Number of airline passengers per year in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Number of airline passengers per year was 1.03 million in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Number of airline passengers per year in Afghanistan, 1970–2023
Source: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of airline passengers per year in Afghanistan is 1.03 million, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 10.9% on the previous year and down 49.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of airline passengers per year in Afghanistan peaked at 2.28 million in 2011 and was at its lowest, 52,700, in 1998.
Afghanistan ranks 100th of 183 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of airline passengers per year in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 84,700 | — |
| 1971 | 97,400 | +15.0% |
| 1972 | 104,900 | +7.7% |
| 1973 | 96,600 | -7.9% |
| 1974 | 96,100 | -0.5% |
| 1975 | 99,000 | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 101,700 | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 111,200 | +9.3% |
| 1978 | 100,400 | -9.7% |
| 1979 | 93,000 | -7.4% |
| 1980 | 76,200 | -18.1% |
| 1981 | 129,100 | +69.4% |
| 1982 | 181,000 | +40.2% |
| 1983 | 200,200 | +10.6% |
| 1984 | 220,400 | +10.1% |
| 1985 | 225,500 | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 184,400 | -18.2% |
| 1987 | 217,900 | +18.2% |
| 1988 | 201,000 | -7.8% |
| 1989 | 220,000 | +9.5% |
| 1990 | 241,400 | +9.7% |
| 1991 | 212,300 | -12.1% |
| 1992 | 212,300 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 197,000 | -7.2% |
| 1994 | 238,400 | +21.0% |
| 1995 | 250,400 | +5.0% |
| 1996 | 255,600 | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 89,600 | -64.9% |
| 1998 | 52,700 | -41.2% |
| 1999 | 140,200 | +166.0% |
| 2000 | 149,705 | +6.8% |
| 2010 | 2.00 million | +1235.4% |
| 2011 | 2.28 million | +14.0% |
| 2012 | 1.74 million | -23.8% |
| 2013 | 2.04 million | +17.6% |
| 2014 | 2.21 million | +8.1% |
| 2015 | 1.93 million | -12.7% |
| 2016 | 1.92 million | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 1.65 million | -14.1% |
| 2018 | 1.13 million | -31.7% |
| 2019 | 1.07 million | -5.2% |
| 2020 | 449,041 | -57.9% |
| 2021 | 293,213 | -34.7% |
| 2022 | 1.16 million | +294.7% |
| 2023 | 1.03 million | -10.9% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 1.03 million is above the median for low income countries, which is 48,278, 21.4× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 1.03 million is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 6.44 million, 16% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of airline passengers per year in Afghanistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +1235.4% | 149,705 | 2.00 million |
| 2022 | +294.7% | 293,213 | 1.16 million |
| 1999 | +166.0% | 52,700 | 140,200 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 98,500 | 84,700 | 111,200 | 10 |
| 1980s | 185,570 | 76,200 | 225,500 | 10 |
| 1990s | 188,990 | 52,700 | 255,600 | 10 |
| 2000s | 149,705 | 149,705 | 149,705 | 1 |
| 2010s | 1.80 million | 1.07 million | 2.28 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 732,764 | 293,213 | 1.16 million | 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 airline passengers per year in Afghanistan?
- Number of airline passengers per year in Afghanistan was 1.03 million in 2023, according to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of airline passengers per year recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 2.28 million in 2011.
- What is the lowest number of airline passengers per year recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 52,700 in 1998.
- How does Afghanistan rank for number of airline passengers per year?
- Afghanistan ranks 100th out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of airline passengers per year rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 49.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of airline passengers per year. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This represents the total rather than unique passenger activity: this means a person who makes multiple trips is counted multiple times.