Demographics of Afghanistan explained

Place:	Afghanistan
Size Of Population:	41,128,771 (2022)
Birth:	35.14/1000 (2022)
Death:	6.91/1000 (2022)
Life:	62.88 years at birth (2022)
Major Ethnic:	Pashtuns, Tajik, Hazara
Minor Ethnic:	Aimaks, Uzbeks, Turkmens, Baloch, Gujjars, Nuristanis, Pamiris, Arabs etc.
Fertility:	4.52 children per woman (2022)
Nation:	Afghan
Growth:	2.56% (2022)
Infant Mortality:	44.8/1000 (2022)

The population of Afghanistan is around 35.7 million as of march 2024.^[1] The nation is composed of a multi-ethnic and multilingual society, reflecting its location astride historic trade and invasion routes between Central Asia, South Asia, and Western Asia. Ethnic groups in the country include Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, as well as smaller groups such as Baloch, Nuristani, Turkmen, Aimaq, Mongol and some others which are less known.^{[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]} Together they make up the contemporary Afghan people.

Approximately 46% of the population is under 15 years of age, and 74% of all Afghans live in rural areas.^[8] The average woman gives birth to five children during her entire life, the highest fertility rate outside of Africa. About 6.8% of all babies die in child-birth or infancy.^[8] The average life expectancy of the nation was reported in 2019 at around 63 years,^{[9] [10]} and only 0.04% of the population has HIV.

Persian (Dari) and Pashto are the official languages of the country. Dari functions as the inter-ethnic lingua franca for the vast majority. Pashto is widely used in the regions south of the Hindu Kush mountains and as far as the Indus River in neighbouring Pakistan. Uzbek and Turkmen are smaller languages spoken in parts of the north. Multilingualism is common throughout the country, especially in the major cities.

Up to 69.7% of the population practices Sunni Islam and belongs to the Hanafi Islamic law school, while 30–35% are followers of Shia Islam; the majority of whom belong to the Twelver branch, with smaller numbers of Ismailis. The remaining 0.3% practice other religions such as Sikhism and Hinduism. Excluding urban populations in the principal cities, most people are organised into tribal and other kinship-based groups, who follow their own traditional customs.

Population statistics

Anatol Lieven of Georgetown University in Qatar wrote in 2021 that "it may be noted that in the whole of modern Afghan history there has never been a census that could be regarded as remotely reliable."^[11]

Historical

The first nationwide census of Afghanistan was carried out only in 1979, but previously there had been scattered attempts to conduct censuses in individual cities.^[12] According to the 1876 census, Kabul had a population of 140,700 people.^[13] In Kandahar in 1891 a population census was carried out, according to which 31,514 people lived in the city, of which 16,064 were men and 15,450 were women.^[14]

In 1979 the total population was reported to be about 15.5 million.^{[15] [16]} From 1979 until the end of 1983, some 5 million people left the country to take shelter in neighbouring northwestern Pakistan and eastern Iran. This exodus was largely unchecked by any government. The Afghan government in 1983 reported a population of 15.96 million, which presumably included the exodus.^[17]

It is assumed that roughly 600,000 to as high as 2 million Afghans may have been killed during the various 1979–2001 wars.^[18] These figures are questionable and no attempt has ever been made to verify if they were actually killed or had moved to neighbouring countries as refugees.^[17]

Current and latest

See main article: List of cities in Afghanistan.

As of 2021, the total population of Afghanistan is around 37,466,414,^{[19] [20]} which includes the 3 million Afghan nationals living in both Pakistan and Iran. About 26% of the population is urbanite and the remaining 74% lives in rural areas.^[19]

Afghanistan's Central Statistics Organization (CSO) stated in 2011 that the total number of Afghans living inside Afghanistan was about 26 million^[21] and by 2017 it reached 29.2 million. Of this, 15 million are males and 14.2 million are females.^[22] The country's population is expected to reach 82 million by 2050.^[23]

Urban areas have experienced rapid population growth in the last decade, which is due to the return of over 5 million expats. The only city in Afghanistan with over a million residents is its capital, Kabul.

Age structure

0–14 years: 40.62% (male 7,562,703/female 7,321,646)
15-24 years: 21.26% (male 3,960,044/female 3,828,670)
25-54 years: 31.44% (male 5,858,675/female 5,661,887)
55-64 years: 4.01% (male 724,597/female 744,910)
65 years and over: 2.68% (male 451,852/female 528,831) (2020 est.)

Population growth rate

2.34% (2021)^[19]
country comparison to the world: 39

Urbanization

urbanisation population: 26% of the total population (2020)
rate of urbanisation: 3.37% annual rate of change (2015–20)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2020)

