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

Updated on by Georank

The latest officially reported population of Afghanistan was 43,844,111 in 2025 vs 85,878,556 people in Turkey in 2025. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Afghanistan's population is 45,682,388 people compared to 86,225,430 in Turkey.

Population statistics:

  • Turkey's population is 1.89 times bigger than Afghanistan's.
  • Afghanistan is ranked the 36th most populous country in the world, while Turkey is the 18th.
  • The countries together account for 1.59% of the world: 0.55% for Afghanistan vs 1.04% for Turkey.
  • For the last 10 years, Afghanistan has had an average growth rate of +2.68% per year vs +0.98% in Turkey.
  • Since 2006, the population of Afghanistan has increased from 25.4M people to 45.7M (79.7% growth), while Turkey has grown from 70M to 86.2M (23.1% growth).

Afghanistan vs Turkey: population by year and forecast

Afghanistan
Factual

Projection
Turkey
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Afghanistan Turkey
2100 131,724,468 64,394,191
2099 131,066,750 65,045,868
2098 130,403,871 65,690,351
2097 129,730,117 66,342,622
2096 129,070,342 66,990,674
2095 128,396,829 67,642,188
2094 127,685,065 68,296,562
2093 126,942,174 68,963,773
2092 126,194,378 69,625,957
2091 125,433,421 70,290,255
2090 124,561,248 70,960,483
2089 123,768,926 71,623,547
2088 122,960,614 72,281,102
2087 122,074,409 72,928,397
2086 121,308,199 73,576,610
2085 120,413,992 74,223,570
2084 119,420,025 74,853,312
2083 118,560,008 75,483,067
2082 117,671,742 76,111,533
2081 116,771,980 76,726,689
2080 115,724,307 77,339,541
2079 114,561,305 77,938,889
2078 113,556,727 78,532,577
2077 112,455,804 79,120,573
2076 111,375,301 79,705,459
2075 110,333,033 80,277,544
2074 109,170,742 80,848,141
2073 107,895,475 81,396,237
2072 106,682,883 81,938,080
2071 105,504,989 82,465,112
2070 104,167,895 82,981,973
2069 102,902,233 83,480,362
2068 101,568,136 83,963,140
2067 100,320,548 84,428,242
2066 99,057,144 84,886,666
2065 97,655,437 85,336,225
2064 96,248,770 85,771,285
2063 94,892,092 86,187,013
2062 93,522,871 86,587,114
2061 92,260,642 86,962,577
2060 90,945,998 87,319,314
2059 89,663,478 87,663,392
2058 88,293,680 87,973,789
2057 86,865,803 88,264,809
2056 85,428,888 88,534,755
2055 84,023,782 88,764,080
2054 82,626,785 88,972,362
2053 81,236,203 89,151,673
2052 79,860,096 89,310,785
2051 78,595,977 89,437,110
2050 77,285,393 89,541,520
2049 75,819,307 89,614,107
2048 74,435,057 89,651,068
2047 73,075,297 89,659,415
2046 71,654,160 89,634,354
2045 70,310,871 89,608,012
2044 68,983,509 89,557,421
2043 67,616,795 89,493,042
2042 66,317,516 89,404,193
2041 64,937,760 89,303,546
2040 63,497,378 89,187,952
2039 62,092,429 89,051,669
2038 60,767,134 88,901,719
2037 59,418,629 88,727,471
2036 58,079,976 88,537,927
2035 56,769,901 88,343,153
2034 55,469,080 88,139,515
2033 54,103,368 87,918,397
2032 52,759,572 87,687,495
2031 51,403,105 87,437,150
2030 50,049,673 87,166,904
2029 48,739,663 86,903,490
2028 47,504,926 86,627,469
2027 46,283,055 86,350,539
2026 45,047,977 86,093,293
2025 43,844,111 85,878,556
2024 42,647,492 85,518,661
2023 41,454,761 85,325,965
2022 40,578,842 84,979,913
2021 40,000,412 84,147,318
2020 39,068,979 83,384,680
2019 37,856,121 82,579,440
2018 36,743,039 81,407,204
2017 35,688,935 80,312,698
2016 34,700,612 79,277,962
2015 33,831,764 78,218,479
2014 32,792,523 77,181,884
2013 31,622,704 76,147,624
2012 30,560,034 75,175,827
2011 29,347,708 74,223,629
2010 28,284,089 73,142,150
2009 27,466,101 72,039,206
2008 26,482,622 71,051,678
2007 25,909,852 70,158,112
2006 25,424,094 70,045,349
2005 24,404,567 69,329,557
2004 23,560,654 68,592,617
2003 22,733,049 67,831,730
2002 21,378,117 67,048,795
2001 20,284,307 66,245,128
2000 20,130,327 65,425,961
1999 19,887,785 64,591,923
1998 19,159,996 63,734,383
1997 18,452,091 62,852,966
1996 17,763,266 61,951,134
1995 17,065,836 61,024,503
1994 16,250,794 60,033,836
1993 14,943,172 58,999,167
1992 13,278,974 57,990,118
1991 12,238,879 57,009,887
1990 12,045,660 56,015,628
1989 11,874,088 54,976,723
1988 11,523,298 53,909,626
1987 11,387,818 52,843,670
1986 11,420,074 51,777,772
1985 11,426,852 50,687,115
1984 11,190,221 49,574,069
1983 10,917,982 48,447,410
1982 10,991,378 47,322,096
1981 11,937,581 46,321,190
1980 13,169,311 45,408,815
1979 13,655,567 44,510,429
1978 13,611,441 43,645,306
1977 13,340,756 42,773,298
1976 13,059,851 41,899,984
1975 12,773,954 41,053,126
1974 12,469,127 40,210,234
1973 12,157,999 39,329,533
1972 11,853,696 38,430,221
1971 11,567,667 37,518,611
1970 11,290,128 36,638,465
1969 11,017,409 35,787,774
1968 10,756,922 34,921,684
1967 10,505,959 34,050,421
1966 10,266,395 33,177,672
1965 10,036,008 32,345,220
1964 9,814,318 31,543,072
1963 9,604,487 30,726,841
1962 9,404,406 29,916,147
1961 9,214,083 29,119,238
1960 9,035,043 28,329,898

