Afghanistan has a population density of 169.4 people per square mile compared to 517 people in Italy. Afghanistan has 164,618 sq ft of land per person vs 55,122 sq ft in Italy. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Afghanistan and Italy are ranked 124th and 56th, 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 0.72% of the population and 0.2% of the land area for Italy, hence the population density in Afghanistan is 67.2% lower than in Italy.
Population density comparison
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 169.4 ppl/mi² | 517 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 124/197 | 56/197 |
| Population |
44810409
|
58790597
|
| Land area | 251,827 sq mi | 114,178 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 164,618 sq ft | 53,964 sq ft |
| Rural population | 72.7% | 27.7% |
| Urban population | 27.3% | 72.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10% | 6.95% |
Afghanistan vs Italy:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Afghanistan increased by 81%, compared to a 2% growth in Italy.
In 2004, Afghanistan ranked 136th for population density and is in 124th place now. Italy was 41st in 2004 and ranks 56th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
| 2024 | 169.4 | 517 |
| 2023 | 164.6 | 517 |
| 2022 | 161.1 | 517 |
| 2021 | 158.8 | 518 |
| 2020 | 155.1 | 521 |
| 2019 | 150.3 | 523 |
| 2018 | 145.9 | 527 |
| 2017 | 141.7 | 526 |
| 2016 | 137.8 | 527 |
| 2015 | 134.3 | 528 |
| 2014 | 130.2 | 528 |
| 2013 | 125.6 | 528 |
| 2012 | 121.4 | 527 |
| 2011 | 116.5 | 526 |
| 2010 | 112.3 | 524 |
| 2009 | 109.1 | 522 |
| 2008 | 105.2 | 519 |
| 2007 | 102.9 | 515 |
| 2006 | 101 | 511 |
| 2005 | 96.9 | 509 |
| 2004 | 93.6 | 506 |
| 2003 | 90.3 | 503 |
| 2002 | 84.9 | 500 |
| 2001 | 80.5 | 499 |
| 2000 | 79.9 | 499 |
| 1999 | 79 | 501 |
| 1998 | 76.1 | 501 |
| 1997 | 73.3 | 501 |
| 1996 | 70.5 | 501 |
| 1995 | 67.8 | 501 |
| 1994 | 64.5 | 501 |
| 1993 | 59.3 | 500 |
| 1992 | 52.7 | 500 |
| 1991 | 48.6 | 500 |
| 1990 | 47.8 | 499 |
| 1989 | 47.2 | 499 |
| 1988 | 45.8 | 499 |
| 1987 | 45.2 | 498 |
| 1986 | 45.3 | 498 |
| 1985 | 45.4 | 498 |
| 1984 | 44.4 | 498 |
| 1983 | 43.4 | 498 |
| 1982 | 43.6 | 498 |
| 1981 | 47.4 | 498 |
| 1980 | 52.3 | 497 |
| 1979 | 54.2 | 496 |
| 1978 | 54.1 | 495 |
| 1977 | 53 | 493 |
| 1976 | 51.9 | 491 |
| 1975 | 50.7 | 488 |
| 1974 | 49.5 | 485 |
| 1973 | 48.3 | 482 |
| 1972 | 47.1 | 479 |
| 1971 | 45.9 | 476 |
| 1970 | 44.8 | 474 |
| 1969 | 43.7 | 471 |
| 1968 | 42.7 | 469 |
| 1967 | 41.7 | 466 |
| 1966 | 40.8 | 462 |
| 1965 | 39.9 | 459 |
| 1964 | 39 | 455 |
| 1963 | 38.1 | 451 |
| 1962 | 37.3 | 448 |
| 1961 | 36.6 | 445 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
| 2024 | 27.3% | 72.3% |
| 2023 | 26.9% | 72% |
| 2022 | 26.6% | 71.7% |
| 2021 | 26.3% | 71.3% |
| 2020 | 26% | 71% |
| 2019 | 25.8% | 70.7% |
| 2018 | 25.5% | 70.4% |
| 2017 | 25.2% | 70.1% |
| 2016 | 25% | 69.9% |
| 2015 | 24.8% | 69.6% |
| 2014 | 24.6% | 69.3% |
| 2013 | 24.4% | 69% |
| 2012 | 24.2% | 68.7% |
| 2011 | 23.9% | 68.4% |
| 2010 | 23.7% | 68.3% |
| 2009 | 23.5% | 68.2% |
| 2008 | 23.3% | 68.1% |
| 2007 | 23.1% | 68% |
| 2006 | 22.9% | 67.9% |
| 2005 | 22.7% | 67.7% |
| 2004 | 22.5% | 67.6% |
| 2003 | 22.4% | 67.5% |
| 2002 | 22.3% | 67.4% |
| 2001 | 22.2% | 67.3% |
| 2000 | 22.1% | 67.2% |
| 1999 | 22% | 67.2% |
| 1998 | 21.9% | 67.1% |
| 1997 | 21.8% | 67% |
| 1996 | 21.7% | 67% |
| 1995 | 21.6% | 66.9% |
| 1994 | 21.5% | 66.9% |
| 1993 | 21.4% | 66.8% |
| 1992 | 21.4% | 66.7% |
| 1991 | 21.3% | 66.7% |
| 1990 | 21.2% | 66.7% |
| 1989 | 21.1% | 66.7% |
| 1988 | 21% | 66.8% |
| 1987 | 20.3% | 66.8% |
| 1986 | 19.6% | 66.8% |
| 1985 | 19% | 66.8% |
| 1984 | 18.4% | 66.8% |
| 1983 | 17.7% | 66.9% |
| 1982 | 17.1% | 66.9% |
| 1981 | 16.6% | 66.8% |
| 1980 | 16% | 66.6% |
| 1979 | 15.4% | 66.4% |
| 1978 | 15% | 66.2% |
| 1977 | 14.5% | 66% |
| 1976 | 14.1% | 65.8% |
| 1975 | 13.6% | 65.6% |
| 1974 | 13.2% | 65.4% |
| 1973 | 12.8% | 65.2% |
| 1972 | 12.4% | 65% |
| 1971 | 12% | 64.8% |
| 1970 | 11.6% | 64.3% |
| 1969 | 11.3% | 63.8% |
| 1968 | 10.9% | 63.3% |
| 1967 | 10.6% | 62.8% |
| 1966 | 10.2% | 62.3% |
| 1965 | 9.9% | 61.8% |
| 1964 | 9.59% | 61.3% |
| 1963 | 9.28% | 60.9% |
| 1962 | 8.98% | 60.4% |
| 1961 | 8.68% | 59.9% |
| 1960 | 8.4% | 59.4% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 22.5% to 27.3% in Afghanistan and from 67.6% to 72.3% in Italy.
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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