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Population in Afghanistan compared to Belgium: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank

The latest officially reported population of Afghanistan was 43,844,111 in 2025 vs 11,941,781 people in Belgium in 2025. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Afghanistan's population is 45,682,388 people compared to 11,967,185 in Belgium.

Population statistics:

  • Afghanistan's population is 3.82 times bigger than Belgium's.
  • Afghanistan is ranked the 36th most populous country in the world, while Belgium is the 83rd.
  • The countries together account for 0.69% of the world: 0.55% for Afghanistan vs 0.14% for Belgium.
  • For the last 10 years, Afghanistan has had an average growth rate of +2.68% per year vs +0.58% in Belgium.
  • Since 2006, the population of Afghanistan has increased from 25.4M people to 45.7M (79.7% growth), while Belgium has grown from 10.5M to 12M (13.5% growth).

Afghanistan vs Belgium: population by year and forecast

Afghanistan
Factual

Projection
Belgium
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Afghanistan Belgium
2100 131,724,468 11,250,862
2099 131,066,750 11,269,247
2098 130,403,871 11,287,433
2097 129,730,117 11,303,694
2096 129,070,342 11,319,229
2095 128,396,829 11,335,187
2094 127,685,065 11,351,692
2093 126,942,174 11,367,258
2092 126,194,378 11,383,419
2091 125,433,421 11,397,881
2090 124,561,248 11,412,370
2089 123,768,926 11,426,889
2088 122,960,614 11,442,238
2087 122,074,409 11,457,739
2086 121,308,199 11,472,102
2085 120,413,992 11,485,745
2084 119,420,025 11,499,703
2083 118,560,008 11,513,055
2082 117,671,742 11,527,480
2081 116,771,980 11,539,632
2080 115,724,307 11,553,646
2079 114,561,305 11,566,656
2078 113,556,727 11,580,982
2077 112,455,804 11,593,809
2076 111,375,301 11,605,311
2075 110,333,033 11,617,264
2074 109,170,742 11,630,340
2073 107,895,475 11,643,635
2072 106,682,883 11,656,916
2071 105,504,989 11,670,459
2070 104,167,895 11,686,541
2069 102,902,233 11,702,841
2068 101,568,136 11,720,297
2067 100,320,548 11,737,631
2066 99,057,144 11,756,233
2065 97,655,437 11,776,031
2064 96,248,770 11,796,981
2063 94,892,092 11,818,873
2062 93,522,871 11,841,060
2061 92,260,642 11,864,790
2060 90,945,998 11,886,277
2059 89,663,478 11,907,924
2058 88,293,680 11,928,140
2057 86,865,803 11,951,275
2056 85,428,888 11,972,819
2055 84,023,782 11,992,614
2054 82,626,785 12,011,260
2053 81,236,203 12,029,602
2052 79,860,096 12,045,984
2051 78,595,977 12,059,458
2050 77,285,393 12,070,180
2049 75,819,307 12,079,277
2048 74,435,057 12,086,376
2047 73,075,297 12,091,336
2046 71,654,160 12,094,512
2045 70,310,871 12,096,264
2044 68,983,509 12,095,660
2043 67,616,795 12,094,445
2042 66,317,516 12,092,240
2041 64,937,760 12,088,320
2040 63,497,378 12,084,611
2039 62,092,429 12,080,011
2038 60,767,134 12,074,019
2037 59,418,629 12,067,048
2036 58,079,976 12,060,663
2035 56,769,901 12,054,093
2034 55,469,080 12,047,026
2033 54,103,368 12,038,587
2032 52,759,572 12,030,514
2031 51,403,105 12,022,079
2030 50,049,673 12,012,501
2029 48,739,663 12,000,773
2028 47,504,926 11,988,034
2027 46,283,055 11,974,384
2026 45,047,977 11,959,583
2025 43,844,111 11,941,781
2024 42,647,492 11,858,610
2023 41,454,761 11,779,946
2022 40,578,842 11,680,210
2021 40,000,412 11,586,195
2020 39,068,979 11,538,604
2019 37,856,121 11,488,980
2018 36,743,039 11,427,054
2017 35,688,935 11,375,158
2016 34,700,612 11,331,422
2015 33,831,764 11,274,196
2014 32,792,523 11,209,057
2013 31,622,704 11,159,407
2012 30,560,034 11,106,932
2011 29,347,708 11,038,264
2010 28,284,089 10,895,586
2009 27,466,101 10,796,493
2008 26,482,622 10,709,973
2007 25,909,852 10,625,700
2006 25,424,094 10,547,958
2005 24,404,567 10,478,617
2004 23,560,654 10,421,137
2003 22,733,049 10,376,133
2002 21,378,117 10,332,785
2001 20,284,307 10,286,570
2000 20,130,327 10,251,250
1999 19,887,785 10,226,419
1998 19,159,996 10,203,008
1997 18,452,091 10,181,245
1996 17,763,266 10,156,637
1995 17,065,836 10,136,811
1994 16,250,794 10,115,603
1993 14,943,172 10,084,475
1992 13,278,974 10,045,158
1991 12,238,879 10,004,486
1990 12,045,660 9,967,379
1989 11,874,088 9,937,697
1988 11,523,298 9,901,664
1987 11,387,818 9,870,234
1986 11,420,074 9,861,823
1985 11,426,852 9,858,308
1984 11,190,221 9,855,372
1983 10,917,982 9,855,520
1982 10,991,378 9,856,303
1981 11,937,581 9,858,982
1980 13,169,311 9,859,242
1979 13,655,567 9,848,382
1978 13,611,441 9,839,534
1977 13,340,756 9,830,358
1976 13,059,851 9,818,227
1975 12,773,954 9,800,700
1974 12,469,127 9,772,419
1973 12,157,999 9,741,720
1972 11,853,696 9,711,115
1971 11,567,667 9,673,162
1970 11,290,128 9,655,549
1969 11,017,409 9,646,032
1968 10,756,922 9,618,756
1967 10,505,959 9,580,991
1966 10,266,395 9,527,807
1965 10,036,008 9,463,667
1964 9,814,318 9,378,113
1963 9,604,487 9,289,770
1962 9,404,406 9,220,578
1961 9,214,083 9,183,948
1960 9,035,043 9,153,489

