Afghanistan Demographics: Median age, Gender, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Afghanistan vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	Afghanistan	World
1960	18.9	22.5
1961	18.9	22.5
1962	18.8	22.4
1963	18.7	22.2
1964	18.6	22
1965	18.6	21.8
1966	18.5	21.7
1967	18.4	21.6
1968	18.3	21.5
1969	18.2	21.5
1970	18.1	21.4
1971	17.9	21.4
1972	17.8	21.5
1973	17.7	21.5
1974	17.6	21.6
1975	17.5	21.7
1976	17.4	21.9
1977	17.3	22
1978	17.2	22.2
1979	17	22.3
1980	16.9	22.5
1981	16.8	22.6
1982	16.7	22.7
1983	16.6	22.9
1984	16.5	23
1985	16.4	23.2
1986	16.3	23.3
1987	16.3	23.4
1988	16.2	23.6
1989	16.1	23.8
1990	16.1	23.9
1991	16	24.1
1992	15.9	24.3
1993	15.8	24.5
1994	15.7	24.7
1995	15.6	25
1996	15.5	25.2
1997	15.3	25.4
1998	15.2	25.7
1999	15.1	25.9
2000	15	26.1
2001	14.9	26.3
2002	14.9	26.5
2003	14.9	26.7
2004	14.9	27
2005	15	27.2
2006	15.1	27.4
2007	15.2	27.6
2008	15.3	27.8
2009	15.5	28
2010	15.7	28.2
2011	15.9	28.4
2012	16	28.6
2013	16.2	28.9
2014	16.4	29.1
2015	16.6	29.3
2016	16.8	29.5
2017	17	29.8
2018	17.1	30
2019	17.3	30.3
2020	17.5	30.6
2021	17.6	30.8
2022	17.8	31
2023	18	31.3
2024	18.2	31.6
2025	18.3	31.9
2026	18.4	32.1
2027	18.6	32.3
2028	18.8	32.6
2029	19	32.8
2030	19.2	33
2031	19.4	33.2
2032	19.6	33.4
2033	19.8	33.6
2034	20.1	33.8
2035	20.3	34
2036	20.5	34.2
2037	20.7	34.4
2038	21	34.6
2039	21.2	34.8
2040	21.5	35
2041	21.7	35.2
2042	22	35.4
2043	22.2	35.6
2044	22.5	35.8
2045	22.7	36
2046	23	36.2
2047	23.2	36.4
2048	23.5	36.6
2049	23.8	36.8
2050	24	37.1

In 1960, the median age in Afghanistan was 18.9 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had decreased to 18.2 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 117th for median age 64 years ago (old to young), Afghanistan ranks 186th currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in Afghanistan is expected to increase to around 24 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

Afghanistan demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Afghanistan
	Male	Female
0-4	8.12%	7.78%
5-9	7.3%	6.98%
10-14	6.51%	6.21%
15-19	5.73%	5.46%
20-24	5.1%	4.89%
25-29	4.27%	4.17%
30-34	3.35%	3.3%
35-39	2.55%	2.52%
40-44	2.01%	1.99%
45-49	1.65%	1.65%
50-54	1.29%	1.34%
55-59	0.94%	1.05%
60-64	0.66%	0.8%
65-69	0.45%	0.58%
70-74	0.29%	0.39%
75-79	0.17%	0.25%
80+	0.11%	0.16%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. Afghanistan has high demographic potential with 79.2% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 7/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Afghanistan			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	81.1%	75.9%	5.11%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	81.3%	76.2%	5.09%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	81.5%	76.4%	5.07%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	81.9%	76.8%	5.05%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	82.4%	77.3%	5.03%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	83.1%	78.1%	5.02%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	83.9%	78.9%	5.02%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	84.8%	79.8%	5.01%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	85.6%	80.6%	5.01%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	86.5%	81.4%	5.01%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	87.3%	82.3%	5%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	88%	83%	4.99%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	88.8%	83.8%	4.98%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	89.5%	84.5%	4.97%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	90.2%	85.3%	4.96%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	91%	86%	4.95%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	91.7%	86.7%	4.95%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	92.4%	87.4%	4.95%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	93.1%	88.1%	4.94%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	93.7%	88.8%	4.92%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	94.5%	89.6%	4.89%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	95.2%	90.3%	4.87%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	95.8%	91%	