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Population in Afghanistan compared to the United Kingdom: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of Afghanistan was 42,647,492 in 2024 vs 69,226,000 people in the United Kingdom in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Afghanistan's population is 45,409,324 people compared to 70,154,914 in the United Kingdom.

Population statistics:

  • The United Kingdom's population is 1.54 times bigger than Afghanistan's.
  • Afghanistan is ranked the 36th most populous country in the world, while the United Kingdom is the 22nd.
  • The countries together account for 1.39% of the world: 0.55% for Afghanistan vs 0.85% for the United Kingdom.
  • For the last 10 years, Afghanistan has had an average growth rate of +2.76% per year vs +0.7% in the United Kingdom.
  • Since 2006, the population of Afghanistan has increased from 25.4M people to 45.4M (78.6% growth), while the United Kingdom has grown from 60.8M to 70.2M (15.3% growth).

Afghanistan vs United Kingdom: population by year and forecast

Afghanistan
Factual

Projection
United Kingdom
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Afghanistan United Kingdom
2100 131,803,615 74,700,585
2099 131,145,502 74,831,175
2098 130,482,225 74,950,267
2097 129,808,066 75,064,397
2096 129,147,895 75,176,691
2095 128,473,977 75,287,063
2094 127,761,785 75,383,856
2093 127,018,448 75,482,205
2092 126,270,202 75,575,769
2091 125,508,788 75,666,091
2090 124,636,092 75,753,129
2089 123,843,293 75,835,723
2088 123,034,495 75,907,614
2087 122,147,758 75,978,712
2086 121,381,088 76,046,742
2085 120,486,343 76,105,680
2084 119,491,780 76,156,223
2083 118,631,246 76,205,894
2082 117,742,446 76,246,844
2081 116,842,143 76,274,040
2080 115,793,841 76,306,205
2079 114,630,140 76,334,949
2078 113,624,958 76,353,484
2077 112,523,374 76,371,123
2076 111,442,221 76,373,520
2075 110,399,328 76,386,071
2074 109,236,338 76,397,426
2073 107,960,305 76,406,554
2072 106,746,984 76,398,941
2071 105,568,382 76,388,223
2070 104,230,485 76,378,505
2069 102,964,062 76,371,827
2068 101,629,164 76,370,973
2067 100,380,826 76,363,548
2066 99,116,663 76,356,638
2065 97,714,113 76,355,841
2064 96,306,602 76,352,770
2063 94,949,108 76,353,175
2062 93,579,065 76,346,535
2061 92,316,077 76,344,206
2060 91,000,643 76,344,725
2059 89,717,353 76,345,215
2058 88,346,732 76,326,961
2057 86,917,997 76,307,006
2056 85,480,219 76,274,247
2055 84,074,268 76,235,304
2054 82,676,432 76,167,710
2053 81,285,014 76,094,051
2052 79,908,081 76,001,979
2051 78,643,202 75,895,690
2050 77,331,830 75,777,445
2049 75,864,863 75,646,044
2048 74,479,782 75,499,380
2047 73,119,204 75,338,951
2046 71,697,214 75,171,300
2045 70,353,118 74,993,186
2044 69,024,959 74,807,530
2043 67,657,423 74,607,485
2042 66,357,363 74,407,783
2041 64,976,778 74,203,292
2040 63,535,531 73,994,525
2039 62,129,737 73,782,112
2038 60,803,646 73,559,085
2037 59,454,331 73,335,723
2036 58,114,874 73,101,646
2035 56,804,011 72,850,722
2034 55,502,408 72,597,177
2033 54,135,876 72,322,802
2032 52,791,273 72,046,316
2031 51,433,991 71,757,868
2030 50,079,746 71,442,811
2029 48,768,949 71,123,782
2028 47,533,470 70,783,199
2027 46,310,865 70,421,923
2026 45,075,045 70,055,911
2025 43,870,455 69,658,188
2024 42,647,492 69,226,000
2023 41,454,761 68,492,000
2022 40,578,842 67,604,000
2021 40,000,412 66,984,000
2020 39,068,979 66,744,000
2019 37,856,121 66,631,000
2018 36,743,039 66,289,000
2017 35,688,935 65,966,000
2016 34,700,612 65,607,000
2015 33,831,764 65,088,000
2014 32,792,523 64,620,000
2013 31,622,704 64,139,000
2012 30,560,034 63,711,000
2011 29,347,708 63,258,810
2010 28,284,089 62,766,365
2009 27,466,101 62,276,270
2008 26,482,622 61,806,995
2007 25,909,852 61,322,463
2006 25,424,094 60,846,820
2005 24,404,567 60,401,206
2004 23,560,654 59,987,905
2003 22,733,049 59,647,577
2002 21,378,117 59,370,479
2001 20,284,307 59,119,673
2000 20,130,327 58,892,514
1999 19,887,785 58,682,466
1998 19,159,996 58,487,141
1997 18,452,091 58,316,954
1996 17,763,266 58,166,950
1995 17,065,836 58,019,030
1994 16,250,794 57,865,745
1993 14,943,172 57,718,614
1992 13,278,974 57,580,402
1991 12,238,879 57,424,897
1990 12,045,660 57,247,586
1989 11,874,088 57,076,711
1988 11,523,298 56,928,327
1987 11,387,818 56,802,050
1986 11,420,074 56,681,396
1985 11,426,852 56,550,268
1984 11,190,221 56,422,072
1983 10,917,982 56,332,848
1982 10,991,378 56,313,641
1981 11,937,581 56,333,829
1980 13,169,311 56,314,216
1979 13,655,567 56,246,951
1978 13,611,441 56,196,504
1977 13,340,756 56,193,492
1976 13,059,851 56,211,968
1975 12,773,954 56,225,800
1974 12,469,127 56,229,974
1973 12,157,999 56,194,527
1972 11,853,696 56,086,065
1971 11,567,667 55,896,223
1970 11,290,128 55,663,250
1969 11,017,409 55,441,750
1968 10,756,922 55,211,700
1967 10,505,959 54,943,600
1966 10,266,395 54,648,500
1965 10,036,008 54,348,050
1964 9,814,318 54,000,000
1963 9,604,487 53,650,000
1962 9,404,406 53,250,000
1961 9,214,083 52,800,000
1960 9,035,043 52,400,000