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/afghanistan/belgium | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Afghanistan increased by 9,276,518 people (a 36.5% growth), while Belgium gained 783,464 people (a 7.43% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Afghanistan gained 10,981,776 people (a 31.6% growth), while Belgium's population increased by 635,763 people (a 5.61% growth).

Afghanistan was ranked 45th most populous country in 2006 and is 36th in 2026. Belgium was ranked 77th in 2006 and ranked 83rd now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Afghanistan's population will grow by 69.2% to 77,285,393 people with a rank change from 36th to 25th. The population of Belgium will increase by 0.86% to 12,070,180 people and rank change from 83rd to 92nd.

Afghanistan is projected to reach its peak in 2100 at 132M people compared to the peak of 12.1M people in 2045 for Belgium.

Population growth rate by year

Afghanistan
Factual

Projection
Belgium
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Afghanistan Belgium
2100 0.5% -0.16%
2099 0.51% -0.16%
2098 0.52% -0.14%
2097 0.51% -0.14%
2096 0.52% -0.14%
2095 0.56% -0.15%
2094 0.59% -0.14%
2093 0.59% -0.14%
2092 0.61% -0.13%
2091 0.7% -0.13%
2090 0.64% -0.13%
2089 0.66% -0.13%
2088 0.73% -0.14%
2087 0.63% -0.13%
2086 0.74% -0.12%
2085 0.83% -0.12%
2084 0.73% -0.12%
2083 0.75% -0.13%
2082 0.77% -0.11%
2081 0.91% -0.12%
2080 1.02% -0.11%
2079 0.88% -0.12%
2078 0.98% -0.11%
2077 0.97% -0.1%
2076 0.94% -0.1%
2075 1.06% -0.11%
2074 1.18% -0.11%
2073 1.14% -0.11%
2072 1.12% -0.12%
2071 1.28% -0.14%
2070 1.23% -0.14%
2069 1.31% -0.15%
2068 1.24% -0.15%
2067 1.28% -0.16%
2066 1.44% -0.17%
2065 1.46% -0.18%
2064 1.43% -0.19%
2063 1.46% -0.19%
2062 1.37% -0.2%
2061 1.45% -0.18%
2060 1.43% -0.18%
2059 1.55% -0.17%
2058 1.64% -0.19%
2057 1.68% -0.18%
2056 1.67% -0.17%
2055 1.69% -0.16%
2054 1.71% -0.15%
2053 1.72% -0.14%
2052 1.61% -0.11%
2051 1.7% -0.09%
2050 1.93% -0.08%
2049 1.86% -0.06%
2048 1.86% -0.04%
2047 1.98% -0.03%
2046 1.91% -0.01%
2045 1.92% 0.005%
2044 2.02% 0.01%
2043 1.96% 0.02%
2042 2.12% 0.03%
2041 2.27% 0.03%
2040 2.26% 0.04%
2039 2.18% 0.05%
2038 2.27% 0.06%
2037 2.3% 0.05%
