Demographics of Afghanistan

As of 2025, Afghanistan has an estimated population of around 49.5 million people. The country is characterized by a highly diverse, multi-ethnic, and multilingual society, reflecting its historical position at the crossroads of Central, South, and Western Asia, along ancient trade and invasion routes. The four major ethnic categories in the country are Pashtun, Tajik/Farsiwan, Hazara, and Uzbek. In addition, Afghanistan has a plethora of minor ethnic categories, including Turkmen, Baloch, Aimaq, Nuristani, Arab and many others. Together they make up the contemporary Afghan people.
Approximately 43% of the population was under the age of 15, and about 74% of Afghans lived in rural areas as of 2016. The country has one of the highest fertility rates in the world outside of Africa, with the average woman giving birth to five children over her lifetime. Around 6.8% of infants die during childbirth or early infancy. According to the World Health Organization, the nation's average life expectancy was estimated at about 63 years as of 2019. The prevalence of HIV remains very low, affecting only about 0.04% of the population.
Pashto and Dari are the official languages of Afghanistan. Dari serves as the inter-ethnic lingua franca across most of the country, particularly in northern and eastern provinces as well as in most major cities. Pashto is predominantly spoken in regions south of the Hindu Kush mountains and extends eastward toward the Indus River in neighbouring Pakistan. Smaller languages such as Uzbek and Turkmen are spoken in parts of northern Afghanistan. Multilingualism is widespread, particularly in the major urban centres.
Up to 89.7% of the population adheres to Sunni Islam and follows the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence, while between 10% and 15% are followers of Shia Islam, with the majority belonging to the Twelver branch, and smaller communities adhering to Ismaili traditions. The remaining 0.3% of the population practices other religions, including Sikhism and Hinduism. Outside the principal urban centres, much of the population is organized into tribal or other kinship-based groups that maintain their own traditional customs.

Population size and distribution

Anatol Lieven of Georgetown University in Qatar wrote in 2021 that "it may be noted that in the whole of modern Afghan history there has never been a census that could be regarded as remotely reliable."

Historical

The first and only nationwide census of Afghanistan was carried out in 1979. It revealed a population of 13,051,358. Previously there had been scattered attempts to conduct censuses in individual cities. According to the 1876 census, Kabul had a population of 140,700 people. In Kandahar in 1891 a population census was carried out, according to which 31,514 people lived in the city, of which 16,064 were men and 15,450 were women.
From 1979 until the end of 1983, some 5 million people left the country to take shelter in neighbouring northwestern Pakistan and eastern Iran. This exodus was largely unchecked by any government. The Afghan government in 1983 reported a population of 15.96 million, which presumably included the exodus.
It is assumed that roughly 600,000 to as high as 2 million Afghans may have been killed during the various 1979–2001 wars. These figures are questionable and no attempt has ever been made to verify if they were actually killed or had moved to neighbouring countries as refugees.
As no census has been performed after 1979 and millions of people may have left the country, the current population of Afghanistan can only be guessed.

Current and latest

As of 2021, the total population of Afghanistan is around 37.5 million, which includes the 3 million Afghan nationals living in both Pakistan and Iran. About 26% of the population is urbanite and the remaining 74% lives in rural areas.
Afghanistan's Central Statistics Organization stated in 2011 that the total number of Afghans living inside Afghanistan was about 26 million and by 2017 it reached 29.2 million. Of this, 15 million are males and 14.2 million are females. The country's population is expected to reach 82 million by 2050.
Urban areas have experienced rapid population growth in the last decade, which is due to the return of over 5 million expats. The only city in Afghanistan with over a million residents is its capital, Kabul.

