Population and Demographics of Afghanistan
A very young population · 42.89% under age 15 in 2024
Afghanistan has 42.65 million residents in the 2024 estimate, while the 2050 medium projection reaches 76.89 million. The 2000-to-2024 series records a 111.9% increase, which is more informative than a single annual rate alone.
Population Over Time in Afghanistan
Afghanistan's population stood at 20.130M in 2000 and 42.647M in 2024, equivalent to a +111.9% change over that period. The central 2050 projection is 76.885M, implying a +80.3% change from 2024 if that path is realized. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
Afghanistan has a very young demographic profile in the 2024 broad age data. The youngest broad age group represents 42.89% of residents, against 2.40% in the 65+ group; the working-age band is 54.71%. The age balance is weighted toward younger residents.
Population by broad age group
The 2024 World Bank sex-share indicator gives Afghanistan a female share of 49.5% and a male share of 50.5%. Males exceed females by 1.0 percentage points.
Female and male population share
Males made up 50.5% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 49.5% females.
What Is Shaping Population Change
Afghanistan's +2.88% annual change in 2024 sits beside fertility of 4.8 children per woman, while 42.89% of residents are under 15 and 2.40% are 65 or older.
From 2000 to 2024, Afghanistan's population moved +111.9%, and the UN medium scenario changes the 2024 total by +80.3% through 2050; neither series alone identifies the separate contributions of births, deaths and migration.
2024 estimate for Afghanistan. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
Afghanistan vs. World
In the harmonized 2024 comparison, Afghanistan's annual population change is higher than the world rate, fertility is above the global level, and its population is younger than the world median-age profile.
| Indicator | Afghanistan | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +2.88% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 4.8 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 17 | 30.6 | 2024 |
The table deliberately uses one 2024 source context for Afghanistan and the world. This avoids combining national figures from one year with global figures from another.
Key Takeaways
At 42.647M, the 2024 population is paired with an annual change rate of +2.88%.
Age structure is a key feature of the profile: 42.89% are under 15 and 2.40% are 65 or older.
Females make up 49.5% of the 2024 population in the World Bank indicator, with males at 50.5%.
On the medium path, 2050 reaches 76.885M, a +80.3% shift from the 2024 level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Afghanistan?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for Afghanistan is 42,647,492 people.
Is the population of Afghanistan growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, Afghanistan's population is growing, with annual change of +2.88%.
What percentage of the population of Afghanistan is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 2.40% of Afghanistan's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of Afghanistan in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts Afghanistan's 2050 population at 76,885,135.
What is the fertility rate in Afghanistan?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for Afghanistan is 4.8 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.