4.82%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	96.4%	91.6%	4.76%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	96.8%	92.2%	4.67%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	97.3%	92.7%	4.57%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	97.8%	93.3%	4.5%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	98.2%	93.8%	4.47%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	98.7%	94.2%	4.46%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	99.1%	94.7%	4.47%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	99.7%	95.2%	4.48%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	100.3%	95.8%	4.49%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	101.1%	96.6%	4.51%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	102%	97.5%	4.54%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	103%	98.4%	4.58%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	104.1%	99.5%	4.61%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	105.2%	100.6%	4.64%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	106.4%	101.7%	4.67%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	107.6%	102.9%	4.7%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	108.7%	104%	4.72%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	109.6%	104.8%	4.74%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	110.2%	105.5%	4.76%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	110.5%	105.8%	4.77%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	110.6%	105.8%	4.77%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	110.3%	105.5%	4.77%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	109.7%	105%	4.76%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	108.9%	104.1%	4.75%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	107.7%	103%	4.73%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	106.3%	101.6%	4.71%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	104.8%	100.1%	4.7%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	103.1%	98.5%	4.69%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	101.5%	96.8%	4.68%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	99.8%	95.1%	4.67%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	98.1%	93.4%	4.65%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	96.3%	91.7%	4.63%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	94.6%	90%	4.59%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	92.9%	88.3%	4.54%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	91.3%	86.8%	4.51%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	89.8%	85.4%	4.49%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	88.5%	84%	4.48%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	87.2%	82.8%	4.44%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	86.1%	81.7%	4.38%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	85%	80.6%	4.36%	54%	39%	15%
2023	83.8%	79.5%	4.37%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	82.8%	78.4%	4.39%	53.7%	38%	15.7%

Age dependency is the ratio of people not in the labor force (children under 15 and adults 64+) to people aged 15 to 64. Age dependency in Afghanistan decreased from 110.3% to 82.8% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

Afghanistan working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Afghanistan	World
1960	55.2%	57.6%
1961	55.2%	57.5%
1962	55.1%	57.4%
1963	55%	57.2%
1964	54.8%	57%
1965	54.6%	56.9%
1966	54.4%	56.8%
1967	54.1%	56.9%
1968	53.9%	56.9%
1969	53.6%	56.9%
1970	53.4%	57%
1971	53.2%	57.1%
1972	53%	57.2%
1973	52.8%	57.3%
1974	52.6%	57.3%
1975	52.4%	57.4%
1976	52.2%	57.5%
1977	52%	57.7%
1978	51.8%	58%
1979	51.6%	58.4%
1980	51.4%	58.7%
1981	51.2%	59%
1982	51.1%	59.3%
1983	50.9%	59.6%
1984	50.8%	59.9%
1985	50.7%	60.1%
1986	50.6%	60.4%
1987	50.4%	60.5%
1988	50.3%	60.7%
1989	50.2%	60.8%
1990	50.1%	60.9%
1991	49.9%	61%
1992	49.7%	61.1%
1993	49.5%	61.2%
1994	49.3%	61.3%
1995	49%	61.5%
1996	48.7%	61.7%
1997	48.4%	61.9%
1998	48.2%	62.2%
1999	47.9%	62.5%
2000	47.7%	62.8%
2001	47.6%	63.1%
2002	47.5%	63.4%
2003	47.5%	63.7%
2004	47.6%	64%
2005	47.7%	64.3%
2006	47.9%	64.5%
2007	48.1%	64.7%
2008	48.5%	64.9%
2009	48.8%	65%
2010	49.2%	65.1%