Structure of the population

Structure of the population :
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group :

Age group	Male	Female	Total	%
Total	13,044,400	12,455,700	25,500,100	100
0–4	2,422,244	2,556,304	4,978,548	19.52
5–9	1,941,363	1,880,407	3,821,770	14.99
10–14	1,556,158	1,401,695	2,957,853	11.60
15–19	1,276,563	1,140,810	2,417,373	9.48
20–24	1,059,939	1,009,807	2,069,746	8.12
25–29	843 967	864 738	1,708,705	6.70
30–34	678 577	745 534	1,424,111	5.58
35–39	598 045	652 326	1,250,371	4.90
40–44	546 102	533 524	1,079,626	4.23
45–49	495 190	440 789	935 979	3.67
50–54	435 143	354 633	789 776	3.10
55–59	360 394	275 468	635 862	2.49
60–64	281 627	209 152	490 779	1.92
65–69	204 376	150 137	354 513	1.39
70–74	141 729	102 048	243 777	0.96
75–79	91 164	64 658	155 822	0.61
80–84	55 446	38 699	94 145	0.37
85+	56 373	34 971	91 344	0.36
Age group	Male	Female	Total	Percent
0–14	5,919,765	5,838,406	11,758,171	46.11
15–64	6,575,547	6,226,781	12,802,328	50.21
65+	549 088	390 513	939 601	3.68

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group :

Age group	Male	Female	Total	%
Total	15,981,303	15,408,868	31,390,171	100
0–4	2,853,288	2,743,103	5,596,391	17.83
5–9	2,542,405	2,379,618	4,922,023	15.68
10–14	2,220,065	2,026,796	4,246,861	13.53
15–19	1,840,432	1,727,287	3,567,719	11.37
20–24	1,371,188	1,463,797	2,834,985	9.03
25–29	1,079,117	1,177,555	2,256,672	7.19
30–34	828 055	818 313	1,646,368	5.24
35–39	674 920	661 949	1,336,869	4.26
40–44	577 135	611 016	1,188,151	3.79
45–49	480 700	511 608	992 308	3.16
50–54	381 772	396 026	777 798	2.48
55–59	320 024	308 966	628 990	2.00
60–64	286 732	229 605	516 337	1.64
65–69	222 590	161 851	384 441	1.22
70–74	150 436	99 412	249 848	0.80
75–79	70 271	42 288	112 559	0.36
80–84	48 540	26 549	75 089	0.24
85+	33 633	23 129	56 762	0.18
Age group	Male	Female	Total	Percent
0–14	7,615,758	7,149,517	14,765,275	47.04
15–64	7,840,075	7,906,122	15,746,197	50.16
65+	525 470	353 229	878 699	2.80

Vital statistics

Vital statistics since 1950 (UN estimates)