2036 2.31% 0.05%
2035 2.35% 0.06%
2034 2.52% 0.07%
2033 2.55% 0.07%
2032 2.64% 0.07%
2031 2.7% 0.08%
2030 2.69% 0.1%
2029 2.6% 0.11%
2028 2.64% 0.11%
2027 2.74% 0.12%
2026 2.75% 0.15%
2025 2.81% 0.7%
2024 2.88% 0.67%
2023 2.16% 0.85%
2022 1.45% 0.81%
2021 2.38% 0.41%
2020 3.2% 0.43%
2019 3.03% 0.54%
2018 2.95% 0.46%
2017 2.85% 0.39%
2016 2.57% 0.51%
2015 3.17% 0.58%
2014 3.7% 0.44%
2013 3.48% 0.47%
2012 4.13% 0.62%
2011 3.76% 1.31%
2010 2.98% 0.92%
2009 3.71% 0.81%
2008 2.21% 0.79%
2007 1.91% 0.74%
2006 4.18% 0.66%
2005 3.58% 0.55%
2004 3.64% 0.43%
2003 6.34% 0.42%
2002 5.39% 0.45%
2001 0.76% 0.34%
2000 1.22% 0.24%
1999 3.8% 0.23%
1998 3.84% 0.21%
1997 3.88% 0.24%
1996 4.09% 0.2%
1995 5.02% 0.21%
1994 8.75% 0.31%
1993 12.5% 0.39%
1992 8.5% 0.41%
1991 1.6% 0.37%
1990 1.44% 0.3%
1989 3.04% 0.36%
1988 1.19% 0.32%
1987 -0.28% 0.09%
1986 -0.06% 0.04%
1985 2.11% 0.03%
1984 2.49% -0.002%
1983 -0.67% -0.008%
1982 -7.93% -0.03%
1981 -9.35% -0.003%
1980 -3.56% 0.11%
1979 0.32% 0.09%
1978 2.03% 0.09%
1977 2.15% 0.12%
1976 2.24% 0.18%
1975 2.44% 0.29%
1974 2.56% 0.32%
1973 2.57% 0.32%
1972 2.47% 0.39%
1971 2.46% 0.18%
1970 2.48% 0.1%
1969 2.42% 0.28%
1968 2.39% 0.39%
1967 2.33% 0.56%
1966 2.3% 0.68%
1965 2.26% 0.91%
1964 2.18% 0.95%
1963 2.13% 0.75%
1962 2.07% 0.4%
1961 1.98% 0.33%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/afghanistan/belgium | CC BY

In 2025, the population of Afghanistan grew by 2.81%, while Belgium's population grew by 0.7%.

Live population counters

Afghanistan Belgium
Current population
45682388
11967185
Population rank 36/197 83/197
Percent of world population 0.55% 0.14%
One net population change
26.4 seconds
6.34 minutes
One birth every
21.1 seconds
4.82 minutes
One death every
2.16 minutes
4.67 minutes
Daily growth/decline +3,278 +228
Annual growth/decline +1,196,619 +83,171
Annual growth/decline rate +2.81% +0.7%
Population growth rate rank 20/197 116/197
One migration net change every
7.08 minutes
16.5 minutes
Annual migration change -74,404 +31,989
Net migration rank 179/196 28/196
Foreign-born residents 98,110 2,349,032
Foreign-born residents rank 131/195 30/195
Foreign-born share of population 0.2% 20%
Foreign-born share rank 186/195 30/195

