Skip to content

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

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of Afghanistan was 42,647,492 in 2024 vs 2,857,822 people in Qatar in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Afghanistan's population is 45,409,324 people compared to 2,999,260 in Qatar.

Population statistics:

  • Afghanistan's population is 15.1 times bigger than Qatar's.
  • Afghanistan is ranked the 36th most populous country in the world, while Qatar is the 136th.
  • The countries together account for 0.58% of the world: 0.55% for Afghanistan vs 0.04% for Qatar.
  • For the last 10 years, Afghanistan has had an average growth rate of +2.76% per year vs +3.86% in Qatar.
  • Since 2006, the population of Afghanistan has increased from 25.4M people to 45.4M (78.6% growth), while Qatar has grown from 973K to 3M (208.3% growth).

Afghanistan vs Qatar: population by year and forecast

Afghanistan
Factual

Projection
Qatar
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Afghanistan Qatar
2100 131,803,615 6,864,512
2099 131,145,502 6,795,697
2098 130,482,225 6,726,889
2097 129,808,066 6,658,115
2096 129,147,895 6,589,399
2095 128,473,977 6,520,903
2094 127,761,785 6,452,670
2093 127,018,448 6,384,792
2092 126,270,202 6,317,235
2091 125,508,788 6,249,912
2090 124,636,092 6,182,993
2089 123,843,293 6,116,439
2088 123,034,495 6,050,282
2087 122,147,758 5,984,646
2086 121,381,088 5,919,506
2085 120,486,343 5,854,810
2084 119,491,780 5,790,733
2083 118,631,246 5,727,107
2082 117,742,446 5,663,726
2081 116,842,143 5,600,872
2080 115,793,841 5,538,952
2079 114,630,140 5,477,309
2078 113,624,958 5,416,092
2077 112,523,374 5,355,430
2076 111,442,221 5,295,298
2075 110,399,328 5,235,611
2074 109,236,338 5,176,349
2073 107,960,305 5,117,758
2072 106,746,984 5,059,696
2071 105,568,382 5,002,249
2070 104,230,485 4,945,273
2069 102,964,062 4,888,911
2068 101,629,164 4,833,090
2067 100,380,826 4,777,814
2066 99,116,663 4,723,056
2065 97,714,113 4,668,810
2064 96,306,602 4,614,957
2063 94,949,108 4,561,622
2062 93,579,065 4,509,442
2061 92,316,077 4,457,910
2060 91,000,643 4,406,963
2059 89,717,353 4,356,604
2058 88,346,732 4,306,842
2057 86,917,997 4,257,533
2056 85,480,219 4,208,980
2055 84,074,268 4,160,635
2054 82,676,432 4,113,078
2053 81,285,014 4,065,870
2052 79,908,081 4,019,393
2051 78,643,202 3,973,445
2050 77,331,830 3,927,949
2049 75,864,863 3,882,963
2048 74,479,782 3,838,380
2047 73,119,204 3,794,282
2046 71,697,214 3,750,671
2045 70,353,118 3,707,573
2044 69,024,959 3,665,008
2043 67,657,423 3,623,031
2042 66,357,363 3,581,673
2041 64,976,778 3,540,989
2040 63,535,531 3,500,991
2039 62,129,737 3,461,758
2038 60,803,646 3,423,310
2037 59,454,331 3,385,696
2036 58,114,874 3,348,948
2035 56,804,011 3,313,100
2034 55,502,408 3,278,067
2033 54,135,876 3,243,892
2032 52,791,273 3,210,644
2031 51,433,991 3,178,257
2030 50,079,746 3,146,733
2029 48,768,949 3,112,748
2028 47,533,470 3,075,676
2027 46,310,865 3,035,492
2026 45,075,045 2,985,826
2025 43,870,455 2,926,071
2024 42,647,492 2,857,822
2023 41,454,761 2,656,032
2022 40,578,842 2,657,333
2021 40,000,412 2,504,910
2020 39,068,979 2,794,148
2019 37,856,121 2,638,657
2018 36,743,039 2,580,734
2017 35,688,935 2,545,820
2016 34,700,612 2,477,113
2015 33,831,764 2,344,557
2014 32,792,523 2,151,745
2013 31,622,704 1,916,426
2012 30,560,034 1,722,438
2011 29,347,708 1,624,761
2010 28,284,089 1,616,832
2009 27,466,101 1,608,903
2008 26,482,622 1,426,938
2007 25,909,852 1,208,595
2006 25,424,094 972,831
2005 24,404,567 825,408
2004 23,560,654 773,332
2003 22,733,049 744,682
2002 21,378,117 711,205
2001 20,284,307 677,925
2000 20,130,327 644,989
1999 19,887,785 612,500
1998 19,159,996 580,540
1997 18,452,091 550,500
1996 17,763,266 529,019
1995 17,065,836 514,325
1994 16,250,794 499,459
1993 14,943,172 484,545
1992 13,278,974 469,657
1991 12,238,879 454,853
1990 12,045,660 440,175
1989 11,874,088 425,646
1988 11,523,298 411,264
1987 11,387,818 397,005
1986 11,420,074 382,422
1985 11,426,852 365,940
1984 11,190,221 347,878
1983 10,917,982 329,709
1982 10,991,378 311,537
1981 11,937,581 293,553
1980 13,169,311 275,913
1979 13,655,567 258,670
1978 13,611,441 241,808
1977 13,340,756 225,285
1976 13,059,851 209,052
1975 12,773,954 193,087
1974 12,469,127 177,362
1973 12,157,999 161,841
1972 11,853,696 146,506
1971 11,567,667 131,346
1970 11,290,128 116,350
1969 11,017,409 103,025
1968 10,756,922 91,749
1967 10,505,959 81,439
1966 10,266,395 72,192
1965 10,036,008 64,065
1964 9,814,318 56,867
1963 9,604,487 50,380
1962 9,404,406 44,630
1961 9,214,083 39,680
1960 9,035,043 36,010