	Population	Live births	Deaths	Natural change	Crude birth rate	Crude death rate	Natural Change	Crude Migration rate	Total fertility rate	Life expectancy	Infant mortality rate
1950	7,480,464	365,303	283,668	+1.09%	48.9	37.9	10.9		7.25	27.73	285.8
1951	7,571,542	372,040	282,577	+1.18%	49.1	37.3	11.8	0.2	7.26	27.96	283.6
1952	7,667,534	378,290	280,803	+1.27%	49.3	36.6	12.7	−0.2	7.26	28.45	278.8
1953	7,764,549	384,933	279,684	+1.35%	49.5	36.0	13.5	−1.0	7.27	28.93	273.9
1954	7,864,289	390,412	280,476	+1.40%	49.6	35.6	14.0	−1.3	7.25	29.23	269.4
1955	7,971,933	397,156	277,695	+1.50%	49.8	34.8	15.0	−1.5	7.26	29.92	264.1
1956	8,087,730	404,134	277,328	+1.57%	49.9	34.3	15.7	−1.4	7.27	30.41	259.3
1957	8,210,207	410,977	276,560	+1.64%	50.0	33.7	16.4	−1.5	7.26	30.95	254.4
1958	8,333,827	418,266	275,681	+1.71%	50.1	33.0	17.1	−2.3	7.27	31.51	249.5
1959	8,468,220	425,334	274,920	+1.78%	50.2	32.5	17.8	−1.9	7.28	32.04	244.9
1960	8,622,473	434,057	275,239	+1.84%	50.3	31.9	18.4	−0.5	7.28	32.54	240.5
1961	8,790,140	443,319	275,508	+1.91%	50.4	31.3	19.1	0	7.28	33.07	236.2
1962	8,969,055	453,468	276,593	+1.97%	50.6	30.8	19.7	0.2	7.29	33.55	232.2
1963	9,157,463	464,225	277,961	+2.03%	50.7	30.4	20.3	0.3	7.30	34.02	228.2
1964	9,355,510	475,452	279,368	+2.10%	50.8	29.9	21.0	0.2	7.30	34.49	224.3
1965	9,565,154	486,406	281,003	+2.15%	50.9	29.4	21.5	0.4	7.31	34.95	220.6
1966	9,783,153	498,801	282,463	+2.21%	51.0	28.9	22.1	0.2	7.32	35.45	216.6
1967	10,010,037	511,245	284,203	+2.27%	51.1	28.4	22.7	0.0	7.34	35.92	212.9
1968	10,247,782	524,167	285,867	+2.33%	51.1	27.9	23.3	−0.1	7.36	36.42	209.1
1969	10,494,491	537,318	287,557	+2.38%	51.2	27.4	23.8	−0.3	7.39	36.91	205.3
1970	10,752,973	549,695	288,979	+2.42%	51.1	26.9	24.2	−0.2	7.40	37.42	201.5
1971	11,015,853	564,040	290,646	+2.48%	51.2	26.4	24.8	−0.9	7.43	37.92	197.7
1972	11,286,753	577,071	291,819	+2.53%	51.1	25.8	25.3	−1.3	7.45	38.44	194.0
1973	11,575,308	591,855	292,915	+2.58%	51.1	25.3	25.8	−0.9	7.49	39.00	190.1
1974	11,869,881	607,606	294,363	+2.64%	51.1	24.8	26.4	−1.6	7.53	39.55	186.2
1975	12,157,390	621,494	295,301	+2.68%	51.0	24.2	26.8	−3.2	7.54	40.10	182.2
1976	12,425,276	635,188	295,770	+2.72%	50.9	23.7	27.2	−5.6	7.56	40.65	178.3
1977	12,687,308	648,307	295,112	+2.77%	50.9	23.2	27.7	−7.0	7.59	41.23	174.2
1978	12,938,864	660,606	310,376	+2.69%	50.8	23.9	26.9	−7.5	7.60	40.27	172.7
1979	12,986,378	671,213	328,042	+2.64%	50.7	24.8	25.9	−22.7	7.61	39.09	171.7
1980	12,486,640	660,892	316,937	+2.75%	50.5	24.2	26.3	−67.5	7.59	39.62	167.8
1981	11,155,196	614,273	288,555	+2.92%	50.3	23.6	26.7	−148.6	7.57	40.16	163.6
1982	10,088,290	520,603	266,040	+2.52%	50.1	25.6	24.5	−131.0	7.55	37.77	165.2
1983	9,951,447	503,887	252,318	+2.50%	50.1	25.1	25.0	−38.8	7.54	38.19	161.4
1984	10,243,689	506,571	302,824	+2.02%	50.2	30.0	20.2	8.3	7.51	33.33	169.7
1985	10,512,220	536,861	314,987	+2.09%	50.6	29.7	20.9	4.6	7.52	33.55	166.4