Vital statistics

UN estimates

Period	Population	Live births	Deaths	Rate of Natural change %	Crude Migration rate (per 1000)	CBR^1	CDR^1	NC^1	TFR^1	Life expectancy (in years)	IMR^1
1950	7,480,464	365303	283668	+1.09%		48.9	37.9	10.9	7.25	27.73	285.8
1951	7,571,542	372040	282577	+1.18%	0.2	49.1	37.3	11.8	7.26	27.96	283.6
1952	7,667,534	378290	280803	+1.27%	-0.2	49.3	36.6	12.7	7.26	28.45	278.8
1953	7,764,549	384933	279684	+1.35%	-1.0	49.5	36.0	13.5	7.27	28.93	273.9
1954	7,864,289	390412	280476	+1.40%	-1.3	49.6	35.6	14.0	7.25	29.23	269.4
1955	7,971,933	397156	277695	+1.50%	-1.5	49.8	34.8	15.0	7.26	29.92	264.1
1956	8,087,730	404134	277328	+1.57%	-1.4	49.9	34.3	15.7	7.27	30.41	259.3
1957	8,210,207	410977	276560	+1.64%	-1.5	50.0	33.7	16.4	7.26	30.95	254.4
1958	8,333,827	418266	275681	+1.71%	-2.3	50.1	33.0	17.1	7.27	31.51	249.5
1959	8,468,220	425334	274920	+1.78%	-1.9	50.2	32.5	17.8	7.28	32.04	244.9
1960	8,622,473	434057	275239	+1.84%	-0.5	50.3	31.9	18.4	7.28	32.54	240.5
1961	8,790,140	443319	275508	+1.91%	0	50.4	31.3	19.1	7.28	33.07	236.2
1962	8,969,055	453468	276593	+1.97%	0.2	50.6	30.8	19.7	7.29	33.55	232.2
1963	9,157,463	464225	277961	+2.03%	0.3	50.7	30.4	20.3	7.30	34.02	228.2
1964	9,355,510	475452	279368	+2.10%	0.2	50.8	29.9	21.0	7.30	34.49	224.3
1965	9,565,154	486406	281003	+2.15%	0.4	50.9	29.4	21.5	7.31	34.95	220.6
1966	9,783,153	498801	282463	+2.21%	0.2	51.0	28.9	22.1	7.32	35.45	216.6
1967	10,010,037	511245	284203	+2.27%	0.0	51.1	28.4	22.7	7.34	35.92	212.9
1968	10,247,782	524167	285867	+2.33%	-0.1	51.1	27.9	23.3	7.36	36.42	209.1
1969	10,494,491	537318	287557	+2.38%	-0.3	51.2	27.4	23.8	7.39	36.91	205.3
1970	10,752,973	549695	288979	+2.42%	-0.2	51.1	26.9	24.2	7.40	37.42	201.5
1971	11,015,853	564040	290646	+2.48%	-0.9	51.2	26.4	24.8	7.43	37.92	197.7
1972	11,286,753	577071	291819	+2.53%	-1.3	51.1	25.8	25.3	7.45	38.44	194.0
1973	11,575,308	591855	292915	+2.58%	-0.9	51.1	25.3	25.8	7.49	39.00	190.1
1974	11,869,881	607606	294363	+2.64%	-1.6	51.1	24.8	26.4	7.53	39.55	186.2
1975	12,157,390	621494	295301	+2.68%	-3.2	51.0	24.2	26.8	7.54	40.10	182.2
1976	12,425,276	635188	295770	+2.72%	-5.6	50.9	23.7	27.2	7.56	40.65	178.3
1977	12,687,308	648307	295112	+2.77%	-7.0	50.9	23.2	27.7	7.59	41.23	174.2
1978	12,938,864	660606	310376	+2.69%	-7.5	50.8	23.9	26.9	7.60	40.27	172.7
1979	12,986,378	671213	328042	+2.64%	-22.7	50.7	24.8	25.9	7.61	39.09	171.7
1980	12,486,640	660892	316937	+2.75%	-67.5	50.5	24.2	26.3	7.59	39.62	167.8
1981	11,155,196	614273	288555	+2.92%	-148.6	50.3	23.6	26.7	7.57	40.16	163.6
1982	10,088,290	520603.03	266040	+2.52%	-131.0	50.1	25.6	24.5	7.55	37.77	165.2
1983	9,951,447	503887	252318	+2.50%	-38.8	50.1	25.1	25.0	7.54	38.19	161.4
1984	10,243,689	506571	302824	+2.02%	8.3	50.2	30.0	20.2	7.51	33.33	169.7
1985	10,512,220	536861"	314987	+2.09%	4.6	50.6	29.7	20.9	7.52	33.55	166.4
1986	10,448,447	541017	252810	+2.76%	-33.7	50.7	23.7	27.0	7.52	39.40	150.3
1987	10,322,767"	535214	245107	+2.81%	-40.3	50.8	23.3	27.6	7.53	39.84	146.5
1988	10,383,459	531795	208051	+3.10%	-25.2	51.0	19.9	31.0	7.53	43.96	136.0
1989	10,673,172	546142	203321	+3.21%	-5.0	51.2	19.0	32.1	7.53	45.16	131.1
1990	10,694,804	567256	203514	+3.40%	-32.0	51.4	18.4	33.0	7.56	45.97	127.0
1991	10,745,168	555610	192531	+3.38%	-29.1	51.8	17.9	33.8	7.61	46.66	123.4
1992	12,057,436	578891	191913	+3.21%	76.7	51.9	17.2	34.7	7.66	47.60	118.3
1993	14,003,764	698469	199165	+3.57%	103.3	52.0	14.8	37.2	7.72	51.47	110.8
1994	15,455,560	789282	222214	+3.67%	57.2	52.2	14.7	37.5	7.72	51.50	107.0
1995	16,418,911	853355	230943	+3.80%	20.7	52.1	14.1	38.0	7.71	52.54	104.2
1996	17,106,600	886917	232991	+3.82%	2.0	51.9	13.6	38.2	7.71	53.24	101.2
1997	17,788,818	914412	237216	+3.81%	0.3	51.4	13.3	38.1	7.67	53.63	98.9
1998	18,493,134	940233	250677	+3.73%	0.8	50.9	13.6	37.3	7.64	52.94	97.0
1999	19,262,854	967977"	239604	+3.79%	2.1	50.4	12.5	37.9	7.60	54.85	93.4
2000	19,542,986	995813	242535	+3.76%	-23.3	49.7	12.1	37.6	7.53	55.30	90.8
2001	19,688,634	969246	231795	+3.73%	-29.9	49.0	11.7	37.3	7.45	55.80	88.4
2002	21,000,258	980458	229450	+3.58%	26.7	48.2	11.3	36.9	7.34	56.45	85.8
2003	22,645,136	1063246	240215	+3.63%	36.3	47.4	10.7	36.7	7.22	57.34	82.6
2004	23,553,554	1097160	243367	+3.61%	2.5	46.3	10.3	36.1	7.07	57.94	79.9
2005	24,411,196	1099366	241454	+3.53%	-0.2	45.3	9.9	35.3	6.91	58.36	77.5
2006	25,442,946	1136774	246037	+3.50%	5.6	44.7	9.7	35.0	6.72	58.68	74.9
2007	25,903,306	1156957	246898	+3.51%	-17.3	43.9	9.4	34.5	6.53	59.11	71.9
2008	26,427,204	1091824	232339	+3.27%	-12.9	41.5	8.8	32.7	6.38	59.85	69.2
2009	27,385,310	1128666	234065	+3.26%	2.4	41.2	8.5	32.6	6.24	60.36	67.2
2010	28,189,672	1147643	233308	+3.23%	-3.8	40.6	8.3	32.3	6.10	60.85	64.8
2011	29,249,156	1157518	230346	+3.19%	4.3	39.9	7.9	31.9	5.96	61.42	62.3
2012	30,466,484	1217396	234629	+3.23%	7.7	40.0	7.7	32.3	5.83	61.92	60.0
2013	31,541,216	1248455	235744	+3.21%	2.0	39.6	7.5	32.1	5.70	62.42	57.8
2014	32,716,214	1274665	241055	+3.17%	4.2	39.1	7.4	31.7	5.56	62.55	56.3
2015	33,753,500"	1315633	248560	+3.15%	-0.8	38.8	7.3	31.5	5.41	62.66	54.5
2016	34,636,212	1315746	245452	+3.09%	-5.4	37.9	7.1	30.9	5.26	63.14	52.5
2017	35,643,420	1332116	250677	+3.03%	-2.0	37.3	7.0	30.3	5.13	63.02	49.4
2018	36,686,788	1355895	256314	+2.99%	-1.5	36.9	7.0	29.9	5.00	63.08	47.8
2019	37,769,496	1377704	256564	+2.97%	-1.0	36.5	6.8	29.7	4.87	63.57	46.7
2020	38,972,236	1402265	276683	+2.89%	2.0	36.1	7.1	28.9	4.75	62.58	45.8
2021	40,099,460	1440941	295236	+2.85%	-0.4	35.8	7.3	28.5	4.64	61.98	44.7
2022	41,128,771			+2.82%	-3.2	35.14	6.91	28.23	4.52	62.88	44.8
2023	42,239,854								4.41	64.23	37.7
^1 CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births
Source:^[24]

Fertility and births

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):^[25]

Year	Total		Urban		Rural
	CBR	TFR	CBR	TFR	CBR	TFR
2010	35.6	5.1	34.7	4.5	35.9	5.2
2015	36.8	5.3 (4.4)	35.8	4.8 (3.7)	37.1	5.4 (4.6)

Fertility data by province (DHS Program):^[26]

Province	Total fertility rate (2015)
Kabul	4.6
Kapisa	4.8
Parwan	5.7
Wardak	4.2
Logar	4.2
Nangarhar	6.4
Laghman	7.3
Panjshir	3.2
Baghlan	4.4
Bamyan	5.4
Ghazni	2.8
Paktika	5.3
Paktia	5.2
Khost	5.6
Kunar	6.8
Nuristan	8.9
Badakhshan	5.3
Takhar	5.7
Kunduz	4.4
Samangan	5.1
Balkh	5.5
Sar-e Pol	4.8
Ghor	5.8
Daykundi	5.2
Urozgan	8.8
Zabul	5.1
Kandahar	6.5
Jawzjan	3.9
Faryab	6.2
Helmand	4.7
Badghis	6.6
Herat	4.8
Farah	5.4
Nimruz	5.4

Structure of the population

Structure of the population (2012.01.07) (Data refer to the settled population based on the 1979 Population Census and the latest household prelisting. The refugees of Afghanistan in Iran, Pakistan, and an estimated 1.5 million nomads, are not included):^[27]

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2012) (Data refer to the settled population based on the 1979 Population Census and the latest household prelisting. The refugees of Afghanistan in Iran, Pakistan, and an estimated 1.5 million nomads, are not included.):

Age Group	Male	Female	Total	%
Total	13,044,400	12,455,700	25,500,100	100
0–4	2,422,244	2,556,304	4,978,548	19.52
5–9	1,941,363	1,880,407	3,821,770	14.99
10–14	1,556,158	1,401,695	2,957,853	11.60
15–19	1,276,563	1,140,810	2,417,373	9.48
20–24	1,059,939	1,009,807	2,069,746	8.12
25–29	843 967	864 738	1,708,705	6.70
30–34	678 577	745 534	1,424,111	5.58
35–39	598 045	652 326	1,250,371	4.90
40–44	546 102	533 524	1,079,626	4.23
45–49	495 190	440 789	935 979	3.67
50–54	435 143	354 633	789 776	3.10
55–59	360 394	275 468	635 862	2.49
60–64	281 627	209 152	490 779	1.92
65–69	204 376	150 137	354 513	1.39
70–74	141 729	102 048	243 777	0.96
75–79	91 164	64 658	155 822	0.61
80–84	55 446	38 699	94 145	0.37
85+	56 373	34 971	91 344	0.36
Age group	Male	Female	Total	Percent
0-14	5,919,765	5,838,406	11,758,171	46.11
15–64	6,575,547	6,226,781	12,802,328	50.21
65+	549 088	390 513	939 601	3.68

