Number of children under 5 in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Number of children under 5 was 6.66 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
6.66 million people
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
20th
of 236 countries
All-time high
6.66 million people
in 2023
All-time low
1.30 million people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children under 5 in Afghanistan, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2023, number of children under 5 in Afghanistan stood at 6.66 million people. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 18.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children under 5 in Afghanistan peaked at 6.66 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.30 million people, in 1950.
Afghanistan ranks 20th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of children under 5 in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.30 million people | — |
| 1951 | 1.30 million people | +0.4% |
| 1952 | 1.31 million people | +0.6% |
| 1953 | 1.32 million people | +0.9% |
| 1954 | 1.34 million people | +1.4% |
| 1955 | 1.37 million people | +2.0% |
| 1956 | 1.40 million people | +2.4% |
| 1957 | 1.43 million people | +2.4% |
| 1958 | 1.47 million people | +2.3% |
| 1959 | 1.50 million people | +2.4% |
| 1960 | 1.54 million people | +2.6% |
| 1961 | 1.58 million people | +2.7% |
| 1962 | 1.63 million people | +2.7% |
| 1963 | 1.67 million people | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 1.72 million people | +2.9% |
| 1965 | 1.77 million people | +2.9% |
| 1966 | 1.82 million people | +2.9% |
| 1967 | 1.88 million people | +3.0% |
| 1968 | 1.93 million people | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 1.99 million people | +3.0% |
| 1970 | 2.05 million people | +3.1% |
| 1971 | 2.12 million people | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 2.18 million people | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 2.25 million people | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 2.31 million people | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 2.38 million people | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 2.44 million people | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 2.51 million people | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 2.57 million people | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 2.58 million people | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 2.50 million people | -3.3% |
| 1981 | 2.27 million people | -9.1% |
| 1982 | 2.09 million people | -7.8% |
| 1983 | 2.08 million people | -0.6% |
| 1984 | 2.13 million people | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 2.17 million people | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 2.18 million people | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 2.19 million people | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 2.24 million people | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 2.33 million people | +4.3% |
| 1990 | 2.39 million people | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 2.45 million people | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 2.69 million people | +9.5% |
| 1993 | 3.05 million people | +13.6% |
| 1994 | 3.35 million people | +9.8% |
| 1995 | 3.55 million people | +6.0% |
| 1996 | 3.72 million people | +4.8% |
| 1997 | 3.88 million people | +4.3% |
| 1998 | 4.03 million people | +3.8% |
| 1999 | 4.17 million people | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 4.20 million people | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 4.20 million people | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 4.39 million people | +4.4% |
| 2003 | 4.62 million people | +5.2% |
| 2004 | 4.72 million people | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 4.82 million people | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 4.94 million people | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 4.94 million people | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 4.97 million people | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 5.07 million people | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 5.16 million people | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 5.29 million people | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 5.46 million people | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 5.61 million people | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 5.77 million people | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 5.90 million people | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 5.99 million people | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 6.10 million people | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 6.22 million people | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 6.34 million people | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 6.48 million people | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 6.57 million people | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 6.59 million people | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 6.66 million people | +1.0% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 6.66 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 3.35 million people, 2.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 6.66 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 901,969 people, 7.4× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.38 million people | 1.30 million people | 1.50 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.76 million people | 1.54 million people | 1.99 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.34 million people | 2.05 million people | 2.58 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.22 million people | 2.08 million people | 2.50 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.33 million people | 2.39 million people | 4.17 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.69 million people | 4.20 million people | 5.07 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.78 million people | 5.16 million people | 6.34 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.57 million people | 6.48 million people | 6.66 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More reference data data for Afghanistan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.8991 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4362 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 6.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.847 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 18.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.38 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of children under 5 in Afghanistan?
- Number of children under 5 in Afghanistan was 6.66 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of children under 5 recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 6.66 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of children under 5 recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.30 million people in 1950.
- How does Afghanistan rank for number of children under 5?
- Afghanistan ranks 20th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children under 5 rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of children under 5. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 0-4.