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Afghanistan Population 2023

Afghanistan map
  • The current population of Afghanistan is estimated at 41,618,143 people as of May, 2023, according to the latest population growth rate and projections.
  • Population of Afghanistan represent 0.52% of the total world population.
  • The population density of Afghanistan is 48.57 inhabitants per km2.
  • Afghanistan is located in Asia.
  • Afghanistan ranks number 37 in the list of countries ordered by population.
  • The latitudinal point of Afghanistan is 33.92° N. The longitudinal coordinate of the country is 66.52° E.
  • The median age in Afghanistan is 18.6 years.
  • Minimum Wages in Afghanistan is not existent for permanent workers. Nonpermanent private-sector workers must earn at least 61,81 USD per month.
  • The countries that Afghanistan shares its land boundary with are Pakistan in the east and south, Central Asian states of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in the north, Iran in the west and it also has a small border with China.

Afghanistan

Official name Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
Location Asia
Capital Kabul
Population 40,697,213 (as of 2022)
Population density 48.57/km2
Population growth rate 2.35% (in 2023)
Area 652,867 km2 (252,073.25 sq mi)
Official language Pashto and Dari
Currency Afghani (AFN)
Life expectancy 65.87 years
Internet TLD .af
Call code +93

Afghanistan Population Graph

Afghanistan Population History (1960-2020)

Year Population Male Population Female Population Male (%) Female (%) Urban Population Urban (%)
2020 38,947,805 19,988,014 18,959,791 51.32% 48.68% 10,138,114 26.03%
2019 38,060,778 19,540,403 18,520,375 51.34% 48.66% 9,800,650 25.75%
2018 37,190,508 19,101,045 18,089,463 51.36% 48.64% 9,483,580 25.5%
2017 36,314,259 18,661,898 17,652,361 51.39% 48.61% 9,169,350 25.25%
2016 35,400,720 18,195,970 17,204,750 51.4% 48.6% 8,857,260 25.02%
2015 34,430,810 17,693,993 16,736,817 51.39% 48.61% 8,538,841 24.8%
2014 33,387,489 17,147,814 16,239,675 51.36% 48.64% 8,209,984 24.59%
2013 32,285,727 16,562,578 15,723,149 51.3% 48.7% 7,868,032 24.37%
2012 31,176,959 15,971,956 15,205,003 51.23% 48.77% 7,532,353 24.16%
2011 30,132,470 15,421,798 14,710,672 51.18% 48.82% 7,216,727 23.95%
2010 29,200,104 14,944,613 14,255,491 51.18% 48.82% 6,932,105 23.74%
2009 28,409,003 14,551,091 13,857,912 51.22% 48.78% 6,684,638 23.53%
2008 27,736,142 14,234,188 13,501,954 51.32% 48.68% 6,468,068 23.32%
2007 27,114,092 13,944,778 13,169,314 51.43% 48.57% 6,266,067 23.11%
2006 26,446,275 13,630,410 12,815,865 51.54% 48.46% 6,058,842 22.91%
2005 25,667,101 13,246,791 12,420,310 51.61% 48.39% 5,826,432 22.7%
2004 24,741,525 12,771,575 11,969,950 51.62% 48.38% 5,566,843 22.5%
2003 23,695,080 12,221,922 11,473,158 51.58% 48.42% 5,295,850 22.35%
2002 22,614,334 11,648,643 10,965,691 51.51% 48.49% 5,033,951 22.26%
2001 21,619,956 11,123,467 10,496,489 51.45% 48.55% 4,793,144 22.17%
2000 20,792,425 10,695,623 10,096,802 51.44% 48.56% 4,590,967 22.08%
1999 20,182,950 10,392,201 9,790,749 51.49% 48.51% 4,438,231 21.99%
1998 19,749,613 10,190,800 9,558,813 51.6% 48.4% 4,325,165 21.9%
1997 19,368,740 10,017,512 9,351,228 51.72% 48.28% 4,224,322 21.81%
1996 18,864,756 9,775,717 9,089,039 51.82% 48.18% 4,095,539 21.71%
1995 18,121,528 9,397,824 8,723,704 51.86% 48.14% 3,917,874 21.62%
1994 17,085,973 8,853,951 8,232,022 51.82% 48.18% 3,678,610 21.53%
1993 15,826,091 8,182,089 7,644,002 51.7% 48.3% 3,393,114 21.44%
1992 14,494,234 7,465,980 7,028,254 51.51% 48.49% 3,095,968 21.36%
1991 13,306,995 6,825,158 6,481,837 51.29% 48.71% 2,830,398 21.27%
1990 12,421,000 6,349,615 6,071,385 51.12% 48.88% 2,630,768 21.18%
1989 11,877,181 6,058,550 5,818,631 51.01% 48.99% 2,504,897 21.09%
1988 11,626,141 5,927,007 5,699,134 50.98% 49.02% 2,441,490 21%
1987 11,612,661 5,922,457 5,690,204 51% 49% 2,358,531 20.31%
1986 11,744,392 5,993,163 5,751,229 51.03% 48.97% 2,307,773 19.65%
1985 11,946,561 6,096,330 5,850,231 51.03% 48.97% 2,269,847 19%
1984 12,212,849 6,228,553 5,984,296 51% 49% 2,243,500 18.37%
1983 12,545,255 6,393,062 6,152,193 50.96% 49.04% 2,226,783 17.75%
1982 12,890,248 6,561,136 6,329,112 50.9% 49.1% 2,210,678 17.15%
1981 13,179,582 6,703,135 6,476,447 50.86% 49.14% 2,182,539 16.56%
1980 13,364,514 6,791,846 6,572,668 50.82% 49.18% 2,138,322 16%
1979 13,419,107 6,816,906 6,602,201 50.8% 49.2% 2,071,910 15.44%
1978 13,349,204 6,780,061 6,569,143 50.79% 49.21% 1,998,376 14.97%
1977 13,179,197 6,693,714 6,485,483 50.79% 49.21% 1,913,619 14.52%
1976 12,950,859 6,577,741 6,373,118 50.79% 49.21% 1,822,186 14.07%
1975 12,696,777 6,449,963 6,246,814 50.8% 49.2% 1,731,840 13.64%
1974 12,421,649 6,312,682 6,108,967 50.82% 49.18% 1,642,142 13.22%
1973 12,117,439 6,161,718 5,955,721 50.85% 49.15% 1,552,244 12.81%
1972 11,799,476 6,004,753 5,794,723 50.89% 49.11% 1,464,315 12.41%
1971 11,483,483 5,849,686 5,633,797 50.94% 49.06% 1,380,315 12.02%
1970 11,181,476 5,701,435 5,480,041 50.99% 49.01% 1,301,524 11.64%
1969 10,901,398 5,564,074 5,337,324 51.04% 48.96% 1,229,678 11.28%
1968 10,644,510 5,438,280 5,206,230 51.09% 48.91% 1,162,380 10.92%
1967 10,407,216 5,323,291 5,083,925 51.15% 48.85% 1,100,043 10.57%
1966 10,181,962 5,214,183 4,967,779 51.21% 48.79% 1,041,615 10.23%
1965 9,963,287 5,108,177 4,855,110 51.27% 48.73% 986,365 9.9%
1964 9,751,593 5,006,468 4,745,125 51.34% 48.66% 935,178 9.59%
1963 9,549,880 4,910,548 4,639,332 51.42% 48.58% 886,229 9.28%
1962 9,357,988 4,819,364 4,538,624 51.5% 48.5% 840,347 8.98%
1961 9,175,825 4,733,808 4,442,017 51.59% 48.41% 796,462 8.68%
1960 9,003,265 4,652,887 4,350,378 51.68% 48.32% 756,274 8.4%
Source: Worldbank Open Data | Some data could be adjusted by Pediaglobe.