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2020) (Data refer to the settled population based on the 1979 Population Census and the latest household prelisting. The refugees of Afghanistan in Iran, Pakistan, and an estimated 1.5 million nomads, are not included.):^[28]

Age Group	Male	Female	Total	%
Total	15,981,303	15,408,868	31,390,171	100
0–4	2,853,288	2,743,103	5,596,391	17.83
5–9	2,542,405	2,379,618	4,922,023	15.68
10–14	2,220,065	2,026,796	4,246,861	13.53
15–19	1,840,432	1,727,287	3,567,719	11.37
20–24	1,371,188	1,463,797	2,834,985	9.03
25–29	1,079,117	1,177,555	2,256,672	7.19
30–34	828 055	818 313	1,646,368	5.24
35–39	674 920	661 949	1,336,869	4.26
40–44	577 135	611 016	1,188,151	3.79
45–49	480 700	511 608	992 308	3.16
50–54	381 772	396 026	777 798	2.48
55–59	320 024	308 966	628 990	2.00
60–64	286 732	229 605	516 337	1.64
65-69	222 590	161 851	384 441	1.22
70-74	150 436	99 412	249 848	0.80
75-79	70 271	42 288	112 559	0.36
80-84	48 540	26 549	75 089	0.24
85+	33 633	23 129	56 762	0.18
Age group	Male	Female	Total	Percent
0–14	7,615,758	7,149,517	14,765,275	47.04
15–64	7,840,075	7,906,122	15,746,197	50.16
65+	525 470	353 229	878 699	2.80

Life expectancy (2023)

Source:^{[29] [30]}

• total: 54.1 years (lowest in the world)
• male: 52.5 years (lowest in the world)
• female: 55.7 years (lowest in the world)

Period	Life expectancy in Years	Period	Life expectancy in Years
1950–1955	28.6	1985–1990	47.7
1955–1960	31.1	1990–1995	51.7
1960–1965	33.4	1995–2000	54.2
1965–1970	35.6	2000–2005	56.9
1970–1975	37.8	2005–2010	60.0
1975–1980	40.4	2010–2015	62.3
1980–1985	43.6	2015-2020	63.2

Source: UN World Population Prospects^[31]

Development and health indicators

See main article: Health in Afghanistan, Healthcare in Afghanistan and Education in Afghanistan.

Literacy

Definition: People over the age of 15 that can read and write

Total population: 43% (2018)^[19]

Male: 55.5%

Female: 29.8%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 10 years
male: 13 years
female: 8 years (2018)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

0.04% (2015)^[19]

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

Up to 6,900 (2015 estimate)^{[19] [32]}

In 2008, health officials in Afghanistan reported 504^[33] cases of people living with HIV but by the end of 2012 the numbers reached 1,327. The nation's health ministry stated that most of the HIV patients were among intravenous drug users and that 70% of them were men, 25% women, and the remaining 5% children. They belonged to Kabul, Kandahar and Herat, the provinces from where people make the most trips to neighbouring and foreign countries.^[34] Regarding Kandahar, 22 cases were reported in 2012. "AIDS Prevention department head Dr Hamayoun Rehman said 1,320 blood samples were examined and 21 were positive. Among the 21 patients, 18 were males and three were females who contracted the deadly virus from their husbands. He said four people had reached a critical stage while three had died. The main source of the disease was the use of syringes used by drug addicts."^[35] There are approximately 23,000 addicts in the country who inject drugs into their bodies using syringes
country comparison to the world: 168

HIV/AIDS – deaths

Up to 300 (2015 estimate)^[19]

Major infectious diseases

Degree of risk: high

• Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhoea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
• Vector-borne diseases: malaria
• Animal contact diseases: rabies

Note: WH5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk as of 2009.

Ethnic groups

An approximate distribution of the ethnolinguistic groups are listed in the chart below:

Population of Afghanistan by Ethnic Group (%) and Total Population of Afghanistan (1950-2023)

Year	Total Population	Pashtuns (%)	Tajiks (%)	Hazaras (%)	Uzbeks (%)	Aimaks (%)	Turkmens (%)	Baloch (%)	Nuristanis (%)	Pamiris (%)	Others (%)
1950	7,480,460	35.94%	32.87%	15.67%	10.02%	1.51%	1.05%	0.82%	0.61%	0.71%	0.80%
1960	8,622,466	41.21%	29.96%	13.29%	10.04%	1.71%	1.12%	0.91%	0.63%	0.83%	0.30%
1970	10,752,971	39.11%	29.07%	12.72%	10.03%	1.82%	1.23%	1.02%	0.71%	0.91%	3.38%
1980	12,486,631	38.53%	28.47%	13.12%	10.04%	1.93%	1.31%	1.11%	0.73%	1.06%	3.70%
1990	10,694,796	36.43%	27.28%	13.31%	9.71%	2.03%	1.41%	1.23%	0.75%	1.05%	6.80%
2000	19,542,982	35.63%	26.68%	13.28%	8.91%	2.08%	1.42%	1.21%	0.74%	1.05%	9.00%
2011	29,249,157	41.35%	27.56%	13.79%	8.64%	2.11%	1.54%	1.32%	0.83%	1.06%	1.80%
2013	31,541,209	41.97%	26.96%	14.02%	8.51%	2.13%	1.55%	1.35%	0.82%	1.09%	1.60%
2023	42,239,854	39.97%	25.96%	14.98%	8.02%	2.13%	1.52%	1.29%	0.81%	1.32%	4.00%

