Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 25.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
25.9%
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
222nd
of 238 countries
All-time high
25.9%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Afghanistan, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 25.9% for do more people live in urban or rural areas? in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Afghanistan peaked at 25.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
That places Afghanistan 222nd out of 238 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 0.2% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 0.4% | +80.5% |
| 1720 | 0.4% | +12.5% |
| 1730 | 0.5% | +12.5% |
| 1740 | 0.5% | +12.5% |
| 1750 | 0.6% | +12.5% |
| 1760 | 0.7% | +12.5% |
| 1770 | 0.7% | +12.5% |
| 1780 | 0.8% | +12.5% |
| 1790 | 0.9% | +12.5% |
| 1800 | 1.0% | +12.5% |
| 1810 | 1.2% | +12.5% |
| 1820 | 1.3% | +12.5% |
| 1830 | 1.5% | +12.5% |
| 1840 | 1.7% | +12.5% |
| 1850 | 1.9% | +12.5% |
| 1860 | 2.1% | +12.5% |
| 1870 | 2.4% | +12.5% |
| 1880 | 2.7% | +12.5% |
| 1890 | 3.0% | +12.5% |
| 1900 | 3.4% | +12.5% |
| 1910 | 3.8% | +12.5% |
| 1920 | 4.3% | +12.5% |
| 1930 | 4.8% | +12.5% |
| 1940 | 5.4% | +12.5% |
| 1950 | 5.8% | +6.6% |
| 1951 | 5.9% | +2.8% |
| 1952 | 6.1% | +3.1% |
| 1953 | 6.3% | +3.4% |
| 1954 | 6.6% | +3.6% |
| 1955 | 6.8% | +3.7% |
| 1956 | 7.1% | +3.7% |
| 1957 | 7.3% | +3.7% |
| 1958 | 7.6% | +3.6% |
| 1959 | 7.9% | +3.5% |
| 1960 | 8.1% | +3.4% |
| 1961 | 8.4% | +3.3% |
| 1962 | 8.7% | +3.3% |
| 1963 | 8.9% | +3.2% |
| 1964 | 9.2% | +3.2% |
| 1965 | 9.5% | +3.2% |
| 1966 | 9.8% | +3.2% |
| 1967 | 10.2% | +3.3% |
| 1968 | 10.5% | +3.3% |
| 1969 | 10.8% | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 11.2% | +3.5% |
| 1971 | 11.7% | +3.9% |
| 1972 | 12.2% | +4.3% |
| 1973 | 12.7% | +4.4% |
| 1974 | 13.2% | +4.3% |
| 1975 | 13.8% | +4.0% |
| 1976 | 14.3% | +3.7% |
| 1977 | 14.7% | +3.2% |
| 1978 | 15.1% | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 15.4% | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 15.7% | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 15.9% | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 16.1% | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 16.3% | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 16.5% | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 16.6% | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 16.8% | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 16.9% | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 17.0% | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 17.1% | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 17.3% | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 17.4% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 17.5% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 17.6% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 17.7% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 17.8% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 18.0% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 18.1% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 18.2% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 18.4% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 18.6% | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 18.7% | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 18.9% | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 19.2% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 19.4% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 19.7% | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 20.1% | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 20.6% | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 21.1% | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 21.7% | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 22.3% | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 22.8% | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 23.3% | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 23.8% | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 24.2% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 24.5% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 24.7% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 24.8% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 25.0% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 25.1% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 25.3% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 25.3% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 25.4% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 25.5% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 25.7% | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 25.9% | +0.9% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 25.9% is below the median for low income countries, which is 34.5%, 75% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 25.9% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 79.5%, 33% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Do more people live in urban or rural areas? 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1700s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1710s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1720s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1730s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1740s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1750s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1760s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1770s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1780s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1800s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1810s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1820s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 1830s | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1 |
| 1840s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1 |
| 1850s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1 |
| 1860s | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1 |
| 1870s | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 1 |
| 1880s | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 1 |
| 1890s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 1 |
| 1900s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 1 |
| 1910s | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 1 |
| 1920s | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 1 |
| 1930s | 4.8% | 4.8% | 4.8% | 1 |
| 1940s | 5.4% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 1 |
| 1950s | 6.7% | 5.8% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.4% