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.

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.

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

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;

This timeline shows the age structure in Afghanistan from 2014 to 2024. In 2024, approximately 42.89 percent of Afghanistan's population was aged 0 to 14 years, 54.71 percent was aged between 15 and 64, and 2.4 percent of people were 65 years and older.

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.

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, 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 July of 2025.

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.

Afghanistan Population: Female: Ages 0-4: % of Female Population data was reported at 15.857 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 16.026 % for 2022. Afghanistan Population: Female: Ages 0-4: % of Female Population data is updated yearly, averaging 18.747 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 20.582 % in 1997 and a record low of 15.857 % in 2023. Afghanistan Population: Female: Ages 0-4: % of Female Population 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. Female population between the ages 0 to 4 as a percentage of the total female population.;United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision.;;

Population ages 0-14 (% of total population) in Afghanistan was reported at 42.89 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Afghanistan - Population ages 0-14 (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Population, total in Afghanistan was reported at 41454761 in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Afghanistan - Population, total - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

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

Afghanistan Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data was reported at 4.374 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.395 % for 2022. Afghanistan Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data is updated yearly, averaging 4.779 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.101 % in 1960 and a record low of 4.374 % in 2023. Afghanistan Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old 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. Age dependency ratio, old, is the ratio of older dependents--people older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.;World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2022 Revision.;Weighted average;

UNICEF's country profile for Afghanistan, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.

In 2023, the annual population growth in Afghanistan increased by 0.7 percentage points (+48.61 percent) compared to 2022. In total, the population growth amounted to 2.14 percent in 2023. This increase was preceded by a declining population growth.Annual population growth refers to the change in the population over time, and is affected by factors such as fertility, mortality, and migration.Find more key insights for the annual population growth in countries like Pakistan and Nepal.

Population ages 65 and above (% of total population) in Afghanistan was reported at 2.401 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Afghanistan - Population ages 65 and above (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 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: Male: Ages 20-24: % of Male Population data was reported at 10.139 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 10.127 % for 2022. Afghanistan Population: Male: Ages 20-24: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 8.678 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10.139 % in 2023 and a record low of 8.276 % in 1974. Afghanistan Population: Male: Ages 20-24: % of Male Population 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. Male population between the ages 20 to 24 as a percentage of the total male population.;United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision.;;

The urban indicators data available here are analyzed, compiled and published by UN-Habitat’s Global Urban Observatory which supports governments, local authorities and civil society organizations to develop urban indicators, data and statistics. Urban statistics are collected through household surveys and censuses conducted by national statistics authorities. Global Urban Observatory team analyses and compiles urban indicators statistics from surveys and censuses. Additionally, Local urban observatories collect, compile and analyze urban data for national policy development. Population statistics are produced by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, World Urbanization Prospects.