Rank #1 by World Population

🇦🇫Afghanistan

Afghanistan has a population of 41,454,761, ranking #1 in the world. The capital is Kabul. Located in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan.

World Bank: Low income

41,454,761

Population

World Rank

66.0

Life Expectancy

$414

GDP Per Capita

Afghanistan, #1 by world population

Afghanistan Population History (1960-2024)

The country of Afghanistan had a population of 9,035,043 in 1960 and 42,647,492 in 2024, a 4.7× growth over 64 years. The peak was 42,647,492 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 2.50%.

Afghanistan population, 1960–2024 · Source: U.S. Census Bureau — decennial census & Population Estimates

42,647,492

Population (2024)

9,035,043

Population (1960)

42,647,492

Peak (2024)

2.50%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
1960	9,035,043	-	-	estimate
1961	9,214,083	+179,040	+1.98%	estimate
1962	9,404,406	+190,323	+2.07%	estimate
1963	9,604,487	+200,081	+2.13%	estimate
1964	9,814,318	+209,831	+2.18%	estimate
1965	10,036,008	+221,690	+2.26%	estimate
1966	10,266,395	+230,387	+2.30%	estimate
1967	10,505,959	+239,564	+2.33%	estimate
1968	10,756,922	+250,963	+2.39%	estimate
1969	11,017,409	+260,487	+2.42%	estimate
1970	11,290,128	+272,719	+2.48%	estimate
1971	11,567,667	+277,539	+2.46%	estimate
1972	11,853,696	+286,029	+2.47%	estimate
1973	12,157,999	+304,303	+2.57%	estimate
1974	12,469,127	+311,128	+2.56%	estimate
1975	12,773,954	+304,827	+2.44%	estimate
1976	13,059,851	+285,897	+2.24%	estimate
1977	13,340,756	+280,905	+2.15%	estimate
1978	13,611,441	+270,685	+2.03%	estimate
1979	13,655,567	+44,126	+0.32%	estimate
1980	13,169,311	-486,256	-3.56%	estimate
1981	11,937,581	-1,231,730	-9.35%	estimate
1982	10,991,378	-946,203	-7.93%	estimate
1983	10,917,982	-73,396	-0.67%	estimate
1984	11,190,221	+272,239	+2.49%	estimate
1985	11,426,852	+236,631	+2.11%	estimate
1986	11,420,074	-6,778	-0.06%	estimate
1987	11,387,818	-32,256	-0.28%	estimate
1988	11,523,298	+135,480	+1.19%	estimate
1989	11,874,088	+350,790	+3.04%	estimate
1990	12,045,660	+171,572	+1.44%	estimate
1991	12,238,879	+193,219	+1.60%	estimate
1992	13,278,974	+1,040,095	+8.50%	estimate
1993	14,943,172	+1,664,198	+12.53%	estimate
1994	16,250,794	+1,307,622	+8.75%	estimate
1995	17,065,836	+815,042	+5.02%	estimate
1996	17,763,266	+697,430	+4.09%	estimate
1997	18,452,091	+688,825	+3.88%	estimate
1998	19,159,996	+707,905	+3.84%	estimate
1999	19,887,785	+727,789	+3.80%	estimate
2000	20,130,327	+242,542	+1.22%	estimate
2001	20,284,307	+153,980	+0.76%	estimate
2002	21,378,117	+1,093,810	+5.39%	estimate
2003	22,733,049	+1,354,932	+6.34%	estimate
2004	23,560,654	+827,605	+3.64%	estimate
2005	24,404,567	+843,913	+3.58%	estimate
2006	25,424,094	+1,019,527	+4.18%	estimate
2007	25,909,852	+485,758	+1.91%	estimate
2008	26,482,622	+572,770	+2.21%	estimate
2009	27,466,101	+983,479	+3.71%	estimate
2010	28,284,089	+817,988	+2.98%	estimate
2011	29,347,708	+1,063,619	+3.76%	estimate
2012	30,560,034	+1,212,326	+4.13%	estimate
2013	31,622,704	+1,062,670	+3.48%	estimate
2014	32,792,523	+1,169,819	+3.70%	estimate
2015	33,831,764	+1,039,241	+3.17%	estimate
2016	34,700,612	+868,848	+2.57%	estimate
2017	35,688,935	+988,323	+2.85%	estimate
2018	36,743,039	+1,054,104	+2.95%	estimate
2019	37,856,121	+1,113,082	+3.03%	estimate
2020	39,068,979	+1,212,858	+3.20%	estimate
2021	40,000,412	+931,433	+2.38%	estimate
2022	40,578,842	+578,430	+1.45%	estimate
2023	41,454,761	+875,919	+2.16%	estimate
2024	42,647,492	+1,192,731	+2.88%	estimate

Demographics

Population	41,454,761
Population Growth Rate	2.14%
Urban Population	25.5%
Fertility Rate	4.84 births/woman
Life Expectancy	66.0 years
Infant Mortality Rate	49.9 per 1,000
Literacy Rate	37.3%

Economy & Trade

$414

GDP Per Capita

14.0%

Unemployment Rate

Low income

Income Level

67.6%

Trade (% of GDP)

Health & Education

15.0%

Health Expenditure (% GDP)

0.32

Physicians per 1,000

37.3%

Literacy Rate

49.9

Infant Mortality (per 1,000)

Development & Connectivity

85.3%

Electricity Access

15.9%

Internet Users

Mobile Subs per 100

63.6

People per km2

-48,958

Net Migration

Environment

1.9%

Forest Area

Other Countries in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan

Algeria Bahrain Djibouti Egypt, Arab Rep.Iran, Islamic Rep.

Compare Afghanistan

vs Albania vs Algeria vs American Samoa vs Andorra

Afghanistan in global context

Afghanistan is one of 212 countries tracked. See how it ranks globally, regional shares of world population, and projections to 2050 / 2100.

World Population 2026: Top 10 Countries, Regions & Trends →

Other related entities

Algeria (46,164,219)Bahrain (1,577,059)Djibouti (1,152,944)Egypt, Arab Rep. (114,535,772)Iran, Islamic Rep. (90,608,707)All countries →

Country rankings

Populated Countries in the World Countries With Highest GDP Per Capita Countries With Highest Life Expectancy Countries With Highest Fertility Rates Countries With Highest Literacy Rates Urbanized Countries in the World Fastest Growing Countries by Population Countries With Highest Infant Mortality Countries With Highest Income Inequality Countries With Most International Tourism All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Afghanistan has a population of 41,454,761, ranking #1 in the world. The annual population growth rate is 2.14%.

Life expectancy in Afghanistan is 66.0 years. The infant mortality rate is 49.9 per 1,000 live births.

Afghanistan's GDP per capita is $414. It is classified as a low income country by the World Bank.

25.5% of Afghanistan's population lives in urban areas. The overall population density is 63.6 people per square kilometer.

The adult literacy rate in Afghanistan is 37.3%.

Sources: World Bank Open Data

International data from the World Bank Open Data API. Population figures are latest available estimates. GDP per capita in current US dollars.

With 41,454,761 residents, Afghanistan is a country in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan. The population is expanding fast — roughly 2.1% annually.

Afghanistan is a lower-income economy, with GDP per capita of about $414. Life expectancy is 66.0 years, below the global average, with a fertility rate of 4.8 births per woman, and 25.5% of the population lives in urban areas.

Source: World Bank Open Data, 2026.