Afghanistan has a population density of 169.4 people per square mile compared to 202.3 people in Ireland. Afghanistan has 164,618 sq ft of land per person vs 139,638 sq ft in Ireland. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Afghanistan and Ireland are ranked 124th and 112th, 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 0.07% of the population and 0.05% of the land area for Ireland, hence the population density in Afghanistan is 16.3% lower than in Ireland.
Population density comparison
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 169.4 ppl/mi² | 202.3 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 124/197 | 112/197 |
| Population |
44810409
|
5474763
|
| Land area | 251,827 sq mi | 26,599 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 164,618 sq ft | 137,823 sq ft |
| Rural population | 72.7% | 35.2% |
| Urban population | 27.3% | 64.8% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10% | 0% |
Afghanistan vs Ireland:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Afghanistan increased by 81%, compared to a 32.2% growth in Ireland.
In 2004, Afghanistan ranked 136th for population density and is in 124th place now. Ireland was 115th in 2004 and ranks 112th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
| 2024 | 169.4 | 202.3 |
| 2023 | 164.6 | 199.5 |
| 2022 | 161.1 | 196 |
| 2021 | 158.8 | 192.1 |
| 2020 | 155.1 | 189.5 |
| 2019 | 150.3 | 187.1 |
| 2018 | 145.9 | 184.1 |
| 2017 | 141.7 | 181.5 |
| 2016 | 137.8 | 179.1 |
| 2015 | 134.3 | 176.8 |
| 2014 | 130.2 | 175.1 |
| 2013 | 125.6 | 173.8 |
| 2012 | 121.4 | 172.9 |
| 2011 | 116.5 | 172.2 |
| 2010 | 112.3 | 171.4 |
| 2009 | 109.1 | 170.5 |
| 2008 | 105.2 | 168.8 |
| 2007 | 102.9 | 165.4 |
| 2006 | 101 | 160.7 |
| 2005 | 96.9 | 156.4 |
| 2004 | 93.6 | 153 |
| 2003 | 90.3 | 150.3 |
| 2002 | 84.9 | 147.8 |
| 2001 | 80.5 | 145.4 |
| 2000 | 79.9 | 143.1 |
| 1999 | 79 | 141.2 |
| 1998 | 76.1 | 139.6 |
| 1997 | 73.3 | 138.1 |
| 1996 | 70.5 | 136.8 |
| 1995 | 67.8 | 135.7 |
| 1994 | 64.5 | 135 |
| 1993 | 59.3 | 134.5 |
| 1992 | 52.7 | 133.8 |
| 1991 | 48.6 | 132.9 |
| 1990 | 47.8 | 132.1 |
| 1989 | 47.2 | 132 |
| 1988 | 45.8 | 132.5 |
| 1987 | 45.2 | 133.1 |
| 1986 | 45.3 | 133.1 |
| 1985 | 45.4 | 133 |
| 1984 | 44.4 | 132.8 |
| 1983 | 43.4 | 132 |
| 1982 | 43.6 | 131.1 |
| 1981 | 47.4 | 129.8 |
| 1980 | 52.3 | 128.3 |
| 1979 | 54.2 | 126.8 |
| 1978 | 54.1 | 125.2 |
| 1977 | 53 | 123.4 |
| 1976 | 51.9 | 121.7 |
| 1975 | 50.7 | 119.9 |
| 1974 | 49.5 | 118 |
| 1973 | 48.3 | 116 |
| 1972 | 47.1 | 114.2 |
| 1971 | 45.9 | 112.5 |
| 1970 | 44.8 | 111.2 |
| 1969 | 43.7 | 110.3 |
| 1968 | 42.7 | 109.6 |
| 1967 | 41.7 | 109.1 |
| 1966 | 40.8 | 108.6 |
| 1965 | 39.9 | 108.2 |
| 1964 | 39 | 107.8 |
| 1963 | 38.1 | 107.2 |
| 1962 | 37.3 | 106.6 |
| 1961 | 36.6 | 106.2 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
| 2024 | 27.3% | 64.8% |
| 2023 | 26.9% | 64.5% |
| 2022 | 26.6% | 64.2% |
| 2021 | 26.3% | 63.9% |
| 2020 | 26% | 63.7% |
| 2019 | 25.8% | 63.4% |
| 2018 | 25.5% | 63.2% |
| 2017 | 25.2% | 62.9% |
| 2016 | 25% | 62.7% |
| 2015 | 24.8% | 62.5% |
| 2014 | 24.6% | 62.3% |
| 2013 | 24.4% | 62.1% |
| 2012 | 24.2% | 61.9% |
| 2011 | 23.9% | 61.7% |
| 2010 | 23.7% | 61.5% |
| 2009 | 23.5% | 61.3% |
| 2008 | 23.3% | 61.1% |
| 2007 | 23.1% | 60.9% |
| 2006 | 22.9% | 60.7% |
| 2005 | 22.7% | 60.5% |
| 2004 | 22.5% | 60.2% |
| 2003 | 22.4% | 59.9% |
| 2002 | 22.3% | 59.6% |
| 2001 | 22.2% | 59.4% |
| 2000 | 22.1% | 59.2% |
| 1999 | 22% | 58.9% |
| 1998 | 21.9% | 58.7% |
| 1997 | 21.8% | 58.4% |
| 1996 | 21.7% | 58.2% |
| 1995 | 21.6% | 57.9% |
| 1994 | 21.5% | 57.7% |
| 1993 | 21.4% | 57.5% |
| 1992 | 21.4% | 57.3% |
| 1991 | 21.3% | 57.1% |
| 1990 | 21.2% | 56.9% |
| 1989 | 21.1% | 56.8% |
| 1988 | 21% | 56.7% |
| 1987 | 20.3% | 56.6% |
| 1986 | 19.6% | 56.4% |
| 1985 | 19% | 56.3% |
| 1984 | 18.4% | 56.1% |
| 1983 | 17.7% | 56% |
| 1982 | 17.1% | 55.8% |
| 1981 | 16.6% | 55.6% |
| 1980 | 16% | 55.3% |
| 1979 | 15.4% | 55% |
| 1978 | 15% | 54.7% |
| 1977 | 14.5% | 54.3% |
| 1976 | 14.1% | 54% |
| 1975 | 13.6% | 53.6% |
| 1974 | 13.2% | 53.3% |
| 1973 | 12.8% | 53% |
| 1972 | 12.4% | 52.6% |
| 1971 | 12% | 52.3% |
| 1970 | 11.6% | 51.3% |
| 1969 | 11.3% | 50.1% |
| 1968 | 10.9% | 49% |
| 1967 | 10.6% | 47.8% |
| 1966 | 10.2% | 46.6% |
| 1965 | 9.9% | 46.2% |
| 1964 | 9.59% | 46% |
| 1963 | 9.28% | 45.8% |
| 1962 | 8.98% | 45.6% |
| 1961 | 8.68% | 45.4% |
| 1960 | 8.4% | 45.2% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 22.5% to 27.3% in Afghanistan and from 60.2% to 64.8% in Ireland.
Densely populated cities
|
|
|
|---|---|
| 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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