Stories and facts
Geographical Location
Situated in the southeastern corner of the Northern Region of Ghana, the Kpandai District occupies the region between latitudes 8º N and 9.29º N and longitudes 0.29 º E and 1.26ºW. It covers a land area of approximately 2,102 square kilometers. The district shares its borders with Nanumba South Municipal to the north, East Gonja Municipal to the west, Krachi West District to the southwest, and Nkwanta North District to the east.
Population Size and Composition
Based on the 2010 Population and Housing Census, the Kpandai District is home to a population of 108,816 individuals, accounting for 4.4 percent of the total population of the Northern Region. The gender distribution is nearly equal, with males constituting 50.5 percent and females making up 49.5 percent of the population. Approximately 90 percent of the inhabitants reside in rural areas. The district exhibits a sex ratio of 102.2. The age distribution reveals a youthful population structure, with 47.5 percent being below 15 years old, while those aged 60 years and older account for 5.4 percent. The total age dependency ratio is 104.7, with males exhibiting a higher age dependency ratio (110.4) than females (99.3).
Fertility, Mortality, and Migration
The district's Total Fertility Rate stands at 4.3, while the General Fertility Rate is 123 births per 1000 women aged 15-49 years, ranking it as the fifth highest among the region's districts. The Crude Birth Rate is 27 births per 1000 population, and the Crude Death Rate is 5 deaths per 1000. Migration patterns reveal that 52.6 percent of migrants in the district were born elsewhere in the Northern Region, while 47.4 percent originate from other regions. Notably, 49.7 percent of migrants born in another region come from the Volta Region, while 15.4 percent are born outside of Ghana.
Household Structure
The Kpandai District accommodates a household population of 107,598 individuals, with males comprising 50.6 percent and females 49.4 percent. Children form the largest segment of the household structure, accounting for 55.3 percent. Spouses constitute around 11 percent of the households. Extended households (including heads, spouses, children, and relatives) make up 45.0 percent, whereas nuclear households (comprising head, spouse(s), and children) represent 34.2 percent of the district's total household population.
Marital Status
Marital statistics reveal that 49.2 percent of individuals aged 12 years and older are married, 42.2 percent have never married, 1.4 percent are in consensual unions, 4.4 percent are widowed, 1.5 percent are divorced, and 1.3 percent are separated. The age-specific data further demonstrates that by age 25-29 years, approximately 78 percent of females are married, in contrast to 46.2 percent of males. The widowed population peaks among females at age 65 and above (54.6 percent) and among males at 6.3 percent.
Education and Literacy
Among individuals aged 11 years and above, 36.6 percent are literate, while 63.4 percent are non-literate. Notably, male literacy (42.8 percent) surpasses female literacy (30.3 percent). Furthermore, 24.7 percent of the population aged 3 years and above can speak and write both English and Ghanaian languages. Within the district, 55.6 percent of the population has never attended school, 34.8 percent are currently attending, and 9.6 percent have attended in the past.
Economic Activity and Occupation
Approximately 85.3 percent of individuals aged 15 years and older are economically active, with 14.7 percent being economically inactive. Within the economically active segment, 99.0 percent are employed, while one percent is unemployed. Those classified as economically inactive predominantly consist of students (47.3 percent), individuals performing household duties (20.2 percent), and those who are disabled or too sick to work (8.2 percent). In terms of occupation, 85.7 percent of the employed population engage in skilled agricultural, forestry, and fishery roles, 4.5 percent are in service and sales, 6.5 percent in craft and related trades, and 1.6 percent function as managers, professionals, and technicians.
Nationality
The population of the Kpandai District primarily comprises Ghanaians by birth (93.7 percent), while those who have acquired naturalized citizenship constitute 1.0 percent. Non-Ghanaians account for 2.4 percent of the district's population.
The Kpandai District, nestled in the Northern Region of Ghana, showcases a dynamic demographic landscape characterized by a balanced gender distribution, a youthful population structure, and notable trends in marital status, education, and economic engagement. These insights provide a comprehensive overview of the district's socioeconomic dynamics, which serve as a foundation for informed development strategies and policies.
