This timeline shows the total population of Afghanistan from 2010 to 2023. In 2023, Afghanistan's total population amounted to an estimated 42.17 million inhabitants. Population of Afghanistan Afghanistan is a country constantly plagued by war and terrorism. A direct result of war in Afghanistan is a low life expectancy. Even though the life expectancy at birth from 2001 to 2012 has increased, the number still remains relatively low in comparison to other countries in the world. Another direct cause for this low life expectancy is probably terrorism. The number of deaths in Afghanistan due to terrorism between has increased dramatically until 2013. Additionally, insurgents were to blame for the majority of the civilian deaths in Afghanistan in 2010. War, the increase in civilian deaths in Afghanistan as well as a drop in the fertility rate in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2012 have resulted in a steep drop in population growth when compared to the previous year. However, despite of the slower population growth in recent years, the total population in Afghanistan in the past decade has increased by about 9 million inhabitants.

The total population in Afghanistan was estimated at 35.7 million people in 2024, according to the latest census figures and projections from Trading Economics. This dataset provides - Afghanistan Population - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The annual population growth in Afghanistan stood at 2.14 percent in 2023. Between 1961 and 2023, the population growth rose by 0.18 percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend.

Historical dataset of population level and growth rate for the Kabul, Afghanistan metro area from 1950 to 2025.

WorldPop produces different types of gridded population count datasets, depending on the methods used and end application. Please make sure you have read our Mapping Populations overview page before choosing and downloading a dataset.

Datasets are available to download in Geotiff and ASCII XYZ format at a resolution of 30 arc-seconds (approximately 1km at the equator)

-Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020: Population density datasets for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020 – derived from the corresponding Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 population count datasets by dividing the number of people in each pixel by the pixel surface area. These are produced using the unconstrained top-down modelling method.
-Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 UN adjusted: Population density datasets for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020 – derived from the corresponding Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 population UN adjusted count datasets by dividing the number of people in each pixel, adjusted to match the country total from the official United Nations population estimates (UN 2019), by the pixel surface area. These are produced using the unconstrained top-down modelling method.

Data for earlier dates is available directly from WorldPop.

WorldPop (www.worldpop.org - School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton; Department of Geography and Geosciences, University of Louisville; Departement de Geographie, Universite de Namur) and Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University (2018). Global High Resolution Population Denominators Project - Funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1134076). https://dx.doi.org/10.5258/SOTON/WP00674

Population in largest city in Afghanistan was reported at 4728384 in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Afghanistan - Population in largest city - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Population density per pixel at 100 metre resolution. WorldPop provides estimates of numbers of people residing in each 100x100m grid cell for every low and middle income country. Through ingegrating cencus, survey, satellite and GIS datasets in a flexible machine-learning framework, high resolution maps of population counts and densities for 2000-2020 are produced, along with accompanying metadata. DATASET: Alpha version 2010 and 2015 estimates of numbers of people per grid square, with national totals adjusted to match UN population division estimates (http://esa.un.org/wpp/) and remaining unadjusted. REGION: Central Asia SPATIAL RESOLUTION: 0.000833333 decimal degrees (approx 100m at the equator) PROJECTION: Geographic, WGS84 UNITS: Estimated persons per grid square MAPPING APPROACH: Land cover based, as described in: Linard, C., Gilbert, M., Snow, R.W., Noor, A.M. and Tatem, A.J., 2012, Population distribution, settlement patterns and accessibility across in 2010, PLoS ONE, 7(2): e31743. FORMAT: Geotiff (zipped using 7-zip (open access tool): www.7-zip.org) FILENAMES: Example - AGO10adjv4.tif = Angola (AGO) population count map for 2010 (10) adjusted to match UN national estimates (adj), version 4 (v4). Population maps are updated to new versions when improved census or other input data become available.

Population, female (% of total population) in Afghanistan was reported at 49.51 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Afghanistan - Population, female (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Historical dataset showing total population for Afghanistan by year from 1950 to 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (SPPOPGROWAFG) from 1961 to 2024 about Afghanistan, population, and rate.

Afghanistan Population: Growth data was reported at 2.666 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.534 % for 2022. Afghanistan Population: Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 2.524 % from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2023, with 63 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14.964 % in 1993 and a record low of -11.275 % in 1981. Afghanistan Population: Growth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Afghanistan – Table AF.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage . Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.;Derived from total population. Population source: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2022 Revision; (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics; (4) United Nations Statistics Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years).;Weighted average;

As of 2020, ** percent of the Afghan population consists of Pashtuns. This was followed by ** percent of Tajiks and **** percent Hazara. the Total population of Afghanistan is currently around ** million.

Population, male (% of total population) in Afghanistan was reported at 50.49 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Afghanistan - Population, male (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Population, Total for Afghanistan (POPTOTAFA647NWDB) from 1960 to 2024 about Afghanistan and population.

Afghanistan Population: Total data was reported at 41,454,761.000 Person in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 40,578,842.000 Person for 2022. Afghanistan Population: Total data is updated yearly, averaging 13,633,504.000 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 41,454,761.000 Person in 2023 and a record low of 9,035,043.000 Person in 1960. Afghanistan Population: Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Afghanistan – Table AF.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.;(1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision; (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics; (4) United Nations Statistics Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years).;Sum;Relevance to gender indicator: disaggregating the population composition by gender will help a country in projecting its demand for social services on a gender basis.

Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million (% of total population) in Afghanistan was reported at 11.09 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Afghanistan - Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

The share of urban population in Afghanistan was 26.93 percent in 2023. In a steady upward trend, the share rose by 18.53 percentage points from 1960.

Afghanistan: Population density, people per square km: The latest value from 2021 is 61 people per square km, an increase from 60 people per square km in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 456 people per square km, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Afghanistan from 1961 to 2021 is 28 people per square km. The minimum value, 13 people per square km, was reached in 1961 while the maximum of 61 people per square km was recorded in 2021.

Comprehensive socio-economic dataset for Afghanistan including population demographics, economic indicators, geographic data, and social statistics. This dataset covers key metrics such as GDP, population density, area, capital city, and regional classifications.

Graph and download economic data for Population Ages 15 to 64 for the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (SPPOP1564TOZSAFG) from 1960 to 2024 about Afghanistan, 15 to 64 years, and population.