Cities in Afghanistan ordered by Population

The list offered below features the biggest cities of Afghanistan. Besides, in the table you will find information regarding the population size in these cities. Cities are ordered by population (largest to smallest).

Afghanistan

# City Population 2023
1 Kabul 3,095,267
2 Kandahar 395,928
3 Mazar-e Sharif 307,555
4 Herat 275,212
5 Jalalabad 203,102
6 Kunduz 164,146
7 Ghazni 142,350
8 Balkh 116,376
9 Baghlan 109,782
10 Gardez 105,131
11 Khost 97,312
12 Maymana 76,541
13 Khanabad 72,259
14 Bazarak 65,908
15 Khulm 65,793
16 Bazar-e Yakawlang 65,540
17 Taloqan 64,786
18 Bamyan 62,516
19 Pul-e Khumri 56,962
20 Shibirghan 56,178
21 Charikar 54,126
22 Sar-e Pul 52,661
23 Zaranj 50,593
24 Paghman 49,963
25 Asadabad 48,955
26 Aibak 48,601
27 Fayzabad 44,978
28 Lashkar Gah 44,296
29 Farah 44,148
30 Gereshk 44,135
31 Ghormach 30,515
32 Andkhoy 29,656
33 Shindand 29,589
34 Rustaq 25,997
35 Qarawul 24,954
36 Nahrin 22,736
37 Baraki Barak 22,587
38 Art Khwajah 18,840
39 Kafir Qala 18,247
40 Karukh 17,753
41 Mehtar Lam 17,541
42 Kushk 17,144
43 Shahrak 16,148
44 Asmar 15,910
45 Sang-e Charak 15,609
46 Khash 15,261
47 Markaz-e Woluswali-ye Achin 15,244
48 Fayroz Koh 15,240
49 Jabal os Saraj 15,233
50 Qarqin 15,200
51 Mirabad 14,339
52 Zarghun Shahr 13,931
53 Sangin 13,780
54 Uruzgan 13,616
55 Panjab 13,605
56 Pul-e 'Alam 13,460
57 Chiras 12,961
58 Hukumati Azrah 12,723
59 Qarah Bagh 12,544
60 Qalat 12,382
61 Ashkasham 12,289
62 Kuhsan 12,274
63 Jurm 12,260
64 Tukzar 12,180
65 Chahar Burj 12,045
66 Larkird 11,815
67 Rudbar 11,187
68 Farkhar 10,608
69 Zindah Jan 10,241
70 Anar Darah 10,166

Other Countries from Asia Ranked by Population

Country Name Population 2023 Population density
China 1,450,158,659 145/km2
India 1,383,820,649 417/km2
Indonesia 276,736,832 142/km2
Pakistan 231,611,059 243/km2
Bangladesh 167,903,853 1,108/km2
Japan 125,553,305 332/km2
Philippines 112,540,861 337/km2
Turkey 86,336,104 116/km2
Iran 85,971,815 49/km2
Thailand 70,176,879 136.1/km2
Myanmar 55,086,917 76/km2
South Korea 51,912,141 507/km2
Iraq 42,001,087 83/km2
Afghanistan 40,697,213 48.57/km2
Saudi Arabia 35,909,711 15/km2
Malaysia 33,170,971 98/km2
Nepal 30,151,786 180/km2
North Korea 25,807,433 213/km2
Taiwan 23,898,113 650/km2
Sri Lanka 21,815,213 337/km2