Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 was 25.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Afghanistan, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Afghanistan is 25.9%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Afghanistan peaked at 25.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
That places Afghanistan 222nd out of 238 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1700s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1710s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1720s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1730s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1740s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1750s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1760s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1770s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1780s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1800s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1810s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1820s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 1830s | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1 |
| 1840s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1 |
| 1850s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1 |
| 1860s | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1 |
| 1870s | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 1 |
| 1880s | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 1 |
| 1890s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 1 |
| 1900s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 1 |
| 1910s | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 1 |
| 1920s | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 1 |
| 1930s | 4.8% | 4.8% | 4.8% | 1 |
| 1940s | 5.4% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 1 |
| 1950s | 6.7% | 5.8% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.4% | 8.1% | 10.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.4% | 11.2% | 15.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.5% | 15.7% | 17.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.8% | 17.3% | 18.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.8% | 18.6% | 21.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.1% | 22.3% | 25.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.5% | 25.3% | 25.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More population data for Afghanistan
- 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)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.4% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 4.76 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 4.76 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 20,866 people (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 4.76 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious 4.84 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate accounting for survival until childbearing age 4.47 children per women (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Afghanistan?
- Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Afghanistan was 25.9% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 25.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Afghanistan rank for share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050?
- Afghanistan ranks 222nd out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modelled historical data.