Population aged 14 years or younger (thousands) in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Population aged 14 years or younger (thousands) was 18,480 thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
18,480 thousands
Change on year
up 2.1%
World rank
22nd
of 233 countries
All-time high
18,480 thousands
in 2025
All-time low
4,885 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Population aged 14 years or younger in Afghanistan, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population aged 14 years or younger in Afghanistan is 18,480 thousands, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.1% on the previous year and up 18.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population aged 14 years or younger in Afghanistan peaked at 18,480 thousands in 2025 and was at its lowest, 4,885 thousands, in 1970.
Afghanistan ranks 22nd of 233 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Population aged 14 years or younger (thousands) in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4,885 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 5,034 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 5,183 thousands | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 5,341 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 5,507 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 5,673 thousands | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 5,834 thousands | +2.8% |
| 1977 | 5,984 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 6,142 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 6,284 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 6,237 thousands | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 5,893 thousands | -5.5% |
| 1982 | 5,153 thousands | -12.6% |
| 1983 | 5,063 thousands | -1.7% |
| 1984 | 5,123 thousands | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 5,356 thousands | +4.5% |
| 1986 | 5,386 thousands | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 5,386 thousands | -0.0% |
| 1988 | 5,386 thousands | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 5,543 thousands | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 5,747 thousands | +3.7% |
| 1991 | 5,738 thousands | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 5,972 thousands | +4.1% |
| 1993 | 6,786 thousands | +13.6% |
| 1994 | 7,633 thousands | +12.5% |
| 1995 | 8,125 thousands | +6.4% |
| 1996 | 8,512 thousands | +4.8% |
| 1997 | 8,899 thousands | +4.5% |
| 1998 | 9,290 thousands | +4.4% |
| 1999 | 9,703 thousands | +4.4% |
| 2000 | 10,112 thousands | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 10,028 thousands | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 10,325 thousands | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 11,155 thousands | +8.0% |
| 2004 | 11,687 thousands | +4.8% |
| 2005 | 11,957 thousands | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 12,472 thousands | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 12,879 thousands | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 12,817 thousands | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 13,270 thousands | +3.5% |
| 2010 | 13,580 thousands | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 13,837 thousands | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 14,360 thousands | +3.8% |
| 2013 | 14,736 thousands | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 15,092 thousands | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 15,545 thousands | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 15,755 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 16,031 thousands | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 16,349 thousands | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 16,690 thousands | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 17,060 thousands | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 17,496 thousands | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 17,631 thousands | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 17,737 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 18,101 thousands | +2.1% |
| 2025 | 18,480 thousands | +2.1% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 18,480 thousands is above the median for low income countries, which is 9,000 thousands, 2.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 18,480 thousands is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 2,933 thousands, 6.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5,587 thousands | 4,885 thousands | 6,284 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 5,453 thousands | 5,063 thousands | 6,237 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 7,641 thousands | 5,738 thousands | 9,703 thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 11,670 thousands | 10,028 thousands | 13,270 thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 15,198 thousands | 13,580 thousands | 16,690 thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 17,751 thousands | 17,060 thousands | 18,480 thousands | 6 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More population data for Afghanistan
- Population regions 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 long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4637 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2115 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 74,075 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.39 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2522 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.4% (2100)
- Population density 199.65 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 9.03 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population aged 14 years or younger in Afghanistan?
- Population aged 14 years or younger in Afghanistan was 18,480 thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population aged 14 years or younger recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 18,480 thousands in 2025.
- What is the lowest population aged 14 years or younger recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,885 thousands in 1970.
- How does Afghanistan rank for population aged 14 years or younger?
- Afghanistan ranks 22nd out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population aged 14 years or younger rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population aged 14 years or younger (thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release