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/united-kingdom | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Afghanistan increased by 9,276,518 people (a 36.5% growth), while the United Kingdom gained 4,760,180 people (a 7.82% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Afghanistan gained 10,708,712 people (a 30.9% growth), while the United Kingdom's population increased by 4,547,914 people (a 6.93% growth).

Afghanistan was ranked 45th most populous country in 2006 and is 36th in 2026. The United Kingdom was ranked 21st in 2006 and ranked 22nd 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 the United Kingdom will increase by 8.01% to 75,777,445 people and rank change from 22nd to 26th.

Afghanistan is projected to reach its peak in 2100 at 132M people compared to the peak of 76.4M people in 2073 for the United Kingdom.

Population growth rate by year

Afghanistan
Factual

Projection
United Kingdom
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Afghanistan United Kingdom
2100 0.5% -0.17%
2099 0.51% -0.16%
2098 0.52% -0.15%
2097 0.51% -0.15%
2096 0.52% -0.15%
2095 0.56% -0.13%
2094 0.59% -0.13%
2093 0.59% -0.12%
2092 0.61% -0.12%
2091 0.7% -0.11%
2090 0.64% -0.11%
2089 0.66% -0.09%
2088 0.73% -0.09%
2087 0.63% -0.09%
2086 0.74% -0.08%
2085 0.83% -0.07%
2084 0.73% -0.07%
2083 0.75% -0.05%
2082 0.77% -0.04%
2081 0.91% -0.04%
2080 1.02% -0.04%
2079 0.88% -0.02%
2078 0.98% -0.02%
2077 0.97% -0.003%
2076 0.94% -0.02%
2075 1.06% -0.01%
2074 1.18% -0.01%
2073 1.14% 0.01%
2072 1.12% 0.01%
2071 1.28% 0.01%
2070 1.23% 0.009%
2069 1.31% 0.001%
2068 1.24% 0.01%
2067 1.28% 0.009%
2066 1.44% 0.001%
2065 1.46% 0.004%
2064 1.43% -0%
2063 1.46% 0.009%
2062 1.37% 0.003%
2061 1.45% -0.001%
2060 1.43% -0.001%
2059 1.55% 0.02%
2058 1.64% 0.03%
2057 1.68% 0.04%
2056 1.67% 0.05%
2055 1.69% 0.09%
2054 1.71% 0.1%
2053 1.72% 0.12%
2052 1.61% 0.14%
2051 1.7% 0.16%
2050 1.93% 0.17%
2049 1.86% 0.19%
2048 1.86% 0.21%
2047 1.98% 0.22%
2046 1.91% 0.24%
2045 1.92% 0.25%
2044 2.02% 0.27%
2043 1.96% 0.27%
2042 2.12% 0.28%
2041 2.27% 0.28%
2040 2.26% 0.29%
2039 2.18% 0.3%
2038 2.27% 0.3%
2037 2.3% 0.32%
2036 2.31% 0.34%
2035 2.35% 0.35%
2034 2.52% 0.38%