Population of Afghanistan by Ethnic Group (1950-2023)

Year	Total Population	Pashtuns	Tajiks	Hazaras	Uzbeks	Aimaks	Turkmens	Baloch	Nuristanis	Pamiris	Others
1950	7,480,460	2,686,898	2,458,171	1,172,403	749,747	112,943	78,545	61,341	45,631	53,108	59,844
1960	8,622,466	3,552,209	2,583,639	1,145,145	865,740	147,448	96,574	78,466	54,324	71,566	25,867
1970	10,752,971	4,204,300	3,125,342	1,367,907	1,078,161	195,714	132,258	109,674	76,347	97,851	363,417
1980	12,486,631	4,808,617	3,553,701	1,637,724	1,253,735	240,982	163,573	138,602	91,153	132,360	461,184
1990	10,694,796	3,895,053	2,915,145	1,422,465	1,038,408	217,108	150,797	131,555	80,211	112,295	727,759
2000	19,542,982	6,960,338	5,214,158	2,594,898	1,741,306	406,497	277,507	236,466	144,621	205,202	1,758,868
2011	29,249,157	12,095,608	8,067,136	4,033,665	2,526,132	617,164	450,437	386,089	242,767	310,040	526,118
2013	31,541,209	13,230,634	8,493,515	4,417,161	2,681,228	671,559	489,198	426,037	259,025	344,158	504,659
2023	42,239,854	16,886,189	10,957,637	6,321,916	3,386,262	899,473	641,740	545,694	342,319	557,047	1,689,594

Ethnic groups in Afghanistan based on alternative estimates

Ethnic group	Image	^[36]	^[37]	^[38] ^[39] ^[40]
Pashtun		45%	42%	38–50%
Tajik		align=center rowspan="2"	33%	27%	20–25.3%
Hazara		9%	12–19%
Uzbek		7%	9%	6–8%
Aimak		–	4%	–
Turkmen		3%	3%	2.5%
Baloch		1%	2%	–
Others (Pashai, Nuristani, Arab, Brahui, Qizilbash, Pamiri, etc.)		11%	4%	1–12%

The recent estimate in the above chart is somewhat supported by the below national opinion polls, which were aimed at knowing how a group of about 804 to 8,706 local residents in Afghanistan felt about the current war, political situation, as well as the economic and social issues affecting their daily lives. Ten surveys were conducted between 2004 and 2015 by the Asia Foundation (a sample is shown in the table below; the survey in 2015 did not contain information on the ethnicity of the participants) and one between 2004 and 2009 by a combined effort of the broadcasting companies NBC News, BBC, and ARD.^{[41] [42]}

Answers regarding ethnicity provided by 804 to 13,943 Afghans in national opinion polls

Ethnic group
Pashtun	46%	40%	42%	38%	40.1%	40%	40%	40%	37%	39%
Tajik	39%	37%	37%	38%	35.1%	37%	33%	36%	37%	37%
Hazara	6%	13%	12%	6%	10.0%	11%	11%	10%	10%	11%
Uzbek	6%	6%	5%	6%	8.1%	7%	9%	8%	9%	8%
Aimak	0%	0%	0%	0%	0.8%	0%	1%	1%	1%	<0.5%
Turkmen	1%	1%	3%	2%	3.1%	2%	2%	2%	2%	2%
Baloch	0%	0%	0%	3%	0.7%	1%	1%	1%	1%	<0.5%
Others (Pashayi, Nuristani, Kurdish, Arab, Qizilbash.)	3%	3%	1%	5%	2.1%	3%	3%	2%	2%	3%
Don't know	align=center	-%	align=center	-%	align=center	-%	align=center	-%	align=center	-%	align=center	-%	align=center	-%	align=center	-%	1%	align=center	-%

Languages

Dari and Pashto are both official languages of Afghanistan.^[43]

Uzbek and Turkmen are spoken as native languages in northern provinces, mainly among the Uzbeks and Turkmens. Smaller number of Afghans are also fluent in English, Urdu, Balochi, Arabic and other languages. An approximate distribution of languages spoken in the country is shown in the chart below:

Languages of Afghanistan

Language	^[44]	^[45] ^[46]
Dari Persian (incl. Eastern, Hazaragi & Aimaqi)	align=center	78%	align=center	37-62% (incl. 25-50% Eastern, 9% Hazaragi & 3% Aimaqi)
Pashto (incl. Northern and Southern)	align=center	48%	align=center	78-90%
Uzbek	align=center	11%	align=center	9%
English	align=center	6%	align=center
Turkmen	align=center	3%	align=center	500,000 speakers
Urdu	align=center	3%	align=center
Pashayi	align=center	1%	align=center
Nuristani	align=center	1%	align=center
Arabic	align=center	1%	align=center
Balochi	align=center	1%	align=center	200,000
^1 note: data represent most widely spoken languages; shares sum to more than 100% because there is much bilingualism in the country and because respondents were allowed to select more than one language note: the Turkic languages Uzbek and Turkmen, as well as Balochi, Pashayi, Nuristani, and Pamiri are the third official languages in areas where the majority speaks them

