Afghanistan has a population density of 179 people per square mile compared to 872 people in Japan. Afghanistan has 164,618 sq ft of land per person vs 32,817 sq ft in Japan. Afghanistan and Japan rank 123rd and 28th 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 1.53% of the population and 0.24% of the land area for Japan, making the population density in Afghanistan 79.5% lower than in Japan.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Afghanistan
|
Japan
|
|
| 2026 | 179 | 872 |
| 2025 | 174.2 | 876 |
| 2024 | 169.4 | 881 |
| 2023 | 164.6 | 885 |
| 2022 | 161.1 | 889 |
| 2021 | 158.8 | 893 |
| 2020 | 155.1 | 897 |
| 2019 | 150.3 | 900 |
| 2018 | 145.9 | 901 |
| 2017 | 141.7 | 902 |
| 2016 | 137.8 | 903 |
| 2015 | 134.3 | 903 |
| 2014 | 130.2 | 904 |
| 2013 | 125.6 | 906 |
| 2012 | 121.4 | 907 |
| 2011 | 116.5 | 908 |
| 2010 | 112.3 | 910 |
| 2009 | 109.1 | 910 |
| 2008 | 105.2 | 910 |
| 2007 | 102.9 | 910 |
| 2006 | 101 | 908 |
| 2005 | 96.9 | 908 |
| 2004 | 93.6 | 908 |
| 2003 | 90.3 | 908 |
| 2002 | 84.9 | 906 |
| 2001 | 80.5 | 903 |
| 2000 | 79.9 | 901 |
| 1999 | 79 | 900 |
| 1998 | 76.1 | 898 |
| 1997 | 73.3 | 896 |
| 1996 | 70.5 | 894 |
| 1995 | 67.8 | 891 |
| 1994 | 64.5 | 889 |
| 1993 | 59.3 | 887 |
| 1992 | 52.7 | 884 |
| 1991 | 48.6 | 881 |
| 1990 | 47.8 | 877 |
| 1989 | 47.2 | 874 |
| 1988 | 45.8 | 871 |
| 1987 | 45.2 | 867 |
| 1986 | 45.3 | 863 |
| 1985 | 45.4 | 858 |
| 1984 | 44.4 | 853 |
| 1983 | 43.4 | 844 |
| 1982 | 43.6 | 838 |
| 1981 | 47.4 | 832 |
| 1980 | 52.3 | 826 |
| 1979 | 54.2 | 819 |
| 1978 | 54.1 | 812 |
| 1977 | 53 | 805 |
| 1976 | 51.9 | 797 |
| 1975 | 50.7 | 788 |
| 1974 | 49.5 | 778 |
| 1973 | 48.3 | 768 |
| 1972 | 47.1 | 757 |
| 1971 | 45.9 | 747 |
| 1970 | 44.8 | 730 |
| 1969 | 43.7 | 722 |
| 1968 | 42.7 | 713 |
| 1967 | 41.7 | 705 |
| 1966 | 40.8 | 698 |
| 1965 | 39.9 | 692 |
| 1964 | 39 | 684 |
| 1963 | 38.1 | 677 |
| 1962 | 37.3 | 671 |
| 1961 | 36.6 | 664 |
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/japan | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Afghanistan increased by 77.3%, compared to a 4.07% decline in Japan.
In 2006, Afghanistan ranked 135th by population density and is 123rd now. Japan was 19th in 2006 and ranks 28th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Afghanistan
|
Japan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 179 ppl/mi² | 872 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 123/197 | 28/197 |
| Population |
45409324
|
122677250
|
| Land area | 251,827 sq mi | 140,761 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 164,618 sq ft | 31,653 sq ft |
| Rural population | 74.3% | 7.81% |
| Urban population | 25.7% | 92.2% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 11.7% | 28.3% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Afghanistan
|
Japan
|
|
| 2024 | 25.7% | 92.2% |
| 2023 | 25.5% | 92.1% |
| 2022 | 25.4% | 92% |
| 2021 | 25.3% | 91.9% |
| 2020 | 25.3% | 91.8% |
| 2019 | 25.1% | 91.7% |
| 2018 | 25% | 91.6% |
| 2017 | 24.8% | 91.5% |
| 2016 | 24.7% | 91.5% |
| 2015 | 24.5% | 91.4% |
| 2014 | 24.2% | 91.3% |
| 2013 | 23.8% | 91.2% |
| 2012 | 23.3% | 91% |
| 2011 | 22.8% | 90.9% |
| 2010 | 22.3% | 90.6% |
| 2009 | 21.7% | 90.1% |
| 2008 | 21.1% | 89.3% |
| 2007 | 20.6% | 88.3% |
| 2006 | 20.1% | 87.1% |
| 2005 | 19.7% | 86% |
| 2004 | 19.4% | 84.4% |
| 2003 | 19.2% | 82.4% |
| 2002 | 18.9% | 80.5% |
| 2001 | 18.7% | 79.2% |
| 2000 | 18.6% | 78.6% |
| 1999 | 18.4% | 78.4% |
| 1998 | 18.2% | 78.3% |
| 1997 | 18.1% | 78.2% |
| 1996 | 18% | 78.1% |
| 1995 | 17.8% | 78% |
| 1994 | 17.7% | 77.9% |
| 1993 | 17.6% | 77.7% |
| 1992 | 17.5% | 77.6% |
| 1991 | 17.4% | 77.5% |
| 1990 | 17.3% | 77.3% |
| 1989 | 17.1% | 77.2% |
| 1988 | 17% | 77.1% |
| 1987 | 16.9% | 76.9% |
| 1986 | 16.8% | 76.8% |
| 1985 | 16.6% | 76.7% |
| 1984 | 16.5% | 76.6% |
| 1983 | 16.3% | 76.5% |
| 1982 | 16.1% | 76.3% |
| 1981 | 15.9% | 76.3% |
| 1980 | 15.7% | 76.2% |
| 1979 | 15.4% | 76.1% |
| 1978 | 15.1% | 76.1% |
| 1977 | 14.7% | 76% |
| 1976 | 14.3% | 76% |
| 1975 | 13.8% | 75.9% |
| 1974 | 13.2% | 75.4% |
| 1973 | 12.7% | 74.6% |
| 1972 | 12.2% | 73.7% |
| 1971 | 11.7% | 72.7% |
| 1970 | 11.2% | 71.9% |
| 1969 | 10.8% | 71.1% |
| 1968 | 10.5% | 70.3% |
| 1967 | 10.2% | 69.5% |
| 1966 | 9.84% | 68.7% |
| 1965 | 9.53% | 67.9% |
| 1964 | 9.23% | 67% |
| 1963 | 8.94% | 66.1% |
| 1962 | 8.66% | 65.2% |
| 1961 | 8.39% | 64.3% |
| 1960 | 8.12% | 63.3% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/afghanistan/japan | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 19.4% to 25.7% in Afghanistan and from 84.4% to 92.2% in Japan.
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 |
|
Japan
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Tokyo | 14.3M |
| Yokohama | 3.76M |
| Osaka | 2.75M |
| Nagoya | 2.33M |
| Sapporo | 1.96M |
| Fukuoka | 1.6M |
| Kawasaki | 1.54M |
| Kobe | 1.52M |
| Kyoto | 1.46M |
| Saitama | 1.33M |
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/japan | 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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