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

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

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Afghanistan increased by 9,276,518 people (a 36.5% growth), while Qatar gained 1,504,282 people (a 154.6% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Afghanistan gained 10,708,712 people (a 30.9% growth), while Qatar's population increased by 522,147 people (a 21.1% growth).

Afghanistan was ranked 45th most populous country in 2006 and is 36th in 2026. Qatar was ranked 156th in 2006 and ranked 136th now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Afghanistan's population will grow by 70.3% to 77,331,830 people with a rank change from 36th to 24th. The population of Qatar will increase by 31% to 3,927,949 people and rank change from 136th to 134th.

Afghanistan is projected to reach its peak in 2100 at 132M people compared to the peak of 6.86M people in 2100 for Qatar.

Population growth rate by year

Afghanistan
Factual

Projection
Qatar
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Afghanistan Qatar
2100 0.5% 1.01%
2099 0.51% 1.02%
2098 0.52% 1.03%
2097 0.51% 1.04%
2096 0.52% 1.05%
2095 0.56% 1.06%
2094 0.59% 1.06%
2093 0.59% 1.07%
2092 0.61% 1.08%
2091 0.7% 1.08%
2090 0.64% 1.09%
2089 0.66% 1.09%
2088 0.73% 1.1%
2087 0.63% 1.1%
2086 0.74% 1.11%
2085 0.83% 1.11%
2084 0.73% 1.11%
2083 0.75% 1.12%
2082 0.77% 1.12%
2081 0.91% 1.12%
2080 1.02% 1.13%
2079 0.88% 1.13%
2078 0.98% 1.13%
2077 0.97% 1.14%
2076 0.94% 1.14%
2075 1.06% 1.14%
2074 1.18% 1.14%
2073 1.14% 1.15%
2072 1.12% 1.15%
2071 1.28% 1.15%
2070 1.23% 1.15%
2069 1.31% 1.15%
2068 1.24% 1.16%
2067 1.28% 1.16%
2066 1.44% 1.16%
2065 1.46% 1.17%
2064 1.43% 1.17%
2063 1.46% 1.16%
2062 1.37% 1.16%
2061 1.45% 1.16%
2060 1.43% 1.16%
2059 1.55% 1.16%
2058 1.64% 1.16%
2057 1.68% 1.15%
2056 1.67% 1.16%
2055 1.69% 1.16%
2054 1.71% 1.16%
2053 1.72% 1.16%
2052 1.61% 1.16%
2051 1.7% 1.16%
2050 1.93% 1.16%
2049 1.86% 1.16%
2048 1.86% 1.16%
2047 1.98% 1.16%
2046 1.91% 1.16%
2045 1.92% 1.16%
2044 2.02% 1.16%
2043 1.96% 1.15%
2042 2.12% 1.15%
2041 2.27% 1.14%
2040 2.26% 1.13%
2039 2.18% 1.12%
2038 2.27% 1.11%
2037 2.3% 1.1%
2036 2.31% 1.08%
2035 2.35% 1.07%
2034 2.52% 1.05%