Based on information from the latest national opinion polls, up to 51% stated that they can speak or understand Pashto and up to 79% stated that they can speak or understand Dari. Uzbek was spoken or understood by up to 11% and Turkmen by up to 7%. Other languages that can be spoken are Arabic (4%) and Balochi (2%).^{[41] [42]}

Religion

See main article: Religion in Afghanistan. Almost the entire Afghan population is Muslim, with less than 1% being non-Muslim. Despite attempts to secularise Afghan society, Islamic practices pervade all aspects of life. Likewise, Islamic religious tradition and codes, together with traditional practices, provide the principal means of controlling personal conduct and settling legal disputes. Islam was used as the main basis for expressing opposition to the progressive reforms of Afghanistan by King Amanullah in the 1920s.

The members of Sikh and Hindu communities are mostly concentrated in urban areas. They numbered hundreds of thousands in the 1970s but over 90% have since fled due to the Afghan wars and persecution.^[47]

• Islam

99.7% of the total population

• • Sunni Muslim

84.7–89.7%^[48]

• • Shia Muslim

7^[48] -15%

• others

0.3%

• • Baha'is In the hundreds
  • Sikhism

In the hundreds

• • Hinduism

In the hundreds

• • Zoroastrianism

Unknown/unreported

• • Christianity

Unknown

• • Judaism

0^{[49] [50]}

• • Buddhism

Unknown

National opinion polls (religion)

Religion
Sunni Islam	92%	"	87.3%	"	"	"	"	"
Shia Islam	7%	"	12.3%	"	"	"	"	"
Ismailism	1%	"	0.4%	"	"	"	"	"
Hinduism	0%	"	0.1%	"	"	"	"	"
Buddhism	0%	"	0%	"	"	"	"	"
Sikhism	0%	"	0%	"	"	"	"	"

See also

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

Further reading

• Banting, Erinn. Afghanistan the People. Crabtree Publishing Company, 2003. .
• Caroe, Olaf (1958). The Pathans: 500 B.C.-A.D. 1957. Oxford in Asia Historical Reprints. Oxford University Press, 1983. .
• Dupree, Nancy Hatch. An Historical Guide to Afghanistan. 2nd Edition. Revised and Enlarged. Afghan Air Authority, Afghan Tourist Organization, 1977.
• Elphinstone, Mountstuart. 1819. An account of the kingdom of Caubul, and its dependencies in Persia, Tartary, and India: Comprising a view of the Afghaun nation, and a history of the Dooraunee monarchy. Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, and J. Murry, 1819.
• Habibi, Abdul Hai. 2003. "Afghanistan: An Abridged History." Fenestra Books. .
• Hopkins, B. D. 2008. The Making of Modern Afghanistan. Palgrave Macmillan, 2008. .
• Reddy, L. R. Inside Afghanistan: end of the Taliban era?. APH Publishing, 2002. .
• Amy Romano. A Historical Atlas of Afghanistan. The Rosen Publishing Group, 2003. .
• Vogelsang, Willem. The Afghans. Wiley-Blackwell, 2002. Oxford, UK & Massachusetts, US. .

External links

• National Statistic and Information Authority (NSIA)
• Afghanistan - USAID
• Afghanistan – Naval Postgraduate School
• Afghan refugees in Pakistan - UNHCR

