Afghanistan has a population density of 179 people per square mile compared to 424 people in the United Arab Emirates. Afghanistan has 164,618 sq ft of land per person vs 81,907 sq ft in the United Arab Emirates. Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates rank 123rd and 62nd 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 0.14% of the population and 0.05% of the land area for the United Arab Emirates, making the population density in Afghanistan 57.8% lower than in the United Arab Emirates.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Afghanistan
|
UAE
|
|
| 2026 | 179 | 424 |
| 2025 | 174.2 | 415 |
| 2024 | 169.4 | 401 |
| 2023 | 164.6 | 382 |
| 2022 | 161.1 | 367 |
| 2021 | 158.8 | 349 |
| 2020 | 155.1 | 343 |
| 2019 | 150.3 | 344 |
| 2018 | 145.9 | 341 |
| 2017 | 141.7 | 336 |
| 2016 | 137.8 | 326 |
| 2015 | 134.3 | 310 |
| 2014 | 130.2 | 293.9 |
| 2013 | 125.6 | 280.6 |
| 2012 | 121.4 | 269.6 |
| 2011 | 116.5 | 259.1 |
| 2010 | 112.3 | 250.5 |
| 2009 | 109.1 | 244.6 |
| 2008 | 105.2 | 229.8 |
| 2007 | 102.9 | 205.1 |
| 2006 | 101 | 182.7 |
| 2005 | 96.9 | 170.1 |
| 2004 | 93.6 | 161.5 |
| 2003 | 90.3 | 152.9 |
| 2002 | 84.9 | 144.3 |
| 2001 | 80.5 | 135.8 |
| 2000 | 79.9 | 127.4 |
| 1999 | 79 | 119.1 |
| 1998 | 76.1 | 110.9 |
| 1997 | 73.3 | 102.7 |
| 1996 | 70.5 | 94.7 |
| 1995 | 67.8 | 88.8 |
| 1994 | 64.5 | 84.9 |
| 1993 | 59.3 | 81 |
| 1992 | 52.7 | 77.1 |
| 1991 | 48.6 | 73.2 |
| 1990 | 47.8 | 69.2 |
| 1989 | 47.2 | 65.3 |
| 1988 | 45.8 | 61.3 |
| 1987 | 45.2 | 57.4 |
| 1986 | 45.3 | 53.5 |
| 1985 | 45.4 | 50.3 |
| 1984 | 44.4 | 47.6 |
| 1983 | 43.4 | 45 |
| 1982 | 43.6 | 42.5 |
| 1981 | 47.4 | 40.1 |
| 1980 | 52.3 | 37 |
| 1979 | 54.2 | 33.3 |
| 1978 | 54.1 | 29.5 |
| 1977 | 53 | 25.9 |
| 1976 | 51.9 | 22.5 |
| 1975 | 50.7 | 19.8 |
| 1974 | 49.5 | 17.8 |
| 1973 | 48.3 | 15.9 |
| 1972 | 47.1 | 14 |
| 1971 | 45.9 | 12.2 |
| 1970 | 44.8 | 10.4 |
| 1969 | 43.7 | 8.74 |
| 1968 | 42.7 | 7.27 |
| 1967 | 41.7 | 6.55 |
| 1966 | 40.8 | 6.34 |
| 1965 | 39.9 | 6.09 |
| 1964 | 39 | 5.82 |
| 1963 | 38.1 | 5.55 |
| 1962 | 37.3 | 5.29 |
| 1961 | 36.6 | 5.03 |
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/united-arab-emirates | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Afghanistan increased by 77.3%, compared to a 132.2% growth in the United Arab Emirates.
In 2006, Afghanistan ranked 135th by population density and is 123rd now. The United Arab Emirates was 102nd in 2006 and ranks 62nd out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Afghanistan
|
UAE
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 179 ppl/mi² | 424 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 123/197 | 62/197 |
| Population |
45409324
|
11686438
|
| Land area | 251,827 sq mi | 27,421 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 164,618 sq ft | 69,582 sq ft |
| Rural population | 74.3% | 14.2% |
| Urban population | 25.7% | 85.8% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 11.7% | 57.9% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Afghanistan
|
UAE
|
|
| 2024 | 25.7% | 85.8% |
| 2023 | 25.5% | 85.7% |
| 2022 | 25.4% | 85.5% |
| 2021 | 25.3% | 85.4% |
| 2020 | 25.3% | 85.2% |
| 2019 | 25.1% | 85% |
| 2018 | 25% | 84.9% |
| 2017 | 24.8% | 84.7% |
| 2016 | 24.7% | 84.5% |
| 2015 | 24.5% | 84.3% |
| 2014 | 24.2% | 84.1% |
| 2013 | 23.8% | 84% |
| 2012 | 23.3% | 83.8% |
| 2011 | 22.8% | 83.6% |
| 2010 | 22.3% | 83.4% |
| 2009 | 21.7% | 83.2% |
| 2008 | 21.1% | 83% |
| 2007 | 20.6% | 82.8% |
| 2006 | 20.1% | 82.6% |
| 2005 | 19.7% | 82.2% |
| 2004 | 19.4% | 81.5% |
| 2003 | 19.2% | 80.8% |
| 2002 | 18.9% | 80.3% |
| 2001 | 18.7% | 79.7% |
| 2000 | 18.6% | 79.3% |
| 1999 | 18.4% | 78.9% |
| 1998 | 18.2% | 78.6% |
| 1997 | 18.1% | 78.4% |
| 1996 | 18% | 78.3% |
| 1995 | 17.8% | 78.3% |
| 1994 | 17.7% | 78.3% |
| 1993 | 17.6% | 78.4% |
| 1992 | 17.5% | 78.4% |
| 1991 | 17.4% | 78.6% |
| 1990 | 17.3% | 78.7% |
| 1989 | 17.1% | 78.8% |
| 1988 | 17% | 79% |
| 1987 | 16.9% | 79.2% |
| 1986 | 16.8% | 79.3% |
| 1985 | 16.6% | 79.5% |
| 1984 | 16.5% | 79.7% |
| 1983 | 16.3% | 80% |
| 1982 | 16.1% | 80.3% |
| 1981 | 15.9% | 80.7% |
| 1980 | 15.7% | 81.1% |
| 1979 | 15.4% | 81.8% |
| 1978 | 15.1% | 82.6% |
| 1977 | 14.7% | 83.4% |
| 1976 | 14.3% | 83.9% |
| 1975 | 13.8% | 83.9% |
| 1974 | 13.2% | 83.7% |
| 1973 | 12.7% | 83.2% |
| 1972 | 12.2% | 82.6% |
| 1971 | 11.7% | 82% |
| 1970 | 11.2% | 81.2% |
| 1969 | 10.8% | 80.5% |
| 1968 | 10.5% | 79.8% |
| 1967 | 10.2% | 79.2% |
| 1966 | 9.84% | 78.5% |
| 1965 | 9.53% | 77.8% |
| 1964 | 9.23% | 77.1% |
| 1963 | 8.94% | 76.3% |
| 1962 | 8.66% | 75.5% |
| 1961 | 8.39% | 74.5% |
| 1960 | 8.12% | 73.5% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/afghanistan/united-arab-emirates | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 19.4% to 25.7% in Afghanistan and from 81.5% to 85.8% in the United Arab Emirates.
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 |
|
UAE
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Dubai | 3.94M |
| Abu Dhabi | 1.57M |
| Sharjah | 1.25M |
| Al Ain | 767K |
| Ajman | 490K |
| Ras al-Khaimah | 116K |
| Fujairah | 93.7K |
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/united-arab-emirates | 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)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2006–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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