Population younger than 15 with projections in Afghanistan

Afghanistan: Population younger than 15 with projections was 17.92 million in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
17.92 million
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
22nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
17.92 million
in 2023
All-time low
3.19 million
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023

Population younger than 15 with projections in Afghanistan, 1950–2023

5.0M10.0M15.0M20.0M195019862023

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

Afghanistan recorded 17.92 million for population younger than 15 with projections in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.

The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 20.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population younger than 15 with projections in Afghanistan peaked at 17.92 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 3.19 million, 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.

Population younger than 15 with projections in Afghanistan, year by year

Annual values for Population younger than 15 with projections in Afghanistan, 1950 to 2023.
Year Value Change
1950 3.19 million —
1951 3.24 million +1.4%
1952 3.28 million +1.5%
1953 3.33 million +1.5%
1954 3.39 million +1.6%
1955 3.44 million +1.7%
1956 3.51 million +1.8%
1957 3.57 million +1.9%
1958 3.64 million +1.9%
1959 3.71 million +1.9%
1960 3.79 million +2.1%
1961 3.87 million +2.2%
1962 3.96 million +2.3%
1963 4.06 million +2.4%
1964 4.16 million +2.6%
1965 4.28 million +2.8%
1966 4.41 million +2.9%
1967 4.54 million +3.0%
1968 4.67 million +3.0%
1969 4.81 million +3.0%
1970 4.96 million +3.0%
1971 5.11 million +3.0%
1972 5.26 million +3.0%
1973 5.42 million +3.1%
1974 5.59 million +3.1%
1975 5.75 million +2.9%
1976 5.91 million +2.7%
1977 6.06 million +2.6%
1978 6.21 million +2.5%
1979 6.26 million +0.8%
1980 6.07 million -3.1%
1981 5.52 million -8.9%
1982 5.11 million -7.5%
1983 5.09 million -0.3%
1984 5.24 million +2.9%
1985 5.37 million +2.5%
1986 5.39 million +0.3%
1987 5.39 million +0.0%
1988 5.46 million +1.5%
1989 5.64 million +3.3%
1990 5.74 million +1.7%
1991 5.86 million +2.0%
1992 6.38 million +8.9%
1993 7.21 million +13.0%
1994 7.88 million +9.3%
1995 8.32 million +5.6%
1996 8.71 million +4.7%
1997 9.09 million +4.5%
1998 9.50 million +4.4%
1999 9.91 million +4.3%
2000 10.07 million +1.6%
2001 10.18 million +1.1%
2002 10.74 million +5.5%
2003 11.42 million +6.3%
2004 11.82 million +3.5%
2005 12.21 million +3.3%
2006 12.68 million +3.8%
2007 12.85 million +1.4%
2008 13.04 million +1.5%
2009 13.42 million +2.9%
2010 13.71 million +2.1%
2011 14.10 million +2.8%
2012 14.55 million +3.2%
2013 14.91 million +2.5%
2014 15.32 million +2.7%
2015 15.65 million +2.2%
2016 15.89 million +1.6%
2017 16.19 million +1.9%
2018 16.52 million +2.0%
2019 16.88 million +2.2%
2020 17.28 million +2.4%
2021 17.56 million +1.7%
2022 17.68 million +0.7%
2023 17.92 million +1.3%

Afghanistan compared with similar countries

  • Afghanistan's 17.92 million is above the median for low income countries, which is 8.72 million, 2.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
  • Afghanistan's 17.92 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 2.98 million, 6.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 3.43 million 3.19 million 3.71 million 10
1960s 4.25 million 3.79 million 4.81 million 10
1970s 5.65 million 4.96 million 6.26 million 10
1980s 5.43 million 5.09 million 6.07 million 10
1990s 7.86 million 5.74 million 9.91 million 10
2000s 11.84 million 10.07 million 13.42 million 10
2010s 15.37 million 13.71 million 16.88 million 10
2020s 17.61 million 17.28 million 17.92 million 4

Countries ranked near Afghanistan

  1. 19 Iran 20.69 million compare
  2. 20 Sudan 20.34 million compare
  3. 21 Turkey 19.06 million compare
  4. 23 Iraq 16.72 million compare
  5. 24 South Africa 16.49 million compare
  6. 25 Angola 16.38 million compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More population data for Afghanistan

All data for Afghanistan →

Frequently asked questions

What is population younger than 15 with projections in Afghanistan?
Population younger than 15 with projections in Afghanistan was 17.92 million in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest population younger than 15 with projections recorded in Afghanistan?
The highest recorded value was 17.92 million in 2023.
What is the lowest population younger than 15 with projections recorded in Afghanistan?
The lowest recorded value was 3.19 million in 1950.
How does Afghanistan rank for population younger than 15 with projections?
Afghanistan ranks 22nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is population younger than 15 with projections 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 Our World in Data, published as part of Population younger than 15 with projections. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population younger than 15 with projections in Afghanistan. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 12 November 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/population-younger-than-15-with-projections/afghanistan/

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About this data

Indicator
Population younger than 15 with projections
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
236 places, 17,464 data points, 1950–2023
Last refreshed