Natural population change vs migration

Afghanistan
Natural

Migration
Belgium
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Afghanistan Belgium
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -74,404 - 31,989
2024 1,249,785 -44,089 -3,557 36,243
2023 1,228,719 -48,958 0 41,679
2022 1,219,475 -647,402 -2,336 118,615
2021 1,133,611 -548,784 5,793 24,017
2020 1,134,407 143,634 -12,692 43,777
2019 1,138,485 9,159 8,042 58,469
2018 1,115,262 -36,753 7,999 50,604
2017 1,101,218 -71,491 10,238 37,981
2016 1,090,016 -143,049 14,731 28,090
2015 1,077,068 -286,314 11,274 63,536
2014 1,053,788 233,913 21,297 37,472
2013 1,033,778 18,119 16,739 28,066
2012 1,004,814 68,628 18,882 45,001
2011 966,743 384,486 25,388 52,464
2010 943,473 -167,460 23,970 105,232
2009 920,581 -60,602 23,752 97,175
2008 891,246 215,753 22,491 66,470
2007 889,848 -851,298 23,376 59,911
2006 875,301 57,673 21,096 53,574
2005 855,112 250,971 15,718 50,576
2004 850,940 -269,194 16,673 35,143
2003 826,165 247,317 7,263 34,472
2002 776,048 860,349 7,233 39,404
2001 764,090 -212,872 11,315 34,924
2000 782,727 -1,025,973 12,302 13,952
1999 760,727 -32,400 9,203 16,849
1998 719,860 7,380 9,183 12,517
1997 709,778 -21,215 12,218 10,262
1996 685,005 4,072 12,188 15,684
1995 653,280 52,505 11,150 1,937
1994 609,096 315,206 12,139 17,636
1993 541,257 1,149,684 14,118 18,542
1992 440,132 1,197,329 20,090 25,941
1991 409,954 32,782 22,010 27,038
1990 402,433 -458,737 19,935 8,299
1989 381,158 18,296 13,912 7,301
1988 358,397 -56,263 14,853 3,929
1987 314,361 -345,535 11,844 3,525
1986 310,066 -343,397 5,917 2,964
1985 228,469 -208,685 2,958 2,165
1984 205,262 248,224 4,927 1,697
1983 263,778 -172,797 2,956 1,252
1982 263,210 -500,998 7,885 1,100
1981 343,468 -1,998,086 11,831 2,826
1980 365,396 -1,174,239 10,845 11,482
1979 361,750 -525,413 11,818 11,277
1978 369,101 -117,186 7,872 10,828
1977 372,567 -83,115 8,847 10,460
1976 357,775 -85,430 1,964 10,360
1975 343,850 -44,418 0 9,652
1974 330,232 -20,009 7,818 8,924
1973 315,062 -3,030 11,690 8,684
1972 300,633 -4,050 18,451 8,384
1971 288,267 -12,801 21,281 7,992
1970 275,129 4,458 23,173 19,393
1969 263,823 2,029 21,221 20,072
1968 251,798 3,333 20,199 19,809
1967 239,967 6,824 31,618 19,492
1966 228,786 3,563 36,206 18,985
1965 217,741 10,695 39,748 18,243
1964 207,867 7,079 51,580 17,687
1963 198,035 6,681 41,804 16,355
1962 188,427 7,016 42,414 14,829
1961 179,094 6,109 52,349 10,566
1960 170,257 2,606 40,275 9,893

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/afghanistan/belgium | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 87.3% of the population change in Afghanistan is from natural causes (a gain of 11,488,046 people) and 12.7% is from migration (a loss of 1,674,047 people). In Belgium 7.28% is from natural causes (a gain of 39,492 people) and 92.7% is from migration (a gain of 503,011 people).

As of 2024, 98,110 residents or 0.2% of the population were not native-born in Afghanistan, compared to 2,349,032 people or 20% in Belgium.

Biggest cities by population

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
Belgium
City Population
Brussels 1.25M
Antwerp 529K
Ghent 273K
Charleroi 204K
Liege 195K
Schaerbeek 133K
Anderlecht 121K
Bruges 119K
Namur 115K
Leuven 101K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/afghanistan/belgium | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  4. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)

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