Afghanistan has a population density of 169.4 people per square mile compared to 87.2 people in Laos. Afghanistan has 164,618 sq ft of land per person vs 328,051 sq ft in Laos. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Afghanistan and Laos are ranked 124th and 150th, 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 0.1% of the population and 0.15% of the land area for Laos, hence the population density in Afghanistan is 94.2% higher than in Laos.
Population density comparison
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 169.4 ppl/mi² | 87.2 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 124/197 | 150/197 |
| Population |
44810409
|
7954155
|
| Land area | 251,827 sq mi | 89,112 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 164,618 sq ft | 319,739 sq ft |
| Rural population | 72.7% | 61.1% |
| Urban population | 27.3% | 38.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10% | 0% |
Afghanistan vs Laos:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Afghanistan increased by 81%, compared to a 34.4% growth in Laos.
In 2004, Afghanistan ranked 136th for population density and is in 124th place now. Laos was 150th in 2004 and still ranks 150th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
| 2024 | 169.4 | 87.2 |
| 2023 | 164.6 | 86 |
| 2022 | 161.1 | 84.8 |
| 2021 | 158.8 | 83.6 |
| 2020 | 155.1 | 82.4 |
| 2019 | 150.3 | 81.2 |
| 2018 | 145.9 | 80 |
| 2017 | 141.7 | 78.8 |
| 2016 | 137.8 | 77.5 |
| 2015 | 134.3 | 76.3 |
| 2014 | 130.2 | 75.2 |
| 2013 | 125.6 | 74.2 |
| 2012 | 121.4 | 73.2 |
| 2011 | 116.5 | 72.1 |
| 2010 | 112.3 | 71.1 |
| 2009 | 109.1 | 70 |
| 2008 | 105.2 | 69 |
| 2007 | 102.9 | 68 |
| 2006 | 101 | 66.9 |
| 2005 | 96.9 | 65.9 |
| 2004 | 93.6 | 64.9 |
| 2003 | 90.3 | 63.9 |
| 2002 | 84.9 | 63 |
| 2001 | 80.5 | 62 |
| 2000 | 79.9 | 60.9 |
| 1999 | 79 | 59.9 |
| 1998 | 76.1 | 58.9 |
| 1997 | 73.3 | 57.8 |
| 1996 | 70.5 | 56.6 |
| 1995 | 67.8 | 55.3 |
| 1994 | 64.5 | 54 |
| 1993 | 59.3 | 52.6 |
| 1992 | 52.7 | 51.2 |
| 1991 | 48.6 | 49.8 |
| 1990 | 47.8 | 48.4 |
| 1989 | 47.2 | 47 |
| 1988 | 45.8 | 45.7 |
| 1987 | 45.2 | 44.4 |
| 1986 | 45.3 | 43.2 |
| 1985 | 45.4 | 42 |
| 1984 | 44.4 | 40.8 |
| 1983 | 43.4 | 39.7 |
| 1982 | 43.6 | 38.7 |
| 1981 | 47.4 | 37.8 |
| 1980 | 52.3 | 36.9 |
| 1979 | 54.2 | 36.2 |
| 1978 | 54.1 | 35.6 |
| 1977 | 53 | 35 |
| 1976 | 51.9 | 34.4 |
| 1975 | 50.7 | 33.7 |
| 1974 | 49.5 | 33 |
| 1973 | 48.3 | 32.2 |
| 1972 | 47.1 | 31.4 |
| 1971 | 45.9 | 30.7 |
| 1970 | 44.8 | 30 |
| 1969 | 43.7 | 29.3 |
| 1968 | 42.7 | 28.6 |
| 1967 | 41.7 | 27.9 |
| 1966 | 40.8 | 27.3 |
| 1965 | 39.9 | 26.7 |
| 1964 | 39 | 26.1 |
| 1963 | 38.1 | 25.5 |
| 1962 | 37.3 | 24.9 |
| 1961 | 36.6 | 24.3 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
| 2024 | 27.3% | 38.9% |
| 2023 | 26.9% | 38.2% |
| 2022 | 26.6% | 37.6% |
| 2021 | 26.3% | 36.9% |
| 2020 | 26% | 36.3% |
| 2019 | 25.8% | 35.6% |
| 2018 | 25.5% | 35% |
| 2017 | 25.2% | 34.4% |
| 2016 | 25% | 33.7% |
| 2015 | 24.8% | 33.1% |
| 2014 | 24.6% | 32.5% |
| 2013 | 24.4% | 31.9% |
| 2012 | 24.2% | 31.3% |
| 2011 | 23.9% | 30.7% |
| 2010 | 23.7% | 30.1% |
| 2009 | 23.5% | 29.5% |
| 2008 | 23.3% | 28.9% |
| 2007 | 23.1% | 28.3% |
| 2006 | 22.9% | 27.7% |
| 2005 | 22.7% | 27.2% |
| 2004 | 22.5% | 26.2% |
| 2003 | 22.4% | 25.1% |
| 2002 | 22.3% | 24% |
| 2001 | 22.2% | 23% |
| 2000 | 22.1% | 22% |
| 1999 | 22% | 21% |
| 1998 | 21.9% | 20% |
| 1997 | 21.8% | 19.1% |
| 1996 | 21.7% | 18.2% |
| 1995 | 21.6% | 17.4% |
| 1994 | 21.5% | 16.9% |
| 1993 | 21.4% | 16.5% |
| 1992 | 21.4% | 16.1% |
| 1991 | 21.3% | 15.8% |
| 1990 | 21.2% | 15.4% |
| 1989 | 21.1% | 15.1% |
| 1988 | 21% | 14.8% |
| 1987 | 20.3% | 14.4% |
| 1986 | 19.6% | 14.1% |
| 1985 | 19% | 13.8% |
| 1984 | 18.4% | 13.5% |
| 1983 | 17.7% | 13.2% |
| 1982 | 17.1% | 12.9% |
| 1981 | 16.6% | 12.7% |
| 1980 | 16% | 12.4% |
| 1979 | 15.4% | 12.1% |
| 1978 | 15% | 11.8% |
| 1977 | 14.5% | 11.6% |
| 1976 | 14.1% | 11.3% |
| 1975 | 13.6% | 11.1% |
| 1974 | 13.2% | 10.8% |
| 1973 | 12.8% | 10.6% |
| 1972 | 12.4% | 10.3% |
| 1971 | 12% | 9.95% |
| 1970 | 11.6% | 9.63% |
| 1969 | 11.3% | 9.3% |
| 1968 | 10.9% | 8.99% |
| 1967 | 10.6% | 8.69% |
| 1966 | 10.2% | 8.4% |
| 1965 | 9.9% | 8.32% |
| 1964 | 9.59% | 8.25% |
| 1963 | 9.28% | 8.17% |
| 1962 | 8.98% | 8.1% |
| 1961 | 8.68% | 8.02% |
| 1960 | 8.4% | 7.95% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 22.5% to 27.3% in Afghanistan and from 26.2% to 38.9% in Laos.
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 |
|
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Vientiane | 948K |
| Thakhek | 90.8K |
| Luang Prabang | 53.8K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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