1986	10,448,447	541,017	252,810	+2.76%	50.7	23.7	27.0	−33.7	7.52	39.40	150.3
1987	10,322,767	535,214	245,107	+2.81%	50.8	23.3	27.6	−40.3	7.53	39.84	146.5
1988	10,383,459	531,795	208,051	+3.10%	51.0	19.9	31.0	−25.2	7.53	43.96	136.0
1989	10,673,172	546,142	203,321	+3.21%	51.2	19.0	32.1	−5.0	7.53	45.16	131.1
1990	10,694,804	567,256	203,514	+3.40%	51.4	18.4	33.0	−32.0	7.56	45.97	127.0
1991	10,745,168	555,610	192,531	+3.38%	51.8	17.9	33.8	−29.1	7.61	46.66	123.4
1992	12,057,436	578,891	191,913	+3.21%	51.9	17.2	34.7	76.7	7.66	47.60	118.3
1993	14,003,764	698,469	199,165	+3.57%	52.0	14.8	37.2	103.3	7.72	51.47	110.8
1994	15,455,560	789,282	222,214	+3.67%	52.2	14.7	37.5	57.2	7.72	51.50	107.0
1995	16,418,911	853,355	230,943	+3.80%	52.1	14.1	38.0	20.7	7.71	52.54	104.2
1996	17,106,600	886,917	232,991	+3.82%	51.9	13.6	38.2	2.0	7.71	53.24	101.2
1997	17,788,818	914,412	237,216	+3.81%	51.4	13.3	38.1	0.3	7.67	53.63	98.9
1998	18,493,134	940,233	250,677	+3.73%	50.9	13.6	37.3	0.8	7.64	52.94	97.0
1999	19,262,854	967,977	239,604	+3.79%	50.4	12.5	37.9	2.1	7.60	54.85	93.4
2000	19,542,986	995,813	242,535	+3.76%	49.7	12.1	37.6	−23.3	7.53	55.30	90.8
2001	19,688,634	969,246	231,795	+3.73%	49.0	11.7	37.3	−29.9	7.45	55.80	88.4
2002	21,000,258	980,458	229,450	+3.58%	48.2	11.3	36.9	26.7	7.34	56.45	85.8
2003	22,645,136	1,063,246	240,215	+3.63%	47.4	10.7	36.7	36.3	7.22	57.34	82.6
2004	23,553,554	1,097,160	243,367	+3.61%	46.3	10.3	36.1	2.5	7.07	57.94	79.9
2005	24,411,196	1,099,366	241,454	+3.53%	45.3	9.9	35.3	−0.2	6.91	58.36	77.5
2006	25,442,946	1,136,774	246,037	+3.50%	44.7	9.7	35.0	5.6	6.72	58.68	74.9
2007	25,903,306	1,156,957	246,898	+3.51%	43.9	9.4	34.5	−17.3	6.53	59.11	71.9
2008	26,427,204	1,091,824	232,339	+3.27%	41.5	8.8	32.7	−12.9	6.38	59.85	69.2
2009	27,385,310	1,128,666	234,065	+3.26%	41.2	8.5	32.6	2.4	6.24	60.36	67.2
2010	28,189,672	1,147,643	233,308	+3.23%	40.6	8.3	32.3	−3.8	6.10	60.85	64.8
2011	29,249,156	1,157,518	230,346	+3.19%	39.9	7.9	31.9	4.3	5.96	61.42	62.3
2012	30,466,484	1,217,396	234,629	+3.23%	40.0	7.7	32.3	7.7	5.83	61.92	60.0
2013	31,541,216	1,248,455	235,744	+3.21%	39.6	7.5	32.1	2.0	5.70	62.42	57.8
2014	32,716,214	1,274,665	241,055	+3.17%	39.1	7.4	31.7	4.2	5.56	62.55	56.3
2015	33,753,500	1,315,633	248,560	+3.15%	38.8	7.3	31.5	−0.8	5.41	62.66	54.5
2016	34,636,212	1,315,746	245,452	+3.09%	37.9	7.1	30.9	−5.4	5.26	63.14	52.5
2017	35,643,420	1,332,116	250,677	+3.03%	37.3	7.0	30.3	−2.0	5.13	63.02	49.4
2018	36,686,788	1,355,895	256,314	+2.99%	36.9	7.0	29.9	−1.5	5.00	63.08	47.8
2019	37,769,496	1,377,704	256,564	+2.97%	36.5	6.8	29.7	−1.0	4.87	63.57	46.7
2020	38,972,236	1,402,265	276,683	+2.89%	36.1	7.1	28.9	2.0	4.75	62.58	45.8
2021	40,099,460	1,440,941	295,236	+2.85%	35.8	7.3	28.5	−0.4	4.64	61.98	44.7
2022	41,128,771			+2.82%	35.14	6.91	28.23	−3.2	4.52	62.88	44.8
2023	42,239,854								4.41	64.23	37.7