Afghanistan has a population density of 179 people per square mile compared to 1,011 people in Belgium. Afghanistan has 164,618 sq ft of land per person vs 27,855 sq ft in Belgium. Afghanistan and Belgium rank 123rd and 24th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Afghanistan has 0.52% of the world's population and 0.44% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.15% of the population and 0.02% of the land area for Belgium, making the population density in Afghanistan 82.3% lower than in Belgium.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Afghanistan
|
Belgium
|
|
| 2026 | 179 | 1,011 |
| 2025 | 174.2 | 1,009 |
| 2024 | 169.4 | 1,007 |
| 2023 | 164.6 | 1,001 |
| 2022 | 161.1 | 992 |
| 2021 | 158.8 | 984 |
| 2020 | 155.1 | 980 |
| 2019 | 150.3 | 976 |
| 2018 | 145.9 | 971 |
| 2017 | 141.7 | 971 |
| 2016 | 137.8 | 968 |
| 2015 | 134.3 | 963 |
| 2014 | 130.2 | 957 |
| 2013 | 125.6 | 953 |
| 2012 | 121.4 | 948 |
| 2011 | 116.5 | 943 |
| 2010 | 112.3 | 930 |
| 2009 | 109.1 | 922 |
| 2008 | 105.2 | 914 |
| 2007 | 102.9 | 907 |
| 2006 | 101 | 901 |
| 2005 | 96.9 | 895 |
| 2004 | 93.6 | 890 |
| 2003 | 90.3 | 886 |
| 2002 | 84.9 | 882 |
| 2001 | 80.5 | 878 |
| 2000 | 79.9 | 875 |
| 1999 | 79 | - |
| 1998 | 76.1 | - |
| 1997 | 73.3 | - |
| 1996 | 70.5 | - |
| 1995 | 67.8 | - |
| 1994 | 64.5 | - |
| 1993 | 59.3 | - |
| 1992 | 52.7 | - |
| 1991 | 48.6 | - |
| 1990 | 47.8 | - |
| 1989 | 47.2 | - |
| 1988 | 45.8 | - |
| 1987 | 45.2 | - |
| 1986 | 45.3 | - |
| 1985 | 45.4 | - |
| 1984 | 44.4 | - |
| 1983 | 43.4 | - |
| 1982 | 43.6 | - |
| 1981 | 47.4 | - |
| 1980 | 52.3 | - |
| 1979 | 54.2 | - |
| 1978 | 54.1 | - |
| 1977 | 53 | - |
| 1976 | 51.9 | - |
| 1975 | 50.7 | - |
| 1974 | 49.5 | - |
| 1973 | 48.3 | - |
| 1972 | 47.1 | - |
| 1971 | 45.9 | - |
| 1970 | 44.8 | - |
| 1969 | 43.7 | - |
| 1968 | 42.7 | - |
| 1967 | 41.7 | - |
| 1966 | 40.8 | - |
| 1965 | 39.9 | - |
| 1964 | 39 | - |
| 1963 | 38.1 | - |
| 1962 | 37.3 | - |
| 1961 | 36.6 | - |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/afghanistan/belgium | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Afghanistan increased by 77.3%, compared to a 12.2% growth in Belgium.
In 2006, Afghanistan ranked 135th by population density and is 123rd now. Belgium was 20th in 2006 and ranks 24th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Afghanistan
|
Belgium
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 179 ppl/mi² | 1,011 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 123/197 | 24/197 |
| Population |
45409324
|
11902714
|
| Land area | 251,827 sq mi | 11,774 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 164,618 sq ft | 27,679 sq ft |
| Rural population | 74.3% | 12.4% |
| Urban population | 25.7% | 87.6% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 11.7% | 10.5% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Afghanistan
|
Belgium
|
|
| 2024 | 25.7% | 87.6% |
| 2023 | 25.5% | 87.6% |
| 2022 | 25.4% | 87.5% |
| 2021 | 25.3% | 87.4% |
| 2020 | 25.3% | 87.3% |
| 2019 | 25.1% | 87.1% |
| 2018 | 25% | 86.9% |
| 2017 | 24.8% | 86.7% |
| 2016 | 24.7% | 86.5% |
| 2015 | 24.5% | 86.2% |
| 2014 | 24.2% | 86% |
| 2013 | 23.8% | 85.7% |
| 2012 | 23.3% | 85.5% |
| 2011 | 22.8% | 85.2% |
| 2010 | 22.3% | 85% |
| 2009 | 21.7% | 84.7% |
| 2008 | 21.1% | 84.4% |
| 2007 | 20.6% | 84.1% |
| 2006 | 20.1% | 83.9% |
| 2005 | 19.7% | 83.6% |
| 2004 | 19.4% | 83.3% |
| 2003 | 19.2% | 83% |
| 2002 | 18.9% | 82.7% |
| 2001 | 18.7% | 82.3% |
| 2000 | 18.6% | 82% |
| 1999 | 18.4% | 81.7% |
| 1998 | 18.2% | 81.4% |
| 1997 | 18.1% | 81% |
| 1996 | 18% | 80.7% |
| 1995 | 17.8% | 80.3% |
| 1994 | 17.7% | 80% |
| 1993 | 17.6% | 79.6% |
| 1992 | 17.5% | 79.3% |
| 1991 | 17.4% | 78.9% |
| 1990 | 17.3% | 78.6% |
| 1989 | 17.1% | 78.2% |
| 1988 | 17% | 77.8% |
| 1987 | 16.9% | 77.4% |
| 1986 | 16.8% | 77.1% |
| 1985 | 16.6% | 76.7% |
| 1984 | 16.5% | 76.3% |
| 1983 | 16.3% | 75.9% |
| 1982 | 16.1% | 75.5% |
| 1981 | 15.9% | 75.1% |
| 1980 | 15.7% | 74.7% |
| 1979 | 15.4% | 74.3% |
| 1978 | 15.1% | 73.9% |
| 1977 | 14.7% | 73.5% |
| 1976 | 14.3% | 73.1% |
| 1975 | 13.8% | 72.7% |
| 1974 | 13.2% | 72.3% |
| 1973 | 12.7% | 71.9% |
| 1972 | 12.2% | 71.5% |
| 1971 | 11.7% | 71.1% |
| 1970 | 11.2% | 70.6% |
| 1969 | 10.8% | 70.2% |
| 1968 | 10.5% | 69.6% |
| 1967 | 10.2% | 69.1% |
| 1966 | 9.84% | 68.6% |
| 1965 | 9.53% | 68% |
| 1964 | 9.23% | 67.5% |
| 1963 | 8.94% | 67% |
| 1962 | 8.66% | 66.6% |
| 1961 | 8.39% | 66.2% |
| 1960 | 8.12% | 65.9% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/afghanistan/belgium | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 19.4% to 25.7% in Afghanistan and from 83.3% to 87.6% in Belgium.
Densely populated cities
|
Afghanistan
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Kabul | 5.33M |
| Kandahar | 614K |
| Herat | 556K |
| Mazar-i-Sharif | 469K |
| Kunduz | 357K |
| Jalalabad | 263K |
| Lashkargah | 202K |
| Sheberghan | 176K |
| Khost | 160K |
| Ghazni | 143K |
|
Belgium
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Brussels | 1.25M |
| Antwerp | 529K |
| Ghent | 273K |
| Charleroi | 204K |
| Liege | 195K |
| Schaerbeek | 133K |
| Anderlecht | 121K |
| Bruges | 119K |
| Namur | 115K |
| Leuven | 101K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/afghanistan/belgium | CC BY
Help us show the world through your eyes
Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.
Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Wikidata (2006–2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.