Demographics of Afghanistan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Demographics of Afghanistan
Afghanistan population pyramid in 2020
Population	41,403,465 (2023)
Growth rate	2.34% (2016)
Birth rate	35.8 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate	7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Life expectancy	63.3 years (2019)
• male	63.2 years (2019)
• female	63.2 years (2019)
Fertility rate	4.64 children born/woman (2021 est.)
Infant mortality rate	66.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Age structure
0–14 years	42.3% (male 6,464,070/female 6,149,468)
15–64 years	55.3% (male 8,460,486/female 8,031,968)
65 and over	2.4% (male 349,349/female 380,051)
Sex ratio
At birth	1.05 male/female
Under 15	1.03 male/female
15–64 years	1.04 male/female
65 and over	0.87 male/female
Nationality
Nationality	noun: Afghan(s)
Major ethnic	Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek and others
Language
Official	Persian (Dari) and Pashto
Spoken	Persian (Dari), Pashto , Uzbeki and other

Population, fertility rate and net reproduction rate, United Nations estimates

Afghanistan is a country in Asia with a population of about 41 million people in 2023. It is a land of many different ethnic groups and languages. This is because Afghanistan is located where important trade and travel routes have crossed for centuries. Major ethnic groups include the Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, and Uzbeks. There are also smaller groups like the Nuristanis, Aimaq, Turkmen, and Baloch. All these groups together form the modern Afghan people.

Almost half of Afghanistan's population, about 46%, is under 15 years old. Most Afghans, around 74%, live in rural areas, not in cities. On average, a woman in Afghanistan gives birth to five children. This is one of the highest fertility rates in the world, outside of Africa. Sadly, about 6.8% of all babies die during childbirth or soon after. The average life expectancy in Afghanistan was about 63 years in 2019.

The two official languages of Afghanistan are Persian (Dari) and Pashto. Dari is often used as a common language for people from different ethnic groups to communicate. Pashto is spoken a lot in the southern parts of the country. Other languages like Uzbek and Turkmen are spoken in the north. Many people in Afghanistan, especially in big cities, can speak more than one language.

Most people in Afghanistan, about 89.7%, follow Sunni Islam. A smaller group, about 10-15%, follow Shia Islam. A very small number of people, less than 0.3%, practice other religions like Sikhism and Hinduism. Outside of the main cities, many people live in tribal groups and follow their own traditional customs.

Afghan Population Numbers

Sport fans inside the Ghazi Stadium in Kabul, Afghanistan's largest and most diverse city.

It's important to know that getting exact population numbers in Afghanistan has always been a challenge. A professor from Georgetown University in Qatar mentioned in 2021 that there has never been a truly reliable census in Afghanistan's modern history.

Past Population Counts

The first country-wide count of people in Afghanistan happened in 1979. Before that, there were only smaller counts in individual cities. For example, in 1876, Kabul had about 140,700 people. In 1891, Kandahar had about 31,514 people.

In 1979, the total population was reported to be around 15.5 million. However, between 1979 and 1983, about 5 million people left the country. They went to nearby Pakistan and Iran to find safety. The Afghan government in 1983 reported 15.96 million people, but this number likely included those who had left.

It is thought that between 600,000 and 2 million Afghans might have died during the wars from 1979 to 2001. However, these numbers are hard to confirm. It's not clear if these people died or if they became refugees in other countries.

Latest Population Figures

Population pyramid 2016

As of 2021, Afghanistan's total population is about 37.4 million. This number includes about 3 million Afghans living in Pakistan and Iran. About 26% of the population lives in cities, while 74% live in rural areas.

Afghanistan's Central Statistics Organization (CSO) said in 2011 that about 26 million Afghans lived inside the country. By 2017, this number grew to 29.2 million. Of these, 15 million were males and 14.2 million were females. Experts believe the country's population could reach 82 million by 2050.

Cities in Afghanistan have grown very quickly in the last ten years. This is partly because over 5 million Afghans who lived abroad have returned home. The only city in Afghanistan with more than a million residents is its capital, Kabul.

Age Groups in Afghanistan

Here's how the population is divided by age (2020 estimate):

• 0–14 years: 40.62% (This means a large part of the population is children and young teens.)
• 15-24 years: 21.26%
• 25-54 years: 31.44%
• 55-64 years: 4.01%
• 65 years and over: 2.68% (A small percentage of the population is elderly.)