2033 2.55% 0.38%
2032 2.64% 0.4%
2031 2.7% 0.44%
2030 2.69% 0.45%
2029 2.6% 0.48%
2028 2.64% 0.51%
2027 2.74% 0.52%
2026 2.75% 0.57%
2025 2.87% 0.62%
2024 2.88% 1.07%
2023 2.16% 1.31%
2022 1.45% 0.93%
2021 2.38% 0.36%
2020 3.2% 0.17%
2019 3.03% 0.52%
2018 2.95% 0.49%
2017 2.85% 0.55%
2016 2.57% 0.8%
2015 3.17% 0.72%
2014 3.7% 0.75%
2013 3.48% 0.67%
2012 4.13% 0.71%
2011 3.76% 0.78%
2010 2.98% 0.79%
2009 3.71% 0.76%
2008 2.21% 0.79%
2007 1.91% 0.78%
2006 4.18% 0.74%
2005 3.58% 0.69%
2004 3.64% 0.57%
2003 6.34% 0.47%
2002 5.39% 0.42%
2001 0.76% 0.39%
2000 1.22% 0.36%
1999 3.8% 0.33%
1998 3.84% 0.29%
1997 3.88% 0.26%
1996 4.09% 0.25%
1995 5.02% 0.26%
1994 8.75% 0.25%
1993 12.5% 0.24%
1992 8.5% 0.27%
1991 1.6% 0.31%
1990 1.44% 0.3%
1989 3.04% 0.26%
1988 1.19% 0.22%
1987 -0.28% 0.21%
1986 -0.06% 0.23%
1985 2.11% 0.23%
1984 2.49% 0.16%
1983 -0.67% 0.03%
1982 -7.93% -0.04%
1981 -9.35% 0.03%
1980 -3.56% 0.12%
1979 0.32% 0.09%
1978 2.03% 0.005%
1977 2.15% -0.03%
1976 2.24% -0.02%
1975 2.44% -0.007%
1974 2.56% 0.06%
1973 2.57% 0.19%
1972 2.47% 0.34%
1971 2.46% 0.42%
1970 2.48% 0.4%
1969 2.42% 0.42%
1968 2.39% 0.49%
1967 2.33% 0.54%
1966 2.3% 0.55%
1965 2.26% 0.64%
1964 2.18% 0.65%
1963 2.13% 0.75%
1962 2.07% 0.85%
1961 1.98% 0.76%

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/united-kingdom | CC BY

In 2024, the population of Afghanistan grew by 2.88%, while the United Kingdom's population grew by 1.07%.

Live population counters

Afghanistan United Kingdom
Current population
45409324
70154914
Population rank 36/197 22/197
Percent of world population 0.55% 0.85%
One net population change
26.4 seconds
43 seconds
One birth every
21.5 seconds
45.9 seconds
One death every
2.19 minutes
48.4 seconds
Daily growth/decline +3,268 +2,011
Annual growth/decline +1,192,731 +734,000
Annual growth/decline rate +2.88% +1.07%
Population growth rate rank 20/197 97/197
One migration net change every
7.08 minutes
1.35 minutes
Annual migration change -74,404 +389,911
Net migration rank 179/196 4/196
Foreign-born residents 98,110 11,845,479
Foreign-born residents rank 131/195 4/195
Foreign-born share of population 0.2% 17.1%
Foreign-born share rank 186/195 36/195