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/turkey | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Afghanistan increased by 9,276,518 people (a 36.5% growth), while Turkey gained 9,232,613 people (a 13.2% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Afghanistan gained 10,981,776 people (a 31.6% growth), while Turkey's population increased by 6,947,468 people (a 8.76% growth).

Afghanistan was ranked 45th most populous country in 2006 and is 36th in 2026. Turkey was ranked 18th in 2006 and still ranked 18th 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 Turkey will increase by 3.85% to 89,541,520 people and rank change from 18th to 19th.

Afghanistan is projected to reach its peak in 2100 at 132M people compared to the peak of 89.7M people in 2047 for Turkey.

Population growth rate by year

Afghanistan
Factual

Projection
Turkey
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Afghanistan Turkey
2100 0.5% -1%
2099 0.51% -0.98%
2098 0.52% -0.98%
2097 0.51% -0.97%
2096 0.52% -0.96%
2095 0.56% -0.96%
2094 0.59% -0.97%
2093 0.59% -0.95%
2092 0.61% -0.95%
2091 0.7% -0.94%
2090 0.64% -0.93%
2089 0.66% -0.91%
2088 0.73% -0.89%
2087 0.63% -0.88%
2086 0.74% -0.87%
2085 0.83% -0.84%
2084 0.73% -0.83%
2083 0.75% -0.83%
2082 0.77% -0.8%
2081 0.91% -0.79%
2080 1.02% -0.77%
2079 0.88% -0.76%
2078 0.98% -0.74%
2077 0.97% -0.73%
2076 0.94% -0.71%
2075 1.06% -0.71%
2074 1.18% -0.67%
2073 1.14% -0.66%
2072 1.12% -0.64%
2071 1.28% -0.62%
2070 1.23% -0.6%
2069 1.31% -0.57%
2068 1.24% -0.55%
2067 1.28% -0.54%
2066 1.44% -0.53%
2065 1.46% -0.51%
2064 1.43% -0.48%
2063 1.46% -0.46%
2062 1.37% -0.43%
2061 1.45% -0.41%
2060 1.43% -0.39%
2059 1.55% -0.35%
2058 1.64% -0.33%
2057 1.68% -0.3%
2056 1.67% -0.26%
2055 1.69% -0.23%
2054 1.71% -0.2%
2053 1.72% -0.18%
2052 1.61% -0.14%
2051 1.7% -0.12%
2050 1.93% -0.08%
2049 1.86% -0.04%
2048 1.86% -0.009%
2047 1.98% 0.03%
2046 1.91% 0.03%
2045 1.92% 0.06%
2044 2.02% 0.07%
2043 1.96% 0.1%
2042 2.12% 0.11%
2041 2.27% 0.13%
2040 2.26% 0.15%
2039 2.18% 0.17%
2038 2.27% 0.2%
2037 2.3% 0.21%
2036 2.31% 0.22%
2035 2.35% 0.23%
2034 2.52% 0.25%
2033 2.55% 0.26%