Notes and References

1. Web site: NSIA Afghanistan 2024 estimations.
2. . Iwamura . Shinobu . Hunting for the Génghis Khanid Mongols in Afghanistan . Japan Quarterly . 3 . 2 . April 1956 . 213 .
3. Web site: Mongolian .
4. Web site: Mongolian .
5. Web site: Mongolian languages summary | Britannica .
6. News: Critics: New Categories on Afghan IDs Will Incite Ethnic Tension . TOLOnews . 17 March 2021 . 17 March 2021.
7. What Chance for Afghanistan?. Anatol. Lieven. 21 April 2016. The New York Review of Books. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160422124057/https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2016/04/21/what-chance-for-afghanistan/. 22 April 2016.
8. Web site: Afghanistan. 27 November 2016 . UNESCO. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170510121322/http://uis.unesco.org/country/AF. 10 May 2017.
9. Web site: Afghanistan . 1 March 2021 . World Health Organization (WHO).
10. Web site: 2020 . Afghanistan . 1 March 2021 . United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
11. Lieven. Anatol. An Afghan Tragedy: The Pashtuns, the Taliban and the State. Survival: Global Politics and Strategy. 63. 2021. 3 . 7–36. 10.1080/00396338.2021.1930403. free.
12. http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/census-ii CENSUS ii. In Afghanistan
13. (Gazetteer of Afghanistan VI, p. 333).
14. Kandahar Newsletter, 10 August 1891, IOR L/P & S/7/63/1295
15. "United Nations and Afghanistan". UN News Centre. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
16. Web site: Chapter 2. The Society and Its Environment . https://web.archive.org/web/20011103001515/https://www.gl.iit.edu/govdocs/afghanistan/Afghanistan-Chapter2.pdf . 3 November 2001. Afghanistan Country Study . . 105–06 . 12 October 2010.
17. Web site: Population . U.S. Library of Congress . 2008 . 12 October 2010 . live . https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20110719220830/https://countrystudies.us/afghanistan/36.htm . 19 July 2011 .
18. Web site: Afghanistan (1979–2001) . 12 October 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20110305175626/https://necrometrics.com/20c1m.htm#Afghanistan . 5 March 2011 .
19. Web site: Afghanistan . The World Factbook . CIA . 1 March 2021.
20. Web site: Afghanistan . Worldmeters . worldmeters.info . 30 May 2019.
21. News: Afghanistan's population reaches 26m . Pajhwok Afghan News . Mohammad Jawad Sharifzada . 20 November 2011 . 5 December 2011 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20130101074433/https://www.pajhwok.com/en/2011/11/20/afghanistans-population-reaches-26m . 1 January 2013.
22. News: Afghan Population 29.2 Million . pajhwok.com. 10 May 2017 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171011103545/https://www.pajhwok.com/en/node/483787. 11 October 2017. Hamdard . Azizullah .
23. Web site: Afghanistan – Population Reference Bureau . . 29 December 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131202224051/http://www.prb.org/Countries/Afghanistan.aspx . 2 December 2013 .
24. Web site: World Population Prospects - Population Division - United Nations . 13 July 2022 . United Nations.
25. Web site: The DHS Program - Quality information to plan, monitor and improve population, health, and nutrition programs . 30 June 2014 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20141019172926/http://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR248/FR248.pdf . 19 October 2014 .
26. Web site: STATcompiler. statcompiler.com. 17 February 2020.
27. Web site: United Nations Statistics Division - Demographic and Social Statistics. United Nations. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160331074931/https://unstats.un.org/UNSD/Demographic/products/dyb/dyb2013.htm. 31 March 2016.
28. Web site: Demographic Yearbook – 2020 . . New York . 18 May 2022.
29. Web site: 2024-01-22 . List of Countries by Life Expectancy 2023 life —— lines . 2024-04-03 . en-US.
30. Web site: Life expectancy at birth - The World Factbook . 2024-04-03 . www.cia.gov.
31. Web site: World Population Prospects – Population Division – United Nations. 15 July 2017.
32. News: 50pc surge in HIV cases, says Dalil . Pajhwok Afghan News . 3 December 2011 . 5 December 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130523205800/https://www.pajhwok.com/en/2011/12/03/50pc-surge-hiv-cases-says-dalil . 23 May 2013 .
33. https://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/afghanistan_46717.html Children at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS in Afghanistan
34. News: Over 1,300 HIV cases registered in Afghanistan . Pajhwok Afghan News . 1 December 2012 . 2 December 2012 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20130523205512/https://www.pajhwok.com/en/2012/12/01/over-1300-hiv-cases-registered-afghanistan . 23 May 2013 .
35. News: AIDS patients have doubled in Kandahar: Official . Pajhwok Afghan News . 2 December 2012 . 3 December 2012 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20130523194028/https://www.pajhwok.com/en/2012/12/02/aids-patients-have-doubled-kandahar-official . 23 May 2013 .
36. Web site: Afghanistan: Country data and statistics . 17 March 2024 . 4 January 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240104193327/https://www.worlddata.info/asia/afghanistan/index.php . bot: unknown .
37. Web site: The World Factbook . cia.gov . 11 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131014200908/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2075.html?countryName=Afghanistan&countryCode=af&regionCode=sas&#af . 14 October 2013 . dead.
38. Web site: The World Factbok – Afghanistan. Ethnic divisions: 50% Pashtun, 25% Tajik, 9% Uzbek, 12-15% Hazara[,] minor ethnic groups include Chahar Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others […] Language: 50% Pashtu, 35% Afghan Persian (Dari), 11% Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen), 4% thirty minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai)[,] much bilingualism. The World Factbook/Central Intelligence Agency. University of Missouri. 15 October 1991. 20 March 2011. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20110427053700/https://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/wofact90/world12.txt. 27 April 2011.
39. Web site: Ethnic Groups. In 1996, approximately 40 percent of Afghans were Pashtun, 11.4 of whom are of the Durrani tribal group and 13.8 percent of the Ghilzai group. Tajiks make up the second largest ethnic group with 25.3 percent of the population, followed by Hazaras, 18 percent; Uzbeks, 6.3 percent; Turkmen, 2.5 percent; Qizilbash, 1.0; 6.9 percent other. The usual caveat regarding statistics is particularly appropriate here.. Library of Congress Country Studies. 1997. 8 October 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090110132651/https://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd%2Fcstdy%3A%40field%28DOCID+af0037%29. 10 January 2009.