Natural population change vs migration

Afghanistan
Natural

Migration
United Kingdom
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Afghanistan United Kingdom
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -74,404 - 389,911
2024 - -44,089 - 417,114
2023 1,228,719 -48,958 34,589 445,523
2022 1,219,475 -647,402 39,751 487,029
2021 1,133,611 -548,784 30,612 462,967
2020 1,134,407 143,634 -4,272 144,221
2019 1,138,485 9,159 108,342 232,727
2018 1,115,262 -36,753 119,321 259,744
2017 1,101,218 -71,491 145,125 272,311
2016 1,090,016 -143,049 177,139 324,649
2015 1,077,068 -286,314 175,738 347,839
2014 1,053,788 233,913 206,784 306,091
2013 1,033,778 18,119 198,830 237,272
2012 1,004,814 68,628 248,473 172,088
2011 966,743 384,486 259,361 228,773
2010 943,473 -167,460 251,066 274,811
2009 920,581 -60,602 230,422 249,639
2008 891,246 215,753 216,325 263,390
2007 889,848 -851,298 196,232 309,385
2006 875,301 57,673 176,455 288,923
2005 855,112 250,971 144,963 308,279
2004 850,940 -269,194 131,974 276,077
2003 826,165 247,317 89,471 211,846
2002 776,048 860,349 65,308 203,577
2001 764,090 -212,872 65,032 175,133
2000 782,727 -1,025,973 70,671 153,917
1999 760,727 -32,400 64,551 152,653
1998 719,860 7,380 87,730 125,541
1997 709,778 -21,215 99,138 59,723
1996 685,005 4,072 98,884 54,964
1995 653,280 52,505 87,028 61,385
1994 609,096 315,206 127,304 45,339
1993 541,257 1,149,684 103,893 27,403
1992 440,132 1,197,329 149,709 17,846
1991 409,954 32,782 143,562 27,601
1990 402,433 -458,737 154,569 57,132
1989 381,158 18,296 119,861 49,586
1988 358,397 -56,263 136,628 13,952
1987 314,361 -345,535 136,325 8,266
1986 310,066 -343,397 90,690 41,836
1985 228,469 -208,685 79,170 83,164
1984 205,262 248,224 84,633 71,107
1983 263,778 -172,797 61,966 27,063
1982 263,210 -500,998 56,314 -61,152
1981 343,468 -1,998,086 73,234 -83,876
1980 365,396 -1,174,239 95,734 -25,187
1979 361,750 -525,413 61,872 11,255
1978 369,101 -117,186 16,859 3,783
1977 372,567 -83,115 0 -21,636
1976 357,775 -85,430 -5,621 -19,135
1975 343,850 -44,418 33,735 -40,241
1974 330,232 -20,009 67,476 -65,710
1973 315,062 -3,030 112,389 -33,840
1972 300,633 -4,050 162,650 -1,406
1971 288,267 -12,801 257,123 1,175
1970 275,129 4,458 244,918 -15,254
1969 263,823 2,029 260,577 -60,655
1968 251,798 3,333 292,622 -38,852
1967 239,967 6,824 346,145 -39,659
1966 228,786 3,563 333,356 -27,935
1965 217,741 10,695 364,132 -24,955
1964 207,867 7,079 405,000 -23,885
1963 198,035 6,681 337,995 8,271
1962 188,427 7,016 340,800 76,443
1961 179,094 6,109 311,519 52,295
1960 170,257 2,606 314,400 19,953

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

GeoRank.org/population/afghanistan/united-kingdom | 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 the United Kingdom 23.9% is from natural causes (a gain of 1,033,129 people) and 76.1% is from migration (a gain of 3,283,101 people).

As of 2024, 98,110 residents or 0.2% of the population were not native-born in Afghanistan, compared to 11,845,479 people or 17.1% in the United Kingdom.

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
United Kingdom
City Population
London 8.8M
Birmingham 1.14M
Glasgow 626K
Manchester 548K
Leeds 536K
Sheffield 518K
Liverpool 513K
Edinburgh 488K
Bristol 472K
Cardiff 384K

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/united-kingdom | CC BY

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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. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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