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Population density: Afghanistan vs Kuwait compared

Updated on by Georank team

Afghanistan has a population density of 179 people per square mile compared to 738 people in Kuwait. Afghanistan has 164,618 sq ft of land per person vs 39,163 sq ft in Kuwait. Afghanistan and Kuwait rank 123rd and 37th 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 0.06% of the population and 0.01% of the land area for Kuwait, making the population density in Afghanistan 75.8% lower than in Kuwait.

Population density by year

Afghanistan
Kuwait

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Afghanistan Kuwait
2026 179 738
2025 174.2 726
2024 169.4 712
2023 164.6 705
2022 161.1 667
2021 158.8 634
2020 155.1 640
2019 150.3 646
2018 145.9 628
2017 141.7 604
2016 137.8 582
2015 134.3 557
2014 130.2 533
2013 125.6 510
2012 121.4 485
2011 116.5 455
2010 112.3 428
2009 109.1 406
2008 105.2 385
2007 102.9 365
2006 101 344
2005 96.9 325
2004 93.6 314
2003 90.3 307
2002 84.9 299.4
2001 80.5 291.9
2000 79.9 284.1
1999 79 276.2
1998 76.1 268.1
1997 73.3 259.8
1996 70.5 251.5
1995 67.8 244.4
1994 64.5 241.9
1993 59.3 243
1992 52.7 237.6
1991 48.6 196.4
1990 47.8 244.9
1989 47.2 322
1988 45.8 310
1987 45.2 298.4
1986 45.3 286.7
1985 45.4 275.3
1984 44.4 264.6
1983 43.4 253.5
1982 43.6 241.6
1981 47.4 230.1
1980 52.3 218.7
1979 54.2 206.9
1978 54.1 194.8
1977 53 182.8
1976 51.9 171.3
1975 50.7 160.6
1974 49.5 150.9
1973 48.3 142.1
1972 47.1 133.8
1971 45.9 125.7
1970 44.8 117.6
1969 43.7 108.9
1968 42.7 100
1967 41.7 91.3
1966 40.8 83.2
1965 39.9 75.7
1964 39 68.8
1963 38.1 62.2
1962 37.3 56
1961 36.6 50.3

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/kuwait | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Afghanistan increased by 77.3%, compared to a 114.9% growth in Kuwait.

In 2006, Afghanistan ranked 135th by population density and is 123rd now. Kuwait was 59th in 2006 and ranks 37th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Afghanistan
Kuwait
1x
Year Urban population
Afghanistan Kuwait
2024 25.7% 100%
2023 25.5% 100%
2022 25.4% 100%
2021 25.3% 100%
2020 25.3% 100%
2019 25.1% 100%
2018 25% 100%
2017 24.8% 100%
2016 24.7% 100%
2015 24.5% 100%
2014 24.2% 100%
2013 23.8% 100%
2012 23.3% 100%
2011 22.8% 100%
2010 22.3% 100%
2009 21.7% 100%
2008 21.1% 100%
2007 20.6% 100%
2006 20.1% 100%
2005 19.7% 100%
2004 19.4% 99.9%
2003 19.2% 99.8%
2002 18.9% 99.5%
2001 18.7% 99.2%
2000 18.6% 99%
1999 18.4% 98.8%
1998 18.2% 98.5%
1997 18.1% 98.3%
1996 18% 98.1%
1995 17.8% 98%
1994 17.7% 98%
1993 17.6% 98%
1992 17.5% 98%
1991 17.4% 98%
1990 17.3% 98%
1989 17.1% 98%
1988 17% 98%
1987 16.9% 97.9%
1986 16.8% 97.9%
1985 16.6% 97.9%
1984 16.5% 97.7%
1983 16.3% 97.2%
1982 16.1% 96.5%
1981 15.9% 95.6%
1980 15.7% 94.8%
1979 15.4% 93.9%
1978 15.1% 92.9%
1977 14.7% 91.8%
1976 14.3% 90.7%
1975 13.8% 89.4%
1974 13.2% 87.8%
1973 12.7% 85.7%
1972 12.2% 83.5%
1971 11.7% 81.7%
1970 11.2% 80.5%
1969 10.8% 80%
1968 10.5% 79.8%
1967 10.2% 79.6%
1966 9.84% 79.4%
1965 9.53% 79.1%
1964 9.23% 78.6%
1963 8.94% 78%
1962 8.66% 77.2%
1961 8.39% 76.4%
1960 8.12% 75.4%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/afghanistan/kuwait | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 19.4% to 25.7% in Afghanistan and from 99.9% to 100% in Kuwait.

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

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

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/kuwait | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2006–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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