2011	49.6%	65.2%
2012	50.1%	65.2%
2013	50.5%	65.2%
2014	50.9%	65.2%
2015	51.4%	65.1%
2016	51.8%	65.1%
2017	52.3%	65%
2018	52.7%	64.9%
2019	53%	64.9%
2020	53.4%	64.8%
2021	53.7%	64.9%
2022	54.1%	64.9%
2023	54.4%	65%
2024	54.7%	65.1%
2025	55%	65.2%
2026	55.3%	65.3%
2027	55.7%	65.4%
2028	56%	65.4%
2029	56.3%	65.4%
2030	56.7%	65.4%
2031	57.1%	65.4%
2032	57.5%	65.4%
2033	57.8%	65.4%
2034	58.2%	65.3%
2035	58.5%	65.2%
2036	58.9%	65%
2037	59.2%	64.9%
2038	59.6%	64.7%
2039	59.9%	64.6%
2040	60.3%	64.5%
2041	60.7%	64.4%
2042	61%	64.3%
2043	61.4%	64.2%
2044	61.7%	64.1%
2045	62%	63.9%
2046	62.3%	63.8%
2047	62.6%	63.7%
2048	62.9%	63.6%
2049	63.2%	63.4%
2050	63.5%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in Afghanistan changed from 47.6% to 54.7% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Afghanistan	World
1960	41.9%	37.4%
1961	42%	37.5%
1962	42.1%	37.6%
1963	42.2%	37.8%
1964	42.4%	38%
1965	42.6%	38%
1966	42.9%	38%
1967	43.2%	38%
1968	43.4%	37.9%
1969	43.7%	37.8%
1970	43.9%	37.7%
1971	44.2%	37.6%
1972	44.4%	37.5%
1973	44.6%	37.3%
1974	44.8%	37.2%
1975	45%	37.1%
1976	45.2%	36.9%
1977	45.4%	36.7%
1978	45.6%	36.3%
1979	45.8%	35.9%
1980	46.1%	35.5%
1981	46.3%	35.2%
1982	46.5%	34.9%
1983	46.6%	34.6%
1984	46.8%	34.3%
1985	47%	34%
1986	47.2%	33.8%
1987	47.3%	33.6%
1988	47.4%	33.4%
1989	47.5%	33.2%
1990	47.7%	33%
1991	47.8%	32.9%
1992	48%	32.7%
1993	48.2%	32.5%
1994	48.5%	32.3%
1995	48.7%	32.1%
1996	49%	31.8%
1997	49.3%	31.5%
1998	49.6%	31.1%
1999	49.8%	30.8%
2000	50%	30.4%
2001	50.2%	30%
2002	50.2%	29.6%
2003	50.2%	29.2%
2004	50.2%	28.8%
2005	50%	28.5%
2006	49.9%	28.1%
2007	49.6%	27.9%
2008	49.3%	27.6%
2009	48.9%	27.5%
2010	48.5%	27.3%
2011	48%	27.1%
2012	47.6%	27%
2013	47.2%	26.9%
2014	46.7%	26.8%
2015	46.3%	26.6%
2016	45.8%	26.5%
2017	45.4%	26.4%
2018	45%	26.2%
2019	44.6%	26%
2020	44.2%	25.8%
2021	43.9%	25.6%
2022	43.6%	25.3%
2023	43.2%	25%
2024	42.9%	24.7%
2025	42.6%	24.4%
2026	42.2%	24.1%
2027	41.9%	23.8%
2028	41.5%	23.4%
2029	41.1%	23.1%
2030	40.7%	22.8%
2031	40.3%	22.6%
2032	39.8%	22.3%
2033	39.4%	22.1%
2034	39%	21.9%
2035	38.6%	21.7%
2036	38.2%	21.6%
2037	37.8%	21.5%
2038	37.4%	21.4%
2039	36.9%	21.3%
2040	36.5%	21.2%
2041	36%	21.1%
2042	35.6%	21%
2043	35.2%	21%
2044	34.8%	20.9%
2045	34.4%	20.8%
2046	34%	20.7%
2047	33.6%	20.7%
2048	33.3%	20.6%
2049	32.9%	20.5%
2050	32.5%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in Afghanistan decreased from 50.2% to 42.9% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Afghanistan	World
1960	2.82%	4.97%
1961	2.81%	4.99%
1962	2.79%	5.01%
1963	2.78%	5.02%
1964	2.76%	5.04%
1965	2.74%	5.08%
1966	2.73%	5.12%
1967	2.71%	5.16%
1968	2.7%	5.2%
1969	2.69%	5.24%
1970	2.67%	5.28%
1971	2.66%	5.32%
1972	2.64%	5.37%
1973	2.62%	5.42%
1974	2.61%	5.47%
1975	2.59%	5.53%
1976	2.58%	5.59%
1977	2.57%	5.65%
1978	2.56%	5.71%
1979	2.54%	5.77%
1980	2.52%	5.81%
1981	2.49%	5.81%
1982	2.46%	5.8%
1983	2.42%	5.79%
1984	2.37%	5.8%
1985	2.32%	5.82%
1986	2.28%	5.86%
1987	2.26%	5.91%
1988	2.24%	5.95%
1989	2.24%	6.01%
1990	2.24%	6.07%
1991	2.24%	6.14%
1992	2.24%	6.21%
1993	2.25%	6.29%
1994	2.25%	6.37%
1995	2.26%	6.45%
1996	2.26%	6.53%
1997	2.26%	6.61%
1998	2.26%	6.68%
1999	2.26%	6.76%
2000	2.26%	6.84%
2001	2.26%	6.92%
2002	2.26%	7.01%
2003	2.27%	7.1%
2004	2.27%	7.18%
2005	2.27%	7.26%
2006	2.27%	7.34%
2007	2.28%	7.41%
2008	2.28%	7.47%
2009	2.29%	7.52%
2010	2.31%	7.58%
2011	2.32%	7.66%
2012	2.34%	7.78%
2013	2.35%	7.92%
2014	2.36%	8.08%
2015	2.36%	8.26%
2016	2.36%	8.45%
2017	2.36%	8.65%
2018	2.37%	8.88%
2019	2.38%	9.1%
2020	2.37%	9.33%
2021	2.35%	9.53%
2022	2.36%	9.74%
2023	2.38%	9.98%
2024	2.4%	10.2%
2025	2.43%	10.4%
2026	2.45%	10.6%
2027	2.48%	10.8%
2028	2.51%	11.1%
2029	2.55%	11.5%
2030	2.59%	11.7%
2031	2.64%	12%
2032	2.69%	12.3%
2033	2.74%	12.6%
2034	2.8%	12.8%
2035	2.86%	13.1%
2036	2.92%	13.4%
2037	2.99%	13.7%
2038	3.06%	13.9%
2039	3.13%	14.1%
2040	3.21%	14.3%
2041	3.28%	14.5%
2042	3.36%	14.7%
2043	3.44%	14.9%
2044	3.52%	15%
2045	3.6%	15.2%
2046	3.68%	15.4%
2047	3.76%	15.7%
2048	3.84%	15.9%
2049	3.92%	16.1%
2050	4.01%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in Afghanistan increased from 2.27% to 2.4% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.