Number of terrorist attacks in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Number of terrorist attacks was 1,453 attacks in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Number of terrorist attacks 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
In 2021, number of terrorist attacks in Afghanistan stood at 1,453 attacks.
The figure is down 44.2% on the previous year and up 245.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of terrorist attacks 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.
Number of terrorist attacks 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 Number of terrorist attacks 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 number of terrorist attacks in Afghanistan?
- Number of terrorist attacks 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 number of terrorist attacks recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 2,604 attacks in 2020.
- What is the lowest number of terrorist attacks recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 attacks in 1970.
- How does Afghanistan rank for number of terrorist attacks?
- Afghanistan ranks 1st out of 188 countries with data for 2021.
- Is number of terrorist attacks 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 Number of terrorist attacks. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total number of terrorist attacks.