Afghanistan has a population density of 179 people per square mile compared to 387 people in China. Afghanistan has 164,618 sq ft of land per person vs 73,316 sq ft in China. Afghanistan and China rank 123rd and 67th 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 17.3% of the population and 6.3% of the land area for China, making the population density in Afghanistan 53.7% lower than in China.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Afghanistan
|
China
|
|
| 2026 | 179 | 387 |
| 2025 | 174.2 | 388 |
| 2024 | 169.4 | 389 |
| 2023 | 164.6 | 389 |
| 2022 | 161.1 | 390 |
| 2021 | 158.8 | 390 |
| 2020 | 155.1 | 389 |
| 2019 | 150.3 | 388 |
| 2018 | 145.9 | 387 |
| 2017 | 141.7 | 385 |
| 2016 | 137.8 | 383 |
| 2015 | 134.3 | 381 |
| 2014 | 130.2 | 378 |
| 2013 | 125.6 | 376 |
| 2012 | 121.4 | 374 |
| 2011 | 116.5 | 371 |
| 2010 | 112.3 | 369 |
| 2009 | 109.1 | 367 |
| 2008 | 105.2 | 365 |
| 2007 | 102.9 | 364 |
| 2006 | 101 | 362 |
| 2005 | 96.9 | 360 |
| 2004 | 93.6 | 358 |
| 2003 | 90.3 | 355 |
| 2002 | 84.9 | 353 |
| 2001 | 80.5 | 351 |
| 2000 | 79.9 | 348 |
| 1999 | 79 | 346 |
| 1998 | 76.1 | 343 |
| 1997 | 73.3 | 339 |
| 1996 | 70.5 | 336 |
| 1995 | 67.8 | 332 |
| 1994 | 64.5 | 329 |
| 1993 | 59.3 | 325 |
| 1992 | 52.7 | 321 |
| 1991 | 48.6 | 317 |
| 1990 | 47.8 | 313 |
| 1989 | 47.2 | 309 |
| 1988 | 45.8 | 304 |
| 1987 | 45.2 | 299.1 |
| 1986 | 45.3 | 294.3 |
| 1985 | 45.4 | 290 |
| 1984 | 44.4 | 286 |
| 1983 | 43.4 | 282.3 |
| 1982 | 43.6 | 278.3 |
| 1981 | 47.4 | 274.2 |
| 1980 | 52.3 | 270.7 |
| 1979 | 54.2 | 267.3 |
| 1978 | 54.1 | 263.8 |
| 1977 | 53 | 260.3 |
| 1976 | 51.9 | 256.8 |
| 1975 | 50.7 | 252.8 |
| 1974 | 49.5 | 248.4 |
| 1973 | 48.3 | 243.3 |
| 1972 | 47.1 | 237.8 |
| 1971 | 45.9 | 232 |
| 1970 | 44.8 | 225.8 |
| 1969 | 43.7 | 219.6 |
| 1968 | 42.7 | 213.7 |
| 1967 | 41.7 | 208.2 |
| 1966 | 40.8 | 202.9 |
| 1965 | 39.9 | 197.3 |
| 1964 | 39 | 192.7 |
| 1963 | 38.1 | 188.2 |
| 1962 | 37.3 | 183.7 |
| 1961 | 36.6 | 182.2 |
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/china | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Afghanistan increased by 77.3%, compared to a 6.98% growth in China.
In 2006, Afghanistan ranked 135th by population density and is 123rd now. China was 57th in 2006 and ranks 67th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Afghanistan
|
China
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 179 ppl/mi² | 387 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 123/197 | 67/197 |
| Population |
45409324
|
1402578808
|
| Land area | 251,827 sq mi | 3,624,808 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 164,618 sq ft | 71,722 sq ft |
| Rural population | 74.3% | 34.1% |
| Urban population | 25.7% | 65.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 11.7% | 95.8% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Afghanistan
|
China
|
|
| 2024 | 25.7% | 65.9% |
| 2023 | 25.5% | 65.5% |
| 2022 | 25.4% | 65.2% |
| 2021 | 25.3% | 64.7% |
| 2020 | 25.3% | 63.5% |
| 2019 | 25.1% | 62.7% |
| 2018 | 25% | 61.5% |
| 2017 | 24.8% | 60.2% |
| 2016 | 24.7% | 58.8% |
| 2015 | 24.5% | 57.3% |
| 2014 | 24.2% | 55.8% |
| 2013 | 23.8% | 54.5% |
| 2012 | 23.3% | 53.1% |
| 2011 | 22.8% | 51.8% |
| 2010 | 22.3% | 49.2% |
| 2009 | 21.7% | 48.3% |
| 2008 | 21.1% | 47% |
| 2007 | 20.6% | 45.9% |
| 2006 | 20.1% | 44.3% |
| 2005 | 19.7% | 43% |
| 2004 | 19.4% | 41.8% |
| 2003 | 19.2% | 40.5% |
| 2002 | 18.9% | 39.1% |
| 2001 | 18.7% | 37.7% |
| 2000 | 18.6% | 36.4% |
| 1999 | 18.4% | 34.8% |
| 1998 | 18.2% | 33.4% |
| 1997 | 18.1% | 31.9% |
| 1996 | 18% | 30.5% |
| 1995 | 17.8% | 29% |
| 1994 | 17.7% | 28.5% |
| 1993 | 17.6% | 28% |
| 1992 | 17.5% | 27.5% |
| 1991 | 17.4% | 26.9% |
| 1990 | 17.3% | 26.2% |
| 1989 | 17.1% | 26.2% |
| 1988 | 17% | 25.8% |
| 1987 | 16.9% | 25.3% |
| 1986 | 16.8% | 24.5% |
| 1985 | 16.6% | 23.7% |
| 1984 | 16.5% | 23% |
| 1983 | 16.3% | 21.6% |
| 1982 | 16.1% | 20.6% |
| 1981 | 15.9% | 20.2% |
| 1980 | 15.7% | 19.4% |
| 1979 | 15.4% | 19% |
| 1978 | 15.1% | 17.9% |
| 1977 | 14.7% | 17.6% |
| 1976 | 14.3% | 17.4% |
| 1975 | 13.8% | 17.3% |
| 1974 | 13.2% | 17.2% |
| 1973 | 12.7% | 17.2% |
| 1972 | 12.2% | 17.1% |
| 1971 | 11.7% | 17.3% |
| 1970 | 11.2% | 17.4% |
| 1969 | 10.8% | 17.5% |
| 1968 | 10.5% | 17.6% |
| 1967 | 10.2% | 17.7% |
| 1966 | 9.84% | 17.9% |
| 1965 | 9.53% | 18% |
| 1964 | 9.23% | 18.3% |
| 1963 | 8.94% | 16.8% |
| 1962 | 8.66% | 17.3% |
| 1961 | 8.39% | 19.3% |
| 1960 | 8.12% | 19.7% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/afghanistan/china | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 19.4% to 25.7% in Afghanistan and from 41.8% to 65.9% in China.
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 |
|
China
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Chongqing | 32.1M |
| Shanghai | 24.9M |
| Beijing | 21.9M |
| Chengdu | 20.9M |
| Guangzhou | 18.7M |
| Shenzhen | 17.5M |
| Tianjin | 13.9M |
| Xi'an | 13M |
| Suzhou | 12.7M |
| Zhengzhou | 12.6M |
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/china | CC BY
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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 (2006–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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