Afghanistan has a population density of 169.4 people per square mile compared to 1,264 people in India. Afghanistan has 164,618 sq ft of land per person vs 24,387 sq ft in India. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Afghanistan and India are ranked 124th and 19th, 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 the land area of all countries, compared to 17.8% of the population and 2% of the land area for India, hence the population density in Afghanistan is 86.6% lower than in India.
Population density comparison
Afghanistan
|
India
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 169.4 ppl/mi² | 1,264 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 124/197 | 19/197 |
| Population |
44810409
|
1474115403
|
| Land area | 251,827 sq mi | 1,147,955 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 164,618 sq ft | 22,057 sq ft |
| Rural population | 72.7% | 63.1% |
| Urban population | 27.3% | 36.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10% | 10.7% |
Afghanistan vs India:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Afghanistan increased by 81%, compared to a 27.7% growth in India.
In 2004, Afghanistan ranked 136th for population density and is in 124th place now. India was 17th in 2004 and ranks 19th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Afghanistan
|
India
|
|
| 2024 | 169.4 | 1,264 |
| 2023 | 164.6 | 1,253 |
| 2022 | 161.1 | 1,242 |
| 2021 | 158.8 | 1,232 |
| 2020 | 155.1 | 1,222 |
| 2019 | 150.3 | 1,210 |
| 2018 | 145.9 | 1,197 |
| 2017 | 141.7 | 1,184 |
| 2016 | 137.8 | 1,171 |
| 2015 | 134.3 | 1,157 |
| 2014 | 130.2 | 1,143 |
| 2013 | 125.6 | 1,129 |
| 2012 | 121.4 | 1,114 |
| 2011 | 116.5 | 1,099 |
| 2010 | 112.3 | 1,083 |
| 2009 | 109.1 | 1,068 |
| 2008 | 105.2 | 1,052 |
| 2007 | 102.9 | 1,037 |
| 2006 | 101 | 1,022 |
| 2005 | 96.9 | 1,006 |
| 2004 | 93.6 | 990 |
| 2003 | 90.3 | 973 |
| 2002 | 84.9 | 956 |
| 2001 | 80.5 | 939 |
| 2000 | 79.9 | 922 |
| 1999 | 79 | 904 |
| 1998 | 76.1 | 887 |
| 1997 | 73.3 | 870 |
| 1996 | 70.5 | 853 |
| 1995 | 67.8 | 837 |
| 1994 | 64.5 | 820 |
| 1993 | 59.3 | 803 |
| 1992 | 52.7 | 787 |
| 1991 | 48.6 | 770 |
| 1990 | 47.8 | 753 |
| 1989 | 47.2 | 737 |
| 1988 | 45.8 | 721 |
| 1987 | 45.2 | 705 |
| 1986 | 45.3 | 689 |
| 1985 | 45.4 | 673 |
| 1984 | 44.4 | 658 |
| 1983 | 43.4 | 642 |
| 1982 | 43.6 | 627 |
| 1981 | 47.4 | 613 |
| 1980 | 52.3 | 599 |
| 1979 | 54.2 | 585 |
| 1978 | 54.1 | 571 |
| 1977 | 53 | 558 |
| 1976 | 51.9 | 545 |
| 1975 | 50.7 | 533 |
| 1974 | 49.5 | 520 |
| 1973 | 48.3 | 508 |
| 1972 | 47.1 | 497 |
| 1971 | 45.9 | 486 |
| 1970 | 44.8 | 476 |
| 1969 | 43.7 | 465 |
| 1968 | 42.7 | 455 |
| 1967 | 41.7 | 446 |
| 1966 | 40.8 | 436 |
| 1965 | 39.9 | 427 |
| 1964 | 39 | 417 |
| 1963 | 38.1 | 408 |
| 1962 | 37.3 | 398 |
| 1961 | 36.6 | 389 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Afghanistan
|
India
|
|
| 2024 | 27.3% | 36.9% |
| 2023 | 26.9% | 36.4% |
| 2022 | 26.6% | 35.9% |
| 2021 | 26.3% | 35.4% |
| 2020 | 26% | 34.9% |
| 2019 | 25.8% | 34.5% |
| 2018 | 25.5% | 34% |
| 2017 | 25.2% | 33.6% |
| 2016 | 25% | 33.2% |
| 2015 | 24.8% | 32.8% |
| 2014 | 24.6% | 32.4% |
| 2013 | 24.4% | 32% |
| 2012 | 24.2% | 31.6% |
| 2011 | 23.9% | 31.3% |
| 2010 | 23.7% | 30.9% |
| 2009 | 23.5% | 30.6% |
| 2008 | 23.3% | 30.2% |
| 2007 | 23.1% | 29.9% |
| 2006 | 22.9% | 29.6% |
| 2005 | 22.7% | 29.2% |
| 2004 | 22.5% | 28.9% |
| 2003 | 22.4% | 28.6% |
| 2002 | 22.3% | 28.2% |
| 2001 | 22.2% | 27.9% |
| 2000 | 22.1% | 27.7% |
| 1999 | 22% | 27.5% |
| 1998 | 21.9% | 27.2% |
| 1997 | 21.8% | 27% |
| 1996 | 21.7% | 26.8% |
| 1995 | 21.6% | 26.6% |
| 1994 | 21.5% | 26.4% |
| 1993 | 21.4% | 26.2% |
| 1992 | 21.4% | 26% |
| 1991 | 21.3% | 25.8% |
| 1990 | 21.2% | 25.5% |
| 1989 | 21.1% | 25.3% |
| 1988 | 21% | 25.1% |
| 1987 | 20.3% | 24.8% |
| 1986 | 19.6% | 24.6% |
| 1985 | 19% | 24.3% |
| 1984 | 18.4% | 24.1% |
| 1983 | 17.7% | 23.9% |
| 1982 | 17.1% | 23.6% |
| 1981 | 16.6% | 23.4% |
| 1980 | 16% | 23.1% |
| 1979 | 15.4% | 22.7% |
| 1978 | 15% | 22.4% |
| 1977 | 14.5% | 22% |
| 1976 | 14.1% | 21.7% |
| 1975 | 13.6% | 21.3% |
| 1974 | 13.2% | 21% |
| 1973 | 12.8% | 20.7% |
| 1972 | 12.4% | 20.3% |
| 1971 | 12% | 20% |
| 1970 | 11.6% | 19.8% |
| 1969 | 11.3% | 19.6% |
| 1968 | 10.9% | 19.4% |
| 1967 | 10.6% | 19.2% |
| 1966 | 10.2% | 19% |
| 1965 | 9.9% | 18.8% |
| 1964 | 9.59% | 18.6% |
| 1963 | 9.28% | 18.4% |
| 1962 | 8.98% | 18.2% |
| 1961 | 8.68% | 18% |
| 1960 | 8.4% | 17.9% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 22.5% to 27.3% in Afghanistan and from 28.9% to 36.9% in India.
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 |
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