Afghanistan has a population density of 169.4 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Afghanistan has 164,618 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Afghanistan ranked 124th out of 197.
Afghanistan has 0.52% of the world's population and 0.44% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Afghanistan compared to the World's average
Afghanistan
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 169.4 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 124/197 | N/A |
| Population |
45060300
|
8280917972
|
| Land area | 251,827 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 164,618 sq ft | 196,907 sq ft |
| Rural population | 74.3% | 42.4% |
| Urban population | 25.7% | 57.6% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10% | 28.6% |
Afghanistan population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Afghanistan has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 81%. The population density rank was 136th 22 years ago and is 124th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 169.4 | 124 |
| 2023 | 164.6 | 125 |
| 2022 | 161.1 | 126 |
| 2021 | 158.8 | 126 |
| 2020 | 155.1 | 127 |
| 2019 | 150.3 | 127 |
| 2018 | 145.9 | 127 |
| 2017 | 141.7 | 128 |
| 2016 | 137.8 | 129 |
| 2015 | 134.3 | 128 |
| 2014 | 130.2 | 129 |
| 2013 | 125.6 | 131 |
| 2012 | 121.4 | 132 |
| 2011 | 116.5 | 134 |
| 2010 | 112.3 | 133 |
| 2009 | 109.1 | 134 |
| 2008 | 105.2 | 135 |
| 2007 | 102.9 | 135 |
| 2006 | 101 | 135 |
| 2005 | 96.9 | 135 |
| 2004 | 93.6 | 136 |
| 2003 | 90.3 | 137 |
| 2002 | 84.9 | 139 |
| 2001 | 80.5 | 142 |
| 2000 | 79.9 | 140 |
| 1999 | 79 | 138 |
| 1998 | 76.1 | 139 |
| 1997 | 73.3 | 139 |
| 1996 | 70.5 | 139 |
| 1995 | 67.8 | 139 |
| 1994 | 64.5 | 139 |
| 1993 | 59.3 | 141 |
| 1992 | 52.7 | 141 |
| 1991 | 48.6 | 126 |
| 1990 | 47.8 | 124 |
| 1989 | 47.2 | 122 |
| 1988 | 45.8 | 122 |
| 1987 | 45.2 | 122 |
| 1986 | 45.3 | 122 |
| 1985 | 45.4 | 121 |
| 1984 | 44.4 | 121 |
| 1983 | 43.4 | 122 |
| 1982 | 43.6 | 120 |
| 1981 | 47.4 | 118 |
| 1980 | 52.3 | 114 |
| 1979 | 54.2 | 112 |
| 1978 | 54.1 | 110 |
| 1977 | 53 | 110 |
| 1976 | 51.9 | 111 |
| 1975 | 50.7 | 111 |
| 1974 | 49.5 | 111 |
| 1973 | 48.3 | 111 |
| 1972 | 47.1 | 111 |
| 1971 | 45.9 | 111 |
| 1970 | 44.8 | 111 |
| 1969 | 43.7 | 110 |
| 1968 | 42.7 | 110 |
| 1967 | 41.7 | 110 |
| 1966 | 40.8 | 109 |
| 1965 | 39.9 | 108 |
| 1964 | 39 | 109 |
| 1963 | 38.1 | 110 |
| 1962 | 37.3 | 109 |
| 1961 | 36.6 | 108 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Afghanistan from 1960 to 2024: 8.12% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 18.6% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 25.7%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 25.7% | 183 |
| 2023 | 25.5% | 183 |
| 2022 | 25.4% | 183 |
| 2021 | 25.3% | 181 |
| 2020 | 25.3% | 180 |
| 2019 | 25.1% | 179 |
| 2018 | 25% | 179 |
| 2017 | 24.8% | 180 |
| 2016 | 24.7% | 180 |
| 2015 | 24.5% | 180 |
| 2014 | 24.2% | 180 |
| 2013 | 23.8% | 179 |
| 2012 | 23.3% | 180 |
| 2011 | 22.8% | 179 |
| 2010 | 22.3% | 180 |
| 2009 | 21.7% | 181 |
| 2008 | 21.1% | 181 |
| 2007 | 20.6% | 183 |
| 2006 | 20.1% | 183 |
| 2005 | 19.7% | 183 |
| 2004 | 19.4% | 183 |
| 2003 | 19.2% | 183 |
| 2002 | 18.9% | 183 |
| 2001 | 18.7% | 183 |
| 2000 | 18.6% | 183 |
| 1999 | 18.4% | 183 |
| 1998 | 18.2% | 182 |
| 1997 | 18.1% | 182 |
| 1996 | 18% | 180 |
| 1995 | 17.8% | 179 |
| 1994 | 17.7% | 179 |
| 1993 | 17.6% | 179 |
| 1992 | 17.5% | 179 |
| 1991 | 17.4% | 180 |
| 1990 | 17.3% | 180 |
| 1989 | 17.1% | 179 |
| 1988 | 17% | 179 |
| 1987 | 16.9% | 179 |
| 1986 | 16.8% | 179 |
| 1985 | 16.6% | 177 |
| 1984 | 16.5% | 177 |
| 1983 | 16.3% | 174 |
| 1982 | 16.1% | 173 |
| 1981 | 15.9% | 171 |
| 1980 | 15.7% | 171 |
| 1979 | 15.4% | 171 |
| 1978 | 15.1% | 170 |
| 1977 | 14.7% | 170 |
| 1976 | 14.3% | 170 |
| 1975 | 13.8% | 170 |
| 1974 | 13.2% | 172 |
| 1973 | 12.7% | 171 |
| 1972 | 12.2% | 171 |
| 1971 | 11.7% | 171 |
| 1970 | 11.2% | 171 |
| 1969 | 10.8% | 170 |
| 1968 | 10.5% | 170 |
| 1967 | 10.2% | 170 |
| 1966 | 9.84% | 170 |
| 1965 | 9.53% | 169 |
| 1964 | 9.23% | 169 |
| 1963 | 8.94% | 167 |
| 1962 | 8.66% | 168 |
| 1961 | 8.39% | 170 |
| 1960 | 8.12% | 170 |
Densely populated cities
|
Afghanistan
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Kabul | 4.27M |
| Kandahar | 614K |
| Herat | 556K |
| Mazar-i-Sharif | 469K |
| Kunduz | 357K |
| Jalalabad | 263K |
| Lashkargah | 202K |
| Sheberghan | 176K |
| Khost | 160K |
| Ghazni | 143K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
Afghanistan topic pages:
Population density comparisons
