Afghanistan’s Population Reaches 37.2 Million, Reports Statistical Authority

The General Directorate of Statistics and Information announced that, based on population estimates for the year 1405 in the Solar Hijri calendar, Afghanistan’s population has reached 37.2 million, marking an increase compared to the previous year.

According to this estimate, 51% of the country’s population are men and 49% are women. The directorate also stated that about 70% of the population, nearly 26 million people, live in rural areas. In contrast, 26% of the population, equivalent to 9.8 million people, reside in cities, while the remaining 4%, about 1.5 million people, are nomads (Kuchis).

At the provincial level, Kabul is the most populous province, with approximately 6.4 million people, including 3.3 million men and 3.1 million women. Following Kabul, Herat ranks second with around 2.4 million residents; close to 1.23 million are men and approximately 1.2 million are women.

The General Directorate of Statistics released these figures to mark World Population Day. Last year, it had estimated the country’s population at 36.4 million; based on the new data, Afghanistan’s population has grown by 2.2% over the past year, increasing by about 800,000 people.

However, the lack of a nationwide census and in-person enumeration in recent years means population statistics are based on estimated projections. Experts consider this a serious challenge for accurately planning public services, urban development, and addressing residents’ needs, especially under the current Taliban administration.