How Fast the Population is Growing

The population of Afghanistan is growing at a rate of 2.34% per year (2021). This is a high growth rate compared to many other countries.

City vs. Rural Living

Young Afghans at a music festival inside the Gardens of Babur in Kabul.

• People living in cities: 26% of the total population (2020).
• How fast cities are growing: 3.37% per year (between 2015 and 2020).

Male to Female Ratio

Here's the ratio of males to females in Afghanistan (2020):

• At birth: 1.05 males for every female.
• 0-14 years: 1.03 males for every female.
• 15-24 years: 1.03 males for every female.
• 25-54 years: 1.03 males for every female.
• 55-64 years: 0.97 males for every female.
• 65 years and over: 0.85 males for every female.
• Total population: 1.05 males for every female.

Health and Education in Afghanistan

Students gathering in 2006 at a school in Nangarhar Province.

How Many People Can Read and Write?

This is about people over 15 years old who can read and write.

• Total population: 43% (2018).
• Males: 55.5% can read and write.
• Females: 29.8% can read and write.

How Long Students Stay in School

This looks at how many years students are expected to stay in school, from primary to higher education.

• Total: 10 years.
• Males: 13 years.
• Females: 8 years (2018).

Ethnic Groups in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is home to many different ethnic groups. Here's an idea of how they are spread out, based on who speaks which language as their first language (2023 estimate):

Ethnic groups in Afghanistan

Ethnic group	Image	2023 estimate based on native mother tongue	2013 estimate	Pre-2004 estimates
Pashtun		52.4%	42%	38–50%
Tajik		32.1%	27%	20–25.3%
Hazara			9%	12–19%
Uzbek		8.8%	9%	6–8%
Aimak		–	4%	–
Turkmen		1.9%	3%	2.5%
Baloch		0.9%	2%	–
Others (Pashai, Nuristani, Arab, Brahui, Qizilbash, Pamiri, Gujjar, etc.)		3.9%	4%	1–12%

Surveys done between 2004 and 2019 also asked Afghans about their ethnic group. These surveys show that the percentage of Tajik people is often higher in these polls compared to other estimates. At the same time, the number of Pashtuns and Aimaks tends to be lower in these surveys.

Languages Spoken in Afghanistan

Dari and Pashto are the two official languages of Afghanistan.

In the northern parts of the country, Uzbek and Turkmen are spoken by the Uzbeks and Turkmens. Some Afghans also speak English, Urdu, Balochi, and Arabic. Many people in Afghanistan can speak more than one language.

Here's a look at the languages spoken in the country, including both first and second language speakers:

Recent surveys show that up to 51% of Afghans can speak or understand Pashto, and up to 79% can speak or understand Dari. Uzbek is spoken or understood by up to 11%, and Turkmen by up to 7%. Other languages like Arabic (4%) and Balochi (2%) are also spoken.

Religions in Afghanistan

Afghan politicians and foreign diplomats praying at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.

Almost everyone in Afghanistan is Muslim, with less than 1% following other religions. Islamic practices are a big part of daily life. Islamic traditions and rules, along with local customs, guide how people behave and how disagreements are settled. In the 1920s, Islam was a key reason why many people opposed changes suggested by King Amanullah.

Small communities of Sikhs and Hindus live mostly in cities. In the 1970s, there were hundreds of thousands of them. But because of wars and difficulties, over 90% of them have left the country.

• Islam: 99.7% of the total population.
  • Sunni Muslim: 84.7–89.7%
  • Shia Muslim: 7-15%
• Other religions: 0.3%
  • Baha'is: A few hundred people.
  • Sikhism: A few hundred people.
  • Hinduism: A few hundred people.
  • Other religions like Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Buddhism are also present, but their numbers are not well known.
  • Judaism: There are no known Jewish people remaining in Afghanistan.

Images for kids

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  A CIA map showing the various Afghan tribal territories in 2005

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  Ethnolinguistic groups in Afghanistan in 2001

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  Ethnolinguistic groups in Afghanistan in 1982

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  Life expectancy at birth in Afghanistan

See also

In Spanish: Demografía de Afganistán para niños

• Culture of Afghanistan
• Turks in Afghanistan
• Tajiks in Afghanistan
• Afghan Turkmens
• Afghan Kurds