Afghanistan has a population density of 169.4 people per square mile compared to 78.5 people in Somalia. Afghanistan has 164,618 sq ft of land per person vs 361,073 sq ft in Somalia. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Afghanistan and Somalia are ranked 124th and 154th, 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 0.23% of the population and 0.42% of the land area for Somalia, hence the population density in Afghanistan is 115.8% higher than in Somalia.
Population density comparison
Afghanistan
|
Somalia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 169.4 ppl/mi² | 78.5 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 124/197 | 154/197 |
| Population |
44810409
|
20177806
|
| Land area | 251,827 sq mi | 242,217 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 164,618 sq ft | 355,231 sq ft |
| Rural population | 72.7% | 51.5% |
| Urban population | 27.3% | 48.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10% | 11.2% |
Afghanistan vs Somalia:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Afghanistan increased by 81%, compared to a 84.9% growth in Somalia.
In 2004, Afghanistan ranked 136th for population density and is in 124th place now. Somalia was 161st in 2004 and ranks 154th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Afghanistan
|
Somalia
|
|
| 2024 | 169.4 | 78.5 |
| 2023 | 164.6 | 75.8 |
| 2022 | 161.1 | 73.5 |
| 2021 | 158.8 | 71.3 |
| 2020 | 155.1 | 68.7 |
| 2019 | 150.3 | 66.2 |
| 2018 | 145.9 | 63.8 |
| 2017 | 141.7 | 61.6 |
| 2016 | 137.8 | 59.2 |
| 2015 | 134.3 | 57 |
| 2014 | 130.2 | 55.1 |
| 2013 | 125.6 | 53.1 |
| 2012 | 121.4 | 51.4 |
| 2011 | 116.5 | 51 |
| 2010 | 112.3 | 50.6 |
| 2009 | 109.1 | 49.4 |
| 2008 | 105.2 | 48.2 |
| 2007 | 102.9 | 46.7 |
| 2006 | 101 | 45.3 |
| 2005 | 96.9 | 43.9 |
| 2004 | 93.6 | 42.4 |
| 2003 | 90.3 | 40.9 |
| 2002 | 84.9 | 39.4 |
| 2001 | 80.5 | 38 |
| 2000 | 79.9 | 36.5 |
| 1999 | 79 | 35.1 |
| 1998 | 76.1 | 33.7 |
| 1997 | 73.3 | 32.3 |
| 1996 | 70.5 | 31.2 |
| 1995 | 67.8 | 30.1 |
| 1994 | 64.5 | 29 |
| 1993 | 59.3 | 27.6 |
| 1992 | 52.7 | 26.8 |
| 1991 | 48.6 | 28.1 |
| 1990 | 47.8 | 29.2 |
| 1989 | 47.2 | 29.4 |
| 1988 | 45.8 | 29.9 |
| 1987 | 45.2 | 29.8 |
| 1986 | 45.3 | 28.8 |
| 1985 | 45.4 | 27.6 |
| 1984 | 44.4 | 26.5 |
| 1983 | 43.4 | 25.6 |
| 1982 | 43.6 | 24.8 |
| 1981 | 47.4 | 24.7 |
| 1980 | 52.3 | 24.5 |
| 1979 | 54.2 | 22.5 |
| 1978 | 54.1 | 19.9 |
| 1977 | 53 | 18.5 |
| 1976 | 51.9 | 18 |
| 1975 | 50.7 | 17.6 |
| 1974 | 49.5 | 17.1 |
| 1973 | 48.3 | 16.7 |
| 1972 | 47.1 | 16.3 |
| 1971 | 45.9 | 15.8 |
| 1970 | 44.8 | 15.4 |
| 1969 | 43.7 | 15 |
| 1968 | 42.7 | 14.6 |
| 1967 | 41.7 | 14.3 |
| 1966 | 40.8 | 13.9 |
| 1965 | 39.9 | 13.5 |
| 1964 | 39 | 13.2 |
| 1963 | 38.1 | 12.8 |
| 1962 | 37.3 | 12.5 |
| 1961 | 36.6 | 12.2 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Afghanistan
|
Somalia
|
|
| 2024 | 27.3% | 48.5% |
| 2023 | 26.9% | 47.9% |
| 2022 | 26.6% | 47.3% |
| 2021 | 26.3% | 46.7% |
| 2020 | 26% | 46.1% |
| 2019 | 25.8% | 45.6% |
| 2018 | 25.5% | 45% |
| 2017 | 25.2% | 44.4% |
| 2016 | 25% | 43.8% |
| 2015 | 24.8% | 43.2% |
| 2014 | 24.6% | 42.7% |
| 2013 | 24.4% | 42.1% |
| 2012 | 24.2% | 41.6% |
| 2011 | 23.9% | 41% |
| 2010 | 23.7% | 39.3% |
| 2009 | 23.5% | 37.6% |
| 2008 | 23.3% | 36% |
| 2007 | 23.1% | 34.4% |
| 2006 | 22.9% | 37.1% |
| 2005 | 22.7% | 36.3% |
| 2004 | 22.5% | 35.5% |
| 2003 | 22.4% | 34.8% |
| 2002 | 22.3% | 34% |
| 2001 | 22.2% | 33.6% |
| 2000 | 22.1% | 33.2% |
| 1999 | 22% | 32.9% |
| 1998 | 21.9% | 32.5% |
| 1997 | 21.8% | 32.1% |
| 1996 | 21.7% | 31.8% |
| 1995 | 21.6% | 31.4% |
| 1994 | 21.5% | 31.1% |
| 1993 | 21.4% | 30.7% |
| 1992 | 21.4% | 30.4% |
| 1991 | 21.3% | 30% |
| 1990 | 21.2% | 29.7% |
| 1989 | 21.1% | 29.3% |
| 1988 | 21% | 29% |
| 1987 | 20.3% | 28.6% |
| 1986 | 19.6% | 28.3% |
| 1985 | 19% | 28.1% |
| 1984 | 18.4% | 27.8% |
| 1983 | 17.7% | 27.5% |
| 1982 | 17.1% | 27.3% |
| 1981 | 16.6% | 27% |
| 1980 | 16% | 26.8% |
| 1979 | 15.4% | 26.5% |
| 1978 | 15% | 26.3% |
| 1977 | 14.5% | 26% |
| 1976 | 14.1% | 25.7% |
| 1975 | 13.6% | 25.5% |
| 1974 | 13.2% | 25% |
| 1973 | 12.8% | 24.4% |
| 1972 | 12.4% | 23.8% |
| 1971 | 12% | 23.3% |
| 1970 | 11.6% | 22.7% |
| 1969 | 11.3% | 22.1% |
| 1968 | 10.9% | 21.6% |
| 1967 | 10.6% | 21% |
| 1966 | 10.2% | 20.5% |
| 1965 | 9.9% | 20% |
| 1964 | 9.59% | 19.5% |
| 1963 | 9.28% | 18.9% |
| 1962 | 8.98% | 18.4% |
| 1961 | 8.68% | 17.8% |
| 1960 | 8.4% | 17.3% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 22.5% to 27.3% in Afghanistan and from 35.5% to 48.5% in Somalia.
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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Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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