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
Latest (2023)
17.92 million people
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
22nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
17.92 million people
in 2023
All-time low
3.19 million people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
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.
Share of children, working-age adults, and older people in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.19 million people | — |
| 1951 | 3.24 million people | +1.4% |
| 1952 | 3.28 million people | +1.5% |
| 1953 | 3.33 million people | +1.5% |
| 1954 | 3.39 million people | +1.6% |
| 1955 | 3.44 million people | +1.7% |
| 1956 | 3.51 million people | +1.8% |
| 1957 | 3.57 million people | +1.9% |
| 1958 | 3.64 million people | +1.9% |
| 1959 | 3.71 million people | +1.9% |
| 1960 | 3.79 million people | +2.1% |
| 1961 | 3.87 million people | +2.2% |
| 1962 | 3.96 million people | +2.3% |
| 1963 | 4.06 million people | +2.4% |
| 1964 | 4.16 million people | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 4.28 million people | +2.8% |
| 1966 | 4.41 million people | +2.9% |
| 1967 | 4.54 million people | +3.0% |
| 1968 | 4.67 million people | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 4.81 million people | +3.0% |
| 1970 | 4.96 million people | +3.0% |
| 1971 | 5.11 million people | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 5.26 million people | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 5.42 million people | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 5.59 million people | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 5.75 million people | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 5.91 million people | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 6.06 million people | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 6.21 million people | +2.5% |
| 1979 | 6.26 million people | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 6.07 million people | -3.1% |
| 1981 | 5.52 million people | -8.9% |
| 1982 | 5.11 million people | -7.5% |
| 1983 | 5.09 million people | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 5.24 million people | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 5.37 million people | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 5.39 million people | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 5.39 million people | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 5.46 million people | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 5.64 million people | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 5.74 million people | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 5.86 million people | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 6.38 million people | +8.9% |
| 1993 | 7.21 million people | +13.0% |
| 1994 | 7.88 million people | +9.3% |
| 1995 | 8.32 million people | +5.6% |
| 1996 | 8.71 million people | +4.7% |
| 1997 | 9.09 million people | +4.5% |
| 1998 | 9.50 million people | +4.4% |
| 1999 | 9.91 million people | +4.3% |
| 2000 | 10.07 million people | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 10.18 million people | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 10.74 million people | +5.5% |
| 2003 | 11.42 million people | +6.3% |
| 2004 | 11.82 million people | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 12.21 million people | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 12.68 million people | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 12.85 million people | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 13.04 million people | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 13.42 million people | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 13.71 million people | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 14.10 million people | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 14.55 million people | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 14.91 million people | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 15.32 million people | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 15.65 million people | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 15.89 million people | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 16.19 million people | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 16.52 million people | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 16.88 million people | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 17.28 million people | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 17.56 million people | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 17.68 million people | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 17.92 million people | +1.3% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 17.92 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 8.72 million people, 2.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 17.92 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 2.98 million people, 6.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
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
- 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)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.39 Percent per annum (2030)
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
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 0-14.