Share of children, working-age adults, and older people in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Share of children, working-age adults, and older people was 17.92 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Share of children, working-age adults, and older people in Afghanistan, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of children, working-age adults, and older people in Afghanistan is 17.92 million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 20.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children, working-age adults, and older people in Afghanistan peaked at 17.92 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 3.19 million people, in 1950.
That places Afghanistan 22nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.43 million people | 3.19 million people | 3.71 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.25 million people | 3.79 million people | 4.81 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.65 million people | 4.96 million people | 6.26 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.43 million people | 5.09 million people | 6.07 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.86 million people | 5.74 million people | 9.91 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.84 million people | 10.07 million people | 13.42 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.37 million people | 13.71 million people | 16.88 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.61 million people | 17.28 million people | 17.92 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More population data for Afghanistan
- 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)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 4.76 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 20,866 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 4.76 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 4.76 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 3.0% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 4.84 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children, working-age adults, and older people in Afghanistan?
- Share of children, working-age adults, and older people in Afghanistan was 17.92 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 17.92 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest share of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.19 million people in 1950.
- How does Afghanistan rank for share of children, working-age adults, and older people?
- Afghanistan ranks 22nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of children, working-age adults, and older people rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children, working-age adults, and older people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 0-14.