Population in the largest city in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Population in the largest city was 42.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
42.9%
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
33rd
of 153 countries
All-time high
76.1%
in 1991
All-time low
36.7%
in 1972
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in the largest city in Afghanistan, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in the largest city in Afghanistan is 42.9%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in Afghanistan peaked at 76.1% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 36.7%, in 1972.
That places Afghanistan 33rd out of 153 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in the largest city in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 38.9% | — |
| 1961 | 38.9% | -0.1% |
| 1962 | 38.8% | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 38.8% | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 38.7% | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 38.6% | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 38.4% | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 38.2% | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 37.9% | -0.8% |
| 1969 | 37.6% | -0.8% |
| 1970 | 37.2% | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 36.7% | -1.4% |
| 1972 | 36.7% | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 37.1% | +1.3% |
| 1974 | 37.7% | +1.4% |
| 1975 | 38.3% | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 39.2% | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 40.3% | +2.8% |
| 1978 | 41.8% | +3.5% |
| 1979 | 44.2% | +5.9% |
| 1980 | 47.4% | +7.1% |
| 1981 | 54.0% | +14.1% |
| 1982 | 60.7% | +12.5% |
| 1983 | 63.4% | +4.4% |
| 1984 | 64.2% | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 65.3% | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 67.9% | +4.0% |
| 1987 | 70.6% | +3.9% |
| 1988 | 72.3% | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 72.8% | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 74.5% | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 76.1% | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 72.8% | -4.3% |
| 1993 | 67.2% | -7.8% |
| 1994 | 64.1% | -4.6% |
| 1995 | 63.4% | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 63.2% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 63.1% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 63.0% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 62.8% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 64.3% | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 66.0% | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 64.7% | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 62.9% | -2.9% |
| 2004 | 62.0% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 60.4% | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 58.2% | -3.6% |
| 2007 | 57.2% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 55.9% | -2.2% |
| 2009 | 53.9% | -3.7% |
| 2010 | 52.2% | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 50.3% | -3.6% |
| 2012 | 48.5% | -3.8% |
| 2013 | 47.1% | -2.9% |
| 2014 | 45.8% | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 45.0% | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 44.6% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 44.2% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 43.7% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 43.2% | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 42.8% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 42.8% | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 43.3% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 43.5% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 43.1% | -0.7% |
| 2025 | 42.9% | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 38.5% | 37.6% | 38.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 38.9% | 36.7% | 44.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 63.9% | 47.4% | 72.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 67.0% | 62.8% | 76.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.6% | 53.9% | 66.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.5% | 43.2% | 52.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.0% | 42.8% | 43.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 30 Kyrgyzstan 45.1% compare
- 31 Lebanon 44.7% compare
- 32 Dominican Republic 43.7% compare
- 34 Bangladesh 42.2% compare
- 35 Azerbaijan 41.5% compare
- 36 Central African Republic 41.4% compare
More urban development data for Afghanistan
- Population density 63.56 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 37.95 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.1112 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 4.88 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 3.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 7.04 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 4.88 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 0 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 73.42 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in Afghanistan?
- Population in the largest city in Afghanistan was 42.9% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 76.1% in 1991.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.7% in 1972.
- How does Afghanistan rank for population in the largest city?
- Afghanistan ranks 33rd out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in the largest city (% of urban population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.