Population Characteristics
The population of the Ketu North District has its own unique features. It has always experienced growth in numbers over the years and has a large youthful population which is male dominant. The population of the district is not evenly distributed, and the number of persons per square kilometer is also on the increase.

Population Size and Growth Rates
The population size, growth rate, structure and distribution of the Ketu North District have been estimated from various census figures of the Ketu District which has now been split into the Ketu South and Ketu North Districts. Based on estimates from the 2000 population census, the Ketu North District has a projected population of 98,512 as at 2009. The population of the District has always been experiencing growth over the years. From 1970 to 1984, the District experienced a population growth rate of 1.9%. This growth rate remained unchanged for the1984 – 2000 censal year (See Table 1.1).


The population sizes for the various communities are grouped according to Area Council in appendix 1.

Age - Sex Structure
According to the 2000 population census, the district has a relatively large Female population compared to that of Male (See Table 1.6). This structure is not different from that of the Volta Region where the district is located.

In terms of age structure, the district has a large youthful population. The two cohort that contains most of the people are the 0-14 group and 15 –64 group (See Table 1.8).

Another significant feature of the district population is its large labour force. The cohort that falls within the active labour force constitutes 52.5% of the district population. This is a bit lower than the national active labour force of 55.2% and higher than that of the regional figure of 52.2%. This large active labour force could be positioned to harness and maximize the vast agricultural potentials of the district.

Population Density
The population density of the district has never been stable nor has it experienced any decline over time.  The increase in population over time is reflected in the high population densities recorded for the period 1970, 1984 and 2000 (See Table 1.9) The number of persons per square kilometer (density) as at each of the population censuses has increased from 60.2 persons in 1970 to 81.6 persons in 1984 and to 110.4 persons in the 2000. The increasing density in time shows the increasing pressure of the district’s population on the land and its resources. This may be an indication of growing pressure on the district’s fragile environment which may gradually result in environmental degradation.

There is high concentration of people in the two major towns of the district; Dzodze and Penyi. There are also pockets of concentration in the settlements in Afife, Ehi and Weta.

Rural/Urban Split
The population of the District is basically rural. About 70.7% of the people reside in the rural areas. The remaining 29.3% of the people can be found in the only two main towns of the District, Dzodze and Penyi. Apart from these two towns, the other settlements have their population figures below 5000 as at 2000 (2000 Population and Housing Census).


Migration Patterns
Out-migration is not very prominent in the District. This could be attributed to the fact that about 70% of the total populations are farmers who have access to fertile lands for farming. 

Ethnicity and Religion
The District is ethnically dominated by Ewes representing about 90% of the population. Most of the non-Ewe tribes represent various ethnic groups who are basically coming from other part of the country.  In terms of religion, both Christian and Traditional religion are the predominant ones, comprising 45.1% and 46.7% of the total population respectively.

Traditional Set-up
There are four Traditional Paramount Chiefs in the District ruling from Dzodze, Penyi, Afife and Weta.The four stools collaborate in promoting the development of the District.

Refer to pdf file attached for tables