2033 2.55% 1.04%
2032 2.64% 1.02%
2031 2.7% 1%
2030 2.69% 1.09%
2029 2.6% 1.21%
2028 2.64% 1.32%
2027 2.74% 1.66%
2026 2.75% 2.04%
2025 2.87% 2.39%
2024 2.88% 7.6%
2023 2.16% -0.05%
2022 1.45% 6.08%
2021 2.38% -10.4%
2020 3.2% 5.89%
2019 3.03% 2.24%
2018 2.95% 1.37%
2017 2.85% 2.77%
2016 2.57% 5.65%
2015 3.17% 8.96%
2014 3.7% 12.3%
2013 3.48% 11.3%
2012 4.13% 6.01%
2011 3.76% 0.49%
2010 2.98% 0.49%
2009 3.71% 12.8%
2008 2.21% 18.1%
2007 1.91% 24.2%
2006 4.18% 17.9%
2005 3.58% 6.73%
2004 3.64% 3.85%
2003 6.34% 4.71%
2002 5.39% 4.91%
2001 0.76% 5.11%
2000 1.22% 5.3%
1999 3.8% 5.51%
1998 3.84% 5.46%
1997 3.88% 4.06%
1996 4.09% 2.86%
1995 5.02% 2.98%
1994 8.75% 3.08%
1993 12.5% 3.17%
1992 8.5% 3.25%
1991 1.6% 3.33%
1990 1.44% 3.41%
1989 3.04% 3.5%
1988 1.19% 3.59%
1987 -0.28% 3.81%
1986 -0.06% 4.5%
1985 2.11% 5.19%
1984 2.49% 5.51%
1983 -0.67% 5.83%
1982 -7.93% 6.13%
1981 -9.35% 6.39%
1980 -3.56% 6.67%
1979 0.32% 6.97%
1978 2.03% 7.33%
1977 2.15% 7.77%
1976 2.24% 8.27%
1975 2.44% 8.87%
1974 2.56% 9.59%
1973 2.57% 10.5%
1972 2.47% 11.5%
1971 2.46% 12.9%
1970 2.48% 12.9%
1969 2.42% 12.3%
1968 2.39% 12.7%
1967 2.33% 12.8%
1966 2.3% 12.7%
1965 2.26% 12.7%
1964 2.18% 12.9%
1963 2.13% 12.9%
1962 2.07% 12.5%
1961 1.98% 10.2%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1961–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

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

In 2024, the population of Afghanistan grew by 2.88%, while Qatar's population grew by 7.6%.

Live population counters

Afghanistan Qatar
Current population
45409324
2999260
Population rank 36/197 136/197
Percent of world population 0.55% 0.04%
One net population change
26.4 seconds
2.6 minutes
One birth every
21.5 seconds
20 minutes
One death every
2.19 minutes
3.55 hours
Daily growth/decline +3,268 +553
Annual growth/decline +1,192,731 +201,790
Annual growth/decline rate +2.88% +7.6%
Population growth rate rank 20/197 1/197
One migration net change every
7.08 minutes
14.5 minutes
Annual migration change -74,404 +36,288
Net migration rank 179/196 26/196
Foreign-born residents 98,110 2,337,000
Foreign-born residents rank 131/195 31/195
Foreign-born share of population 0.2% 76.7%
Foreign-born share rank 186/195 1/195

