Terrorist attacks, deaths and injuries in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Terrorist attacks, deaths and injuries was 1,453 attacks in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Terrorist attacks, deaths and injuries in Afghanistan, 1970–2021
Source: National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in attacks.
Analysis
The most recent figure for terrorist attacks, deaths and injuries in Afghanistan is 1,453 attacks, measured in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 44.2% on the previous year and up 245.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrorist attacks, deaths and injuries in Afghanistan peaked at 2,604 attacks in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0 attacks, in 1970.
That places Afghanistan 1st out of 188 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Terrorist attacks, deaths and injuries in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | attacks | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1971 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1972 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1973 | 1 attacks | — |
| 1974 | 0 attacks | -100.0% |
| 1975 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1976 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1977 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1978 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1979 | 3 attacks | — |
| 1980 | 0 attacks | -100.0% |
| 1981 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1982 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1983 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1984 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1985 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1986 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1987 | 1 attacks | — |
| 1988 | 11 attacks | +1000.0% |
| 1989 | 10 attacks | -9.1% |
| 1990 | 2 attacks | -80.0% |
| 1991 | 30 attacks | +1400.0% |
| 1992 | 36 attacks | +20.0% |
| 1994 | 9 attacks | -75.0% |
| 1995 | 6 attacks | -33.3% |
| 1996 | 4 attacks | -33.3% |
| 1997 | 1 attacks | -75.0% |
| 1998 | 1 attacks | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 9 attacks | +800.0% |
| 2000 | 14 attacks | +55.6% |
| 2001 | 14 attacks | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 38 attacks | +171.4% |
| 2003 | 100 attacks | +163.2% |
| 2004 | 88 attacks | -12.0% |
| 2005 | 155 attacks | +76.1% |
| 2006 | 283 attacks | +82.6% |
| 2007 | 342 attacks | +20.8% |
| 2008 | 414 attacks | +21.1% |
| 2009 | 503 attacks | +21.5% |
| 2010 | 542 attacks | +7.8% |
| 2011 | 421 attacks | -22.3% |
| 2012 | 1,469 attacks | +248.9% |
| 2013 | 1,443 attacks | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 1,824 attacks | +26.4% |
| 2015 | 1,928 attacks | +5.7% |
| 2016 | 1,616 attacks | -16.2% |
| 2017 | 1,415 attacks | -12.4% |
| 2018 | 1,777 attacks | +25.6% |
| 2019 | 1,806 attacks | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 2,604 attacks | +44.2% |
| 2021 | 1,453 attacks | -44.2% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 1,453 attacks is above the median for low income countries, which is 13 attacks, 111.8× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 1,453 attacks is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 4 attacks, 363.2× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Terrorist attacks, deaths and injuries 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +1400.0% | 2 attacks | 30 attacks |
| 1988 | +1000.0% | 1 attacks | 11 attacks |
| 1999 | +800.0% | 1 attacks | 9 attacks |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.4 attacks | 0 attacks | 3 attacks | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.2 attacks | 0 attacks | 11 attacks | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.89 attacks | 1 attacks | 36 attacks | 9 |
| 2000s | 195.1 attacks | 14 attacks | 503 attacks | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,424 attacks | 421 attacks | 1,928 attacks | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,028 attacks | 1,453 attacks | 2,604 attacks | 2 |
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 terrorist attacks, deaths and injuries in Afghanistan?
- Terrorist attacks, deaths and injuries in Afghanistan was 1,453 attacks in 2021, according to National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest terrorist attacks, deaths and injuries recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 2,604 attacks in 2020.
- What is the lowest terrorist attacks, deaths and injuries recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 attacks in 1970.
- How does Afghanistan rank for terrorist attacks, deaths and injuries?
- Afghanistan ranks 1st out of 188 countries with data for 2021.
- Is terrorist attacks, deaths and injuries rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 245.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Terrorist attacks, deaths and injuries. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total number of terrorist attacks.