2032 2.64% 0.29%
2031 2.7% 0.31%
2030 2.69% 0.3%
2029 2.6% 0.32%
2028 2.64% 0.32%
2027 2.74% 0.3%
2026 2.75% 0.25%
2025 2.81% 0.42%
2024 2.88% 0.23%
2023 2.16% 0.41%
2022 1.45% 0.99%
2021 2.38% 0.91%
2020 3.2% 0.98%
2019 3.03% 1.44%
2018 2.95% 1.36%
2017 2.85% 1.31%
2016 2.57% 1.35%
2015 3.17% 1.34%
2014 3.7% 1.36%
2013 3.48% 1.29%
2012 4.13% 1.28%
2011 3.76% 1.48%
2010 2.98% 1.53%
2009 3.71% 1.39%
2008 2.21% 1.27%
2007 1.91% 0.16%
2006 4.18% 1.03%
2005 3.58% 1.07%
2004 3.64% 1.12%
2003 6.34% 1.17%
2002 5.39% 1.21%
2001 0.76% 1.25%
2000 1.22% 1.29%
1999 3.8% 1.35%
1998 3.84% 1.4%
1997 3.88% 1.46%
1996 4.09% 1.52%
1995 5.02% 1.65%
1994 8.75% 1.75%
1993 12.5% 1.74%
1992 8.5% 1.72%
1991 1.6% 1.77%
1990 1.44% 1.89%
1989 3.04% 1.98%
1988 1.19% 2.02%
1987 -0.28% 2.06%
1986 -0.06% 2.15%
1985 2.11% 2.25%
1984 2.49% 2.33%
1983 -0.67% 2.38%
1982 -7.93% 2.16%
1981 -9.35% 2.01%
1980 -3.56% 2.02%
1979 0.32% 1.98%
1978 2.03% 2.04%
1977 2.15% 2.08%
1976 2.24% 2.06%
1975 2.44% 2.1%
1974 2.56% 2.24%
1973 2.57% 2.34%
1972 2.47% 2.43%
1971 2.46% 2.4%
1970 2.48% 2.38%
1969 2.42% 2.48%
1968 2.39% 2.56%
1967 2.33% 2.63%
1966 2.3% 2.57%
1965 2.26% 2.54%
1964 2.18% 2.66%
1963 2.13% 2.71%
1962 2.07% 2.74%
1961 1.98% 2.79%

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/turkey | CC BY

In 2025, the population of Afghanistan grew by 2.81%, while Turkey's population grew by 0.42%.

Live population counters

Afghanistan Turkey
Current population
45682388
86225430
Population rank 36/197 18/197
Percent of world population 0.55% 1.04%
One net population change
26.4 seconds
1.46 minutes
One birth every
21.1 seconds
33.5 seconds
One death every
2.16 minutes
1.08 minutes
Daily growth/decline +3,278 +986
Annual growth/decline +1,196,619 +359,895
Annual growth/decline rate +2.81% +0.42%
Population growth rate rank 20/197 138/197
One migration net change every
7.08 minutes
2.04 minutes
Annual migration change -74,404 -258,205
Net migration rank 179/196 188/196
Foreign-born residents 98,110 7,083,501
Foreign-born residents rank 131/195 11/195
Foreign-born share of population 0.2% 8.1%
Foreign-born share rank 186/195 75/195