Natural population change vs migration

Afghanistan
Natural

Migration
Qatar
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Afghanistan Qatar
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -74,404 - 36,288
2024 - -44,089 - 46,105
2023 1,228,719 -48,958 23,845 39,995
2022 1,219,475 -647,402 24,360 80,004
2021 1,133,611 -548,784 21,297 24,501
2020 1,134,407 143,634 25,128 -50,433
2019 1,138,485 9,159 24,112 10,557
2018 1,115,262 -36,753 23,340 12,465
2017 1,101,218 -71,491 23,244 46,719
2016 1,090,016 -143,049 22,416 119,725
2015 1,077,068 -286,314 22,568 177,467
2014 1,053,788 233,913 21,699 194,712
2013 1,033,778 18,119 19,669 133,520
2012 1,004,814 68,628 17,681 77,091
2011 966,743 384,486 16,543 77,228
2010 943,473 -167,460 16,225 90,620
2009 920,581 -60,602 15,595 123,217
2008 891,246 215,753 14,062 165,572
2007 889,848 -851,298 11,351 245,703
2006 875,301 57,673 10,225 204,236
2005 855,112 250,971 11,392 68,993
2004 850,940 -269,194 11,242 12,531
2003 826,165 247,317 11,291 22,234
2002 776,048 860,349 11,062 22,356
2001 764,090 -212,872 10,683 22,456
2000 782,727 -1,025,973 9,974 22,769
1999 760,727 -32,400 9,431 22,815
1998 719,860 7,380 9,055 22,618
1997 709,778 -21,215 8,846 19,547
1996 685,005 4,072 9,049 5,517
1995 653,280 52,505 9,186 5,634
1994 609,096 315,206 9,257 5,660
1993 541,257 1,149,684 9,250 5,670
1992 440,132 1,197,329 9,189 5,670
1991 409,954 32,782 9,182 5,562
1990 402,433 -458,737 9,388 5,216
1989 381,158 18,296 9,407 5,045
1988 358,397 -56,263 9,198 5,118
1987 314,361 -345,535 8,806 5,405
1986 310,066 -343,397 8,439 6,512
1985 228,469 -208,685 8,212 9,797
1984 205,262 248,224 7,997 10,113
1983 263,778 -172,797 7,765 10,462
1982 263,210 -500,998 7,489 10,634
1981 343,468 -1,998,086 7,202 10,644
1980 365,396 -1,174,239 6,894 10,540
1979 361,750 -525,413 6,579 10,466
1978 369,101 -117,186 6,246 10,434
1977 372,567 -83,115 5,925 10,445
1976 357,775 -85,430 5,598 10,494
1975 343,850 -44,418 5,289 10,549
1974 330,232 -20,009 5,015 10,603
1973 315,062 -3,030 4,780 10,641
1972 300,633 -4,050 4,581 10,663
1971 288,267 -12,801 4,433 10,644
1970 275,129 4,458 4,346 10,579
1969 263,823 2,029 3,941 7,790
1968 251,798 3,333 3,547 7,266
1967 239,967 6,824 3,167 6,637
1966 228,786 3,563 2,811 5,880
1965 217,741 10,695 2,472 5,083
1964 207,867 7,079 2,150 4,686
1963 198,035 6,681 1,854 4,283
1962 188,427 7,016 1,589 3,773
1961 179,094 6,109 1,357 3,186
1960 170,257 2,606 1,220 1,586

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06).

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

Over the last 10 years, 89% of the population change in Afghanistan is from natural causes (a gain of 11,292,049 people) and 11% is from migration (a loss of 1,396,045 people). In Qatar 26.1% is from natural causes (a gain of 232,009 people) and 73.9% is from migration (a gain of 655,712 people).

As of 2024, 98,110 residents or 0.2% of the population were not native-born in Afghanistan, compared to 2,337,000 people or 76.7% in Qatar.

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
Qatar
City Population
Doha 1.19M
Al Khor 31.5K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

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

Help us show the world through your eyes

Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.

Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.