Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — Afghanistan

Urban population share in Afghanistan in 2025 — 25.9%. Ranked 204 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 17.8 pp.

2025 25.9% +0.2 pp vs 2024
World rank 204of 217
Period maximum 25.9%2025
Period minimum 8.1%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — Afghanistan, 1960–2025010203019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 8.1%1962: 8.7%1964: 9.2%1966: 9.8%1968: 10.5%1970: 11.2%1972: 12.2%1974: 13.2%1976: 14.3%1978: 15.1%1980: 15.7%1982: 16.1%1984: 16.5%1986: 16.8%1988: 17%1990: 17.3%1992: 17.5%1994: 17.7%1996: 18%1998: 18.2%2000: 18.6%2002: 18.9%2004: 19.4%2006: 20.1%2008: 21.1%2010: 22.3%2012: 23.3%2014: 24.2%2016: 24.7%2018: 25%2020: 25.3%2022: 25.4%2024: 25.7%2025: 25.9%
Change over the period: +17.8 pp Annual average: 0.27 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Afghanistan

Afghanistan 25.9%
World 57.8%
South Asia 35.8%
Southern Asia computed 37.9%
Low-income countries computed 35.6%
Urban population share — Afghanistan, by year Afghanistan All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 25.9 +0.2 pp
2024 25.7 +0.2 pp
2023 25.5 +0.1 pp
2022 25.4 +0 pp
2021 25.3 +0.1 pp
2020 25.3 +0.1 pp
2019 25.1 +0.1 pp
2018 25 +0.2 pp
2017 24.8 +0.2 pp
2016 24.7 +0.2 pp
2015 24.5 +0.3 pp
2014 24.2 +0.4 pp
2013 23.8 +0.5 pp
2012 23.3 +0.5 pp
2011 22.8 +0.6 pp
2010 22.3 +0.6 pp
2009 21.7 +0.6 pp
2008 21.1 +0.5 pp
2007 20.6 +0.5 pp
2006 20.1 +0.4 pp
2005 19.7 +0.3 pp
2004 19.4 +0.2 pp
2003 19.2 +0.2 pp
2002 18.9 +0.2 pp
2001 18.7 +0.2 pp
2000 18.6 +0.2 pp
1999 18.4 +0.2 pp
1998 18.2 +0.1 pp
1997 18.1 +0.1 pp
1996 18 +0.1 pp
1995 17.8 +0.1 pp
1994 17.7 +0.1 pp
1993 17.6 +0.1 pp
1992 17.5 +0.1 pp
1991 17.4 +0.1 pp
1990 17.3 +0.1 pp
1989 17.1 +0.1 pp
1988 17 +0.1 pp
1987 16.9 +0.1 pp
1986 16.8 +0.1 pp
1985 16.6 +0.2 pp
1984 16.5 +0.2 pp
1983 16.3 +0.2 pp
1982 16.1 +0.2 pp
1981 15.9 +0.2 pp
1980 15.7 +0.2 pp
1979 15.4 +0.3 pp
1978 15.1 +0.4 pp
1977 14.7 +0.5 pp
1976 14.3 +0.5 pp
1975 13.8 +0.5 pp
1974 13.2 +0.5 pp
1973 12.7 +0.5 pp
1972 12.2 +0.5 pp
1971 11.7 +0.4 pp
1970 11.2 +0.4 pp
1969 10.8 +0.4 pp
1968 10.5 +0.3 pp
1967 10.2 +0.3 pp
1966 9.8 +0.3 pp
1965 9.5 +0.3 pp
1964 9.2 +0.3 pp
1963 8.9 +0.3 pp
1962 8.7 +0.3 pp
1961 8.4 +0.3 pp
1960 8.1

Southern Asia, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The share of population living in urban settlements, as a percent of the total. One caveat is central: each country sets the criteria for a city itself — in some places it is a settlement of 2,000 residents or more, in others 20,000, in others administrative status. Cross-country comparisons of urbanization are therefore always approximate, while the trend within a single country is informative.

Important: Sharp jumps in individual years are usually explained not by people moving but by changes in the administrative boundaries of cities.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.