Natural population change vs migration

Afghanistan
Natural

Migration
Turkey
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Afghanistan Turkey
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -74,404 - -258,205
2024 1,249,785 -44,089 453,249 -275,952
2023 1,228,719 -48,958 426,630 -318,070
2022 1,219,475 -647,402 535,373 -301,544
2021 1,133,611 -548,784 521,713 20,283
2020 1,134,407 143,634 608,708 37,934
2019 1,138,485 9,159 751,472 -15,690
2018 1,115,262 -36,753 830,353 187,570
2017 1,101,218 -71,491 875,408 659,846
2016 1,090,016 -143,049 895,841 352,063
2015 1,077,068 -286,314 930,799 1,063,140
2014 1,053,788 233,913 957,055 1,033,384
2013 1,033,778 18,119 921,386 438,618
2012 1,004,814 68,628 917,145 258,623
2011 966,743 384,486 875,839 68,849
2010 943,473 -167,460 892,334 55,532
2009 920,581 -60,602 900,491 24,276
2008 891,246 215,753 868,749 47,915
2007 889,848 -851,298 876,626 -186,402
2006 875,301 57,673 897,351 -190,194
2005 855,112 250,971 898,650 -174,177
2004 850,940 -269,194 896,025 -146,574
2003 826,165 247,317 893,683 -121,383
2002 776,048 860,349 922,927 -129,444
2001 764,090 -212,872 980,560 -166,759
2000 782,727 -1,025,973 1,020,515 -195,996
1999 760,727 -32,400 1,063,312 -219,778
1998 719,860 7,380 1,103,242 -231,744
1997 709,778 -21,215 1,099,738 -208,465
1996 685,005 4,072 1,091,827 -179,423
1995 653,280 52,505 1,090,630 -149,737
1994 609,096 315,206 1,078,208 -37,762
1993 541,257 1,149,684 1,064,168 -35,245
1992 440,132 1,197,329 1,039,125 -49,923
1991 409,954 32,782 1,041,229 -69,982
1990 402,433 -458,737 1,044,467 -27,193
1989 381,158 18,296 1,094,036 -33,519
1988 358,397 -56,263 1,101,266 -27,659
1987 314,361 -345,535 1,099,042 -40,772
1986 310,066 -343,397 1,102,660 -29,134
1985 228,469 -208,685 1,098,846 8,960
1984 205,262 248,224 1,096,529 21,787
1983 263,778 -172,797 1,095,106 39,871
1982 263,210 -500,998 1,091,863 23,728
1981 343,468 -1,998,086 1,100,082 -213,889
1980 365,396 -1,174,239 1,090,538 -151,969
1979 361,750 -525,413 1,076,707 -218,509
1978 369,101 -117,186 1,054,863 -182,818
1977 372,567 -83,115 1,023,779 -151,825
1976 357,775 -85,430 1,009,999 -135,377
1975 343,850 -44,418 1,012,904 -193,829
1974 330,232 -20,009 1,020,053 -153,311
1973 315,062 -3,030 1,025,675 -130,985
1972 300,633 -4,050 1,023,781 -119,850
1971 288,267 -12,801 1,014,165 -94,891
1970 275,129 4,458 991,950 -150,924
1969 263,823 2,029 970,958 -110,578
1968 251,798 3,333 950,778 -78,973
1967 239,967 6,824 936,727 -65,993
1966 228,786 3,563 925,790 -50,999
1965 217,741 10,695 904,016 -113,911
1964 207,867 7,079 884,152 -69,978
1963 198,035 6,681 862,626 -44,317
1962 188,427 7,016 837,473 -34,353
1961 179,094 6,109 816,911 -26,187
1960 170,257 2,606 773,009 14,948

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

GeoRank.org/population/afghanistan/turkey | 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 Turkey 82.9% is from natural causes (a gain of 6,829,546 people) and 17.1% is from migration (a gain of 1,409,580 people).

As of 2024, 98,110 residents or 0.2% of the population were not native-born in Afghanistan, compared to 7,083,501 people or 8.1% in Turkey.

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
Turkey
City Population
Istanbul 15.7M
Ankara 5.8M
Izmir 4.49M
Bursa 2.9M
Antalya 2.43M
Konya 2.23M
Urfa 1.99M
Kocaeli 1.85M
Adana 1.77M
Diyarbakir 1.73M

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/turkey | 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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