Afghanistan has a population density of 169.4 people per square mile compared to 570 people in North Korea. Afghanistan has 164,618 sq ft of land per person vs 48,964 sq ft in North Korea. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Afghanistan and North Korea are ranked 124th and 52nd, 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 0.33% of the population and 0.08% of the land area for North Korea, hence the population density in Afghanistan is 70.3% lower than in North Korea.
Population density comparison
Afghanistan
|
North Korea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 169.4 ppl/mi² | 570 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 124/197 | 52/197 |
| Population |
44810409
|
26621357
|
| Land area | 251,827 sq mi | 46,491 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 164,618 sq ft | 48,911 sq ft |
| Rural population | 72.7% | 36.5% |
| Urban population | 27.3% | 63.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10% | 10.8% |
Afghanistan vs North Korea:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Afghanistan increased by 81%, compared to a 9.25% growth in North Korea.
In 2004, Afghanistan ranked 136th for population density and is in 124th place now. North Korea was 40th in 2004 and ranks 52nd out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Afghanistan
|
North Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 169.4 | 570 |
| 2023 | 164.6 | 568 |
| 2022 | 161.1 | 566 |
| 2021 | 158.8 | 564 |
| 2020 | 155.1 | 562 |
| 2019 | 150.3 | 560 |
| 2018 | 145.9 | 558 |
| 2017 | 141.7 | 555 |
| 2016 | 137.8 | 553 |
| 2015 | 134.3 | 550 |
| 2014 | 130.2 | 547 |
| 2013 | 125.6 | 545 |
| 2012 | 121.4 | 542 |
| 2011 | 116.5 | 540 |
| 2010 | 112.3 | 537 |
| 2009 | 109.1 | 535 |
| 2008 | 105.2 | 533 |
| 2007 | 102.9 | 530 |
| 2006 | 101 | 528 |
| 2005 | 96.9 | 525 |
| 2004 | 93.6 | 522 |
| 2003 | 90.3 | 518 |
| 2002 | 84.9 | 515 |
| 2001 | 80.5 | 512 |
| 2000 | 79.9 | 509 |
| 1999 | 79 | 505 |
| 1998 | 76.1 | 501 |
| 1997 | 73.3 | 497 |
| 1996 | 70.5 | 492 |
| 1995 | 67.8 | 488 |
| 1994 | 64.5 | 482 |
| 1993 | 59.3 | 475 |
| 1992 | 52.7 | 468 |
| 1991 | 48.6 | 461 |
| 1990 | 47.8 | 454 |
| 1989 | 47.2 | 447 |
| 1988 | 45.8 | 441 |
| 1987 | 45.2 | 435 |
| 1986 | 45.3 | 428 |
| 1985 | 45.4 | 422 |
| 1984 | 44.4 | 416 |
| 1983 | 43.4 | 410 |
| 1982 | 43.6 | 404 |
| 1981 | 47.4 | 398 |
| 1980 | 52.3 | 392 |
| 1979 | 54.2 | 387 |
| 1978 | 54.1 | 381 |
| 1977 | 53 | 376 |
| 1976 | 51.9 | 371 |
| 1975 | 50.7 | 365 |
| 1974 | 49.5 | 359 |
| 1973 | 48.3 | 352 |
| 1972 | 47.1 | 344 |
| 1971 | 45.9 | 335 |
| 1970 | 44.8 | 326 |
| 1969 | 43.7 | 318 |
| 1968 | 42.7 | 309 |
| 1967 | 41.7 | 300 |
| 1966 | 40.8 | 291.9 |
| 1965 | 39.9 | 284.3 |
| 1964 | 39 | 277.3 |
| 1963 | 38.1 | 270.3 |
| 1962 | 37.3 | 263.8 |
| 1961 | 36.6 | 257.9 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Afghanistan
|
North Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 27.3% | 63.5% |
| 2023 | 26.9% | 63.2% |
| 2022 | 26.6% | 62.9% |
| 2021 | 26.3% | 62.6% |
| 2020 | 26% | 62.4% |
| 2019 | 25.8% | 62.1% |
| 2018 | 25.5% | 61.9% |
| 2017 | 25.2% | 61.7% |
| 2016 | 25% | 61.5% |
| 2015 | 24.8% | 61.3% |
| 2014 | 24.6% | 61.1% |
| 2013 | 24.4% | 60.9% |
| 2012 | 24.2% | 60.7% |
| 2011 | 23.9% | 60.6% |
| 2010 | 23.7% | 60.4% |
| 2009 | 23.5% | 60.2% |
| 2008 | 23.3% | 60% |
| 2007 | 23.1% | 60% |
| 2006 | 22.9% | 59.9% |
| 2005 | 22.7% | 59.8% |
| 2004 | 22.5% | 59.7% |
| 2003 | 22.4% | 59.6% |
| 2002 | 22.3% | 59.6% |
| 2001 | 22.2% | 59.5% |
| 2000 | 22.1% | 59.4% |
| 1999 | 22% | 59.3% |
| 1998 | 21.9% | 59.3% |
| 1997 | 21.8% | 59.2% |
| 1996 | 21.7% | 59.1% |
| 1995 | 21.6% | 59% |
| 1994 | 21.5% | 58.9% |
| 1993 | 21.4% | 58.8% |
| 1992 | 21.4% | 58.7% |
| 1991 | 21.3% | 58.5% |
| 1990 | 21.2% | 58.4% |
| 1989 | 21.1% | 58.2% |
| 1988 | 21% | 58.1% |
| 1987 | 20.3% | 57.9% |
| 1986 | 19.6% | 57.8% |
| 1985 | 19% | 57.6% |
| 1984 | 18.4% | 57.5% |
| 1983 | 17.7% | 57.3% |
| 1982 | 17.1% | 57.2% |
| 1981 | 16.6% | 57% |
| 1980 | 16% | 56.9% |
| 1979 | 15.4% | 56.9% |
| 1978 | 15% | 56.8% |
| 1977 | 14.5% | 56.8% |
| 1976 | 14.1% | 56.7% |
| 1975 | 13.6% | 56.7% |
| 1974 | 13.2% | 56.2% |
| 1973 | 12.8% | 55.7% |
| 1972 | 12.4% | 55.2% |
| 1971 | 12% | 54.7% |
| 1970 | 11.6% | 54.2% |
| 1969 | 11.3% | 51.6% |
| 1968 | 10.9% | 49% |
| 1967 | 10.6% | 47.1% |
| 1966 | 10.2% | 46.1% |
| 1965 | 9.9% | 45.1% |
| 1964 | 9.59% | 44.1% |
| 1963 | 9.28% | 43.1% |
| 1962 | 8.98% | 42.1% |
| 1961 | 8.68% | 41.2% |
| 1960 | 8.4% | 40.2% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 22.5% to 27.3% in Afghanistan and from 59.7% to 63.5% in North Korea.
Densely populated cities
|
Afghanistan
|
|
|---|---|
| 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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