East region, comprising 25.9 percent.

Household Characteristics

Within the district, there are a total of 76,927 individuals residing in 7,664 households. The average household size is 10 persons, slightly higher than the regional average of 8. Children hold the largest share in household composition, constituting 47.9 percent. Spouses comprise around 8.4 percent of the household makeup. Extended households, encompassing the head, spouse(s), children, and head's relatives, form the majority at 71.2 percent, whereas nuclear households (head, spouse(s), and children) constitute only 12.3 percent.

Marital Status

Regarding marital status, 63.9 percent of the population aged 12 years and older are married, while 30.9 percent have never married. A smaller fraction is in consensual unions (0.4 percent), widowed (3.1 percent), divorced (0.9 percent), or separated (0.9 percent). Notably, within the 25-29 age range, 88.2 percent of females are married, compared to 62.5 percent of males. Among the married, 88.4 percent have received no formal education, in contrast to 57.4 percent of the unmarried population. Of the married individuals, 83.8 percent are employed, while 15.4 percent are economically inactive. Among those who have never married, 36.7 percent are economically inactive.

Nationality and Literacy

The district's population primarily comprises Ghanaians by birth, accounting for 93.5 percent. Naturalized citizens constitute 1.1 percent, while non-Ghanaians make up around 3.3 percent. In terms of literacy, among those aged 11 years and above, 70 percent possess the ability to read and write in both English and the Ghanaian Language. Of this group, 22 percent can solely read and write in the English Language. Notably, females in the district exhibit a higher literacy rate (24.6%) than males (19.9%). Regarding education, 65.7 percent of those aged 3 years and above have never attended school, with 28.5 percent currently attending and 5.8 percent having attended in the past.

Economic Activity

Approximately 79 percent of individuals aged 15 years and above are engaged in economic activities, leaving 21 percent economically inactive. Among the economically active segment, 98.7 percent are employed, while 1.3 percent are unemployed. Within the economically inactive group, 37.1 percent perform domestic duties, 26.1 percent are students, and 4.4 percent are disabled or unwell. Nearly 39.4 percent of the unemployed are actively seeking work for the first time.

Occupation and Employment Sector

Among the employed population, a substantial 93.7 percent are employed in skilled agricultural, forestry, and fishery roles. The service and sales sector employs 2.0 percent, craft and related trade absorbs 1.8 percent, and managerial, professional, and technical roles each constitute less than 1 percent.

Employment Status and Sector

Within the population aged 15 years and older, 66.5 percent are self-employed without employees, 25.2 percent are contributing family workers, 2.3 percent are casual workers, and 1.1 percent are domestic employees. Males hold higher proportions in both employee and self-employed categories with and without employees, while females dominate in contributing family worker and domestic employee roles. The private informal sector boasts the largest share of employment within the district, employing 98.5 percent of the workforce, followed by the public sector at 0.9 percent.