Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre was 16.19 people per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
16.19 people per square kilometre
Change on year
up 2.5%
World rank
171st
of 215 countries
All-time high
16.19 people per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
1.19 people per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Afghanistan, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 16.19 people per square kilometre for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 40.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Afghanistan peaked at 16.19 people per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.19 people per square kilometre, in 1961.
Afghanistan ranks 171st of 215 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.19 people per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 1.25 people per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1963 | 1.32 people per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1964 | 1.39 people per square kilometre | +5.5% |
| 1965 | 1.47 people per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 1966 | 1.55 people per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 1967 | 1.64 people per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1968 | 1.73 people per square kilometre | +5.8% |
| 1969 | 1.83 people per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 1970 | 1.94 people per square kilometre | +6.1% |
| 1971 | 2.07 people per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1972 | 2.21 people per square kilometre | +6.8% |
| 1973 | 2.37 people per square kilometre | +7.0% |
| 1974 | 2.53 people per square kilometre | +6.9% |
| 1975 | 2.7 people per square kilometre | +6.6% |
| 1976 | 2.86 people per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 1977 | 3.02 people per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1978 | 3.16 people per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 1979 | 3.23 people per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 3.17 people per square kilometre | -2.0% |
| 1981 | 2.91 people per square kilometre | -8.1% |
| 1982 | 2.71 people per square kilometre | -6.7% |
| 1983 | 2.73 people per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 2.82 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1985 | 2.91 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 2.94 people per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 2.95 people per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 3.01 people per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 3.12 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1990 | 3.19 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 3.26 people per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 3.56 people per square kilometre | +9.2% |
| 1993 | 4.03 people per square kilometre | +13.3% |
| 1994 | 4.41 people per square kilometre | +9.5% |
| 1995 | 4.67 people per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1996 | 4.89 people per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1997 | 5.12 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1998 | 5.36 people per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 1999 | 5.61 people per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 2000 | 5.73 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 5.83 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 6.21 people per square kilometre | +6.5% |
| 2003 | 6.68 people per square kilometre | +7.6% |
| 2004 | 7.01 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 2005 | 7.37 people per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 2006 | 7.84 people per square kilometre | +6.3% |
| 2007 | 8.18 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 8.58 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 2009 | 9.13 people per square kilometre | +6.5% |
| 2010 | 9.65 people per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 2011 | 10.27 people per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 2012 | 10.94 people per square kilometre | +6.5% |
| 2013 | 11.54 people per square kilometre | +5.5% |
| 2014 | 12.16 people per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 2015 | 12.69 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 13.12 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 13.59 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 14.08 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 14.59 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 15.13 people per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 15.55 people per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 15.8 people per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 16.19 people per square kilometre | +2.5% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 16.19 people per square kilometre is below the median for low income countries, which is 23.39 people per square kilometre, 69% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 16.19 people per square kilometre is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 72.54 people per square kilometre, 22% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.48 people per square kilometre | 1.19 people per square kilometre | 1.83 people per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.61 people per square kilometre | 1.94 people per square kilometre | 3.23 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.93 people per square kilometre | 2.71 people per square kilometre | 3.17 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.41 people per square kilometre | 3.19 people per square kilometre | 5.61 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.26 people per square kilometre | 5.73 people per square kilometre | 9.13 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.26 people per square kilometre | 9.65 people per square kilometre | 14.59 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.67 people per square kilometre | 15.13 people per square kilometre | 16.19 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 168 Madagascar 17.15 people per square kilometre compare
- 169 Zimbabwe 16.6 people per square kilometre compare
- 170 New Zealand 16.48 people per square kilometre compare
- 172 Somalia 15.82 people per square kilometre compare
- 173 Faroe Islands 15.65 people per square kilometre compare
- 174 Argentina 15.34 people per square kilometre compare
More population data for Afghanistan
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 74,075 Persons (2050)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2115 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4637 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.2412 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4637 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.4% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 9.03 million people (2100)
- Population density 199.65 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.4% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2522 % change on previous year (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Afghanistan?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Afghanistan was 16.19 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 16.19 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.19 people per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Afghanistan rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
- Afghanistan ranks 171st out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.