40. Web site: PEOPLE – Ethnic divisions. Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 6%, Hazara 19%; minor ethnic groups include Chahar Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others. The World Factbook/Central Intelligence Agencyu. University of Missouri. 22 January 1993. 20 March 2011. 9 October 1999. https://web.archive.org/web/19991009201426/https://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/wofact92/wf930006.txt. dead.
41. See:
    • Web site: Afghanistan in 2019 – A survey of the Afghan people . 277 . D-14. Which ethnic group do you belong to? . . Kabul, Afghanistan . 15 September 2021 . https://archive.today/20210915152910/https://asiafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2019_Afghan_Survey_Full-Report_.pdf . 15 September 2021.
    • Web site: Afghanistan in 2018 – A survey of the Afghan people . 243 . D-14. WHICH ETHNIC GROUP DO YOU BELONG TO? . . Kabul, Afghanistan . 31 December 2018 . 7 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190807211241/https://asiafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/2018_Afghan-Survey_fullReport-12.4.18.pdf . dead.
    • Web site: Afghanistan in 2012 – A survey of the Afghan people . 182 . Ethnicity Status . . Kabul, Afghanistan . 28 November 2012 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20121115230323/https://asiafoundation.org/resources/pdfs/Surveybook2012web1.pdf . 15 November 2012.
    • Web site: Afghanistan in 2010 – A survey of the Afghan people . 225–226 . D-9. Which ethnic group do you belong to? SINGLE RESPONSE ONLY Pashtun 48%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 9%, Hazara 10%, Turkmen 2%, Baloch 1%, Nuristani 1%, Aimak 2%, Arab 2% . The Asia Foundation . Kabul, Afghanistan . 2010 . 20 March 2011 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20110719221519/https://asiafoundation.org/resources/pdfs/Afghanistanin2010survey.pdf . 19 July 2011.
    • Web site: Afghanistan in 2009: A Survey of the Afghan People . The 2009 survey interviewed 6,406 Afghans (53% men and 47% women) . The Asia Foundation . Kabul, Afghanistan . 28 November 2012 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20120907040332/https://asiafoundation.org/resources/pdfs/Afghanistanin2009.pdf . 7 September 2012.
    • Web site: Afghanistan in 2010 – A survey of the Afghan people . The 2008 survey interviewed 6,593 Afghans... . The Asia Foundation . Kabul, Afghanistan . 28 November 2012 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20120905002127/https://asiafoundation.org/resources/pdfs/Afghanistanin2008.pdf . 5 September 2012.
    • Web site: Afghanistan in 2007 – A survey of the Afghan people . 225–226 . The 2007 survey interviewed 6,406 Afghans, Which ethnic group do you belong to? SINGLE RESPONSE ONLY Pashtun 55%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 8%, Hazara 15%, Turkmen 8%, Baloch 1%, Nuristani 1%, Aimak 1%, Arab 1% . The Asia Foundation . Kabul, Afghanistan . 2010 . 20 March 2011 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20110813043634/https://www.asiafoundation.org/resources/pdfs/AGsurvey07.pdf . 13 August 2011.
    • Web site: Afghanistan in 2006 – A survey of the Afghan people . 83–88 . A total of 6,226 respondents were surveyed in the study, out of which 4888 (78.5%) were from the rural areas and 1338 (22%) were from the urban areas. Ethnicity: Pashtun 40.9, Tajik 37.1, Uzbek 9.2, Hazara 9.2, Turkmen 1.7, Baloch 0.5, Nuristani 0.4, Aimak 0.1, Arab 0.7, Pashayi 0.3 . The Asia Foundation . Kabul, Afghanistan . 28 November 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120413085751/https://www.asiafoundation.org/pdf/AG-survey06.pdf . 13 April 2012.
    • Web site: Afghanistan in 2004 – A survey of the Afghan people . The 2004 survey interviewed 804 Afghans, Which ethnic group do you belong to? Pashtun 40%, Tajik 39%, Uzbek 6%, Hazara 6%, Turkmen 1%, Baloch 0%, Nuristani 1%, Aimak 0%, Arab 1%, Pashaye 0%, Other 1%. . The Asia Foundation . Kabul, Afghanistan . 2004 . 28 November 2012 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20120906011313/https://asiafoundation.org/resources/pdfs/afghanvotered04.pdf . 6 September 2012.
42. Web site: ABC NEWS/BBC/ARD poll - Afghanistan: Where Things Stand. 38–40. ABC News. Kabul, Afghanistan. 29 October 2010. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20110628130800/https://abcnews.go.com/images/PollingUnit/1083a1Afghanistan2009.pdf . 28 June 2011.
43. Web site: Article Sixteen of the Constitution of Afghanistan. From among the languages of Pashto, Dari, Uzbeki, Turkmani, Baluchi, Pashai, Nuristani, Pamiri (alsana), Arab and other languages spoken in the country, Pashto and Dari are the official languages of the state.. 2004. 25 July 2012. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20131028065437/http://www.afghan-web.com/politics/current_constitution.html#preamble. 28 October 2013.
44. Web site: Languages - the World Factbook.
45. Web site: AFGHANISTAN v. Languages. A. Official languages. Pashto (1) is the language most spoken in Afghanistan. The native tongue of 65-70% of the population. Persian (2) is the native tongue of 30-35% of Afghans. Persian is split into numerous dialects.. Ch. M. Kieffer. Encyclopædia Iranica. 10 October 2010. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20110429162829/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/afghanistan-v-languages. 29 April 2011.
46. Web site: Languages of Afghanistan . SIL International . . 18 September 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090130093407/http://www.ethnologue.com/14/show_country.asp?name=Afghanistan . 30 January 2009 .
47. Web site: Nearly 99% Of Hindus, Sikhs Left Afghanistan in Last Three decades . TOLOnews. 20 June 2016.
48. Web site: Chapter 1: Religious Affiliation. 9 August 2012. The World's Muslims: Unity and Diversity. Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. 4 September 2013. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20161226113158/http://www.pewforum.org/2012/08/09/the-worlds-muslims-unity-and-diversity-1-religious-affiliation/#identity. 26 December 2016.
49. News: Last Jew in Afghanistan en route to US: report . The New Arab . 7 September 2021 . 17 September 2021 .
50. News: Kabul, with Jewish population of 1, still suffers from widespread anti-Semitism. Ezzatullah. Mehrdad. 9 September 2021. 16 July 2019. The Times of Israel.