Population of cities towns and villages in Afghanistan

Afghanistan: Population of cities towns and villages was 6.09 million in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
6.09 million
World rank
53rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
6.12 million
in 2015
All-time low
3.85 million
in 1950
Years of data
15
1950–2020

Population of cities towns and villages in Afghanistan, 1950–2020

02.0M4.0M6.0M1950198520201950: 3.8M1955: 4.0M1960: 4.1M1965: 4.3M1970: 4.6M1975: 4.8M1980: 4.9M1985: 4.5M1990: 4.6M1995: 5.5M2000: 5.6M2005: 5.9M2010: 6.1M2015: 6.1M2020: 6.1M

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for population of cities towns and villages in Afghanistan is 6.09 million, measured in 2020.

That represents a change of down 0.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population of cities towns and villages in Afghanistan peaked at 6.12 million in 2015 and was at its lowest, 3.85 million, in 1950.

Afghanistan ranks 53rd of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.

Population of cities towns and villages in Afghanistan, year by year

Annual values for Population of cities towns and villages in Afghanistan, 1950 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1950 3.85 million —
1955 3.98 million +3.4%
1960 4.14 million +3.9%
1965 4.33 million +4.8%
1970 4.55 million +5.0%
1975 4.77 million +4.7%
1980 4.87 million +2.2%
1985 4.54 million -6.9%
1990 4.57 million +0.7%
1995 5.47 million +19.6%
2000 5.65 million +3.3%
2005 5.95 million +5.4%
2010 6.11 million +2.8%
2015 6.12 million +0.1%
2020 6.09 million -0.5%

Afghanistan compared with similar countries

  • Afghanistan's 6.09 million is above the median for low income countries, which is 5.17 million, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
  • Afghanistan's 6.09 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.73 million, 3.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 3.91 million 3.85 million 3.98 million 2
1960s 4.24 million 4.14 million 4.33 million 2
1970s 4.66 million 4.55 million 4.77 million 2
1980s 4.70 million 4.54 million 4.87 million 2
1990s 5.02 million 4.57 million 5.47 million 2
2000s 5.80 million 5.65 million 5.95 million 2
2010s 6.12 million 6.11 million 6.12 million 2
2020s 6.09 million 6.09 million 6.09 million 1

Countries ranked near Afghanistan

  1. 50 Cameroon 6.77 million compare
  2. 51 Argentina 6.31 million compare
  3. 52 Guinea 6.21 million compare
  4. 54 Malaysia 6.00 million compare
  5. 55 Cambodia 5.34 million compare
  6. 56 Papua New Guinea 5.27 million compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More population data for Afghanistan

All data for Afghanistan →

Frequently asked questions

What is population of cities towns and villages in Afghanistan?
Population of cities towns and villages in Afghanistan was 6.09 million in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest population of cities towns and villages recorded in Afghanistan?
The highest recorded value was 6.12 million in 2015.
What is the lowest population of cities towns and villages recorded in Afghanistan?
The lowest recorded value was 3.85 million in 1950.
How does Afghanistan rank for population of cities towns and villages?
Afghanistan ranks 53rd out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
Is population of cities towns and villages rising or falling in Afghanistan?
Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Population of cities towns and villages. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population of cities towns and villages in Afghanistan. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 12 November 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/population-of-cities-towns-and-villages/afghanistan/

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About this data

Indicator
Population of cities towns and villages
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
236 places, 3,540 data points, 1950–2020
Last refreshed