Rawlings was born in Accra, the Ghanaian capital. His mother, Victoria Agbotui hails from DZELUKOPE in the Volta Region and his father was a Scotsman whom Rawlings did not know well. Rawlings attended St. Joseph's Catholic primary School, Adabraka in Accra and also Achimota Secondary School (1966) where he obtained a GCE 'O' Level Certificate.

In 1967, he enlisted as a Flight Cadet at the Ghana Air Force Station, Takoradi in the Western Region. A year later he was selected to join the Officer Cadet Training at the Military Academy, Teshie, Accra and also went on Military training courses including one in Takoradi in 1968.

In January 1969, Rawlings was commissioned as a Pilot Officer and won the coveted "Speed Bird Trophy" as the best cadet in flying and airmanship and was later promoted to the rank of Flight Lieutenant.

On 15th May 1979, Rawlings led some junior officers in an uprising against the ruling military body, which was quelled. He was rounded up together with six of his men and put before a court martial in Accra and charged with "mutiny" of the junior officer and men of the Ghana Armed Forces. There was a strong public reaction after Rawlings explained the reason for his action in court. On 4th June 1979, the day scheduled for another sentencing of Rawlings and his men, another faction led my Major Boakye-Djan sprung Rawlings from jail and made him their spokesman in the coup that ousted General Akuffo's military government.

As Chairman of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council and Head of State for three months, Rawlings acted speedily and decisively in his drive to cleanse Ghana. Before relinquishing power to President Hilla Limann's civilian government in September 1979, he set up People's Courts, confiscated the assets of corrupt officials and organised the collection of taxes. He retired from the Armed Forces in November 1978 but retained his popularity with the Ghanaian people. His relations with President Limann grew more and more tense as the civilian government disintegrated. Rawlings seized power again on the last day of 1981, but this time he did not promise to step down from his position as Head of State and Chairman of the Provincial National Defence Council.

Rawlings has had to face many problems, including numerous attempted coups. Ghana's economic problems forced him to appeal for international aid. The secure this aid he had to impose a very strict austerity programme which caused much suffering, although by the end of the 1980's there were signs that the harsh economic medicine was beginning to work.

Rawlings has included civilians in the Provincial National Defence Council and he has held elections for local authorities, but apparently intended to stay in power for some time yet. He has had some successes and is respected for his personal integrity. Rawlings resigned from the army to contest the general elections of 1992 as leader of the National Democratic Convention (NDC), which swept the polls of that year. Rawlings and his party again contested and won the 1996 general elections and served as a full term President, mandated by constitution. He remained President of Ghana until November 2000 when he lost the general elections to the National Patriotic Party.