Afghanistan has a population density of 179 people per square mile compared to 573 people in North Korea. Afghanistan has 164,618 sq ft of land per person vs 48,964 sq ft in North Korea. Afghanistan and North Korea rank 123rd and 52nd 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 0.33% of the population and 0.08% of the land area for North Korea, making the population density in Afghanistan 68.8% lower than in North Korea.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Afghanistan
|
North Korea
|
|
| 2026 | 179 | 573 |
| 2025 | 174.2 | 572 |
| 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 |
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/north-korea | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Afghanistan increased by 77.3%, compared to a 8.64% growth in North Korea.
In 2006, Afghanistan ranked 135th by population density and is 123rd now. North Korea was 40th in 2006 and ranks 52nd out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Afghanistan
|
North Korea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 179 ppl/mi² | 573 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 123/197 | 52/197 |
| Population |
45409324
|
26659144
|
| Land area | 251,827 sq mi | 46,491 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 164,618 sq ft | 48,911 sq ft |
| Rural population | 74.3% | 36.1% |
| Urban population | 25.7% | 63.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 11.7% | 10.7% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Afghanistan
|
North Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 25.7% | 63.9% |
| 2023 | 25.5% | 63.5% |
| 2022 | 25.4% | 63.2% |
| 2021 | 25.3% | 62.9% |
| 2020 | 25.3% | 62.6% |
| 2019 | 25.1% | 62.4% |
| 2018 | 25% | 62.1% |
| 2017 | 24.8% | 61.8% |
| 2016 | 24.7% | 61.6% |
| 2015 | 24.5% | 61.3% |
| 2014 | 24.2% | 61.1% |
| 2013 | 23.8% | 60.9% |
| 2012 | 23.3% | 60.7% |
| 2011 | 22.8% | 60.5% |
| 2010 | 22.3% | 60.3% |
| 2009 | 21.7% | 60.2% |
| 2008 | 21.1% | 60% |
| 2007 | 20.6% | 59.9% |
| 2006 | 20.1% | 59.8% |
| 2005 | 19.7% | 59.8% |
| 2004 | 19.4% | 59.7% |
| 2003 | 19.2% | 59.6% |
| 2002 | 18.9% | 59.5% |
| 2001 | 18.7% | 59.5% |
| 2000 | 18.6% | 59.4% |
| 1999 | 18.4% | 59.4% |
| 1998 | 18.2% | 59.3% |
| 1997 | 18.1% | 59.2% |
| 1996 | 18% | 59.2% |
| 1995 | 17.8% | 59.1% |
| 1994 | 17.7% | 59% |
| 1993 | 17.6% | 58.9% |
| 1992 | 17.5% | 58.7% |
| 1991 | 17.4% | 58.6% |
| 1990 | 17.3% | 58.4% |
| 1989 | 17.1% | 58.3% |
| 1988 | 17% | 58.1% |
| 1987 | 16.9% | 57.9% |
| 1986 | 16.8% | 57.7% |
| 1985 | 16.6% | 57.5% |
| 1984 | 16.5% | 57.4% |
| 1983 | 16.3% | 57.2% |
| 1982 | 16.1% | 57.1% |
| 1981 | 15.9% | 57% |
| 1980 | 15.7% | 56.9% |
| 1979 | 15.4% | 56.9% |
| 1978 | 15.1% | 56.8% |
| 1977 | 14.7% | 56.8% |
| 1976 | 14.3% | 56.8% |
| 1975 | 13.8% | 56.7% |
| 1974 | 13.2% | 56.5% |
| 1973 | 12.7% | 56.1% |
| 1972 | 12.2% | 55.6% |
| 1971 | 11.7% | 54.9% |
| 1970 | 11.2% | 54.2% |
| 1969 | 10.8% | 53.3% |
| 1968 | 10.5% | 52% |
| 1967 | 10.2% | 50.5% |
| 1966 | 9.84% | 49% |
| 1965 | 9.53% | 47.5% |
| 1964 | 9.23% | 46.2% |
| 1963 | 8.94% | 45% |
| 1962 | 8.66% | 43.7% |
| 1961 | 8.39% | 42.3% |
| 1960 | 8.12% | 40.6% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/afghanistan/north-korea | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 19.4% to 25.7% in Afghanistan and from 59.7% to 63.9% in North Korea.
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 |
|
North Korea
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Pyongyang | 2.86M |
| Hamhung | 769K |
| Chongjin | 668K |
| Sunchon | 437K |
| Nampo | 367K |
| Wonsan | 363K |
| Sinuiju | 359K |
| Tanchon | 346K |
| Kaechon | 320K |
| Kaesong | 308K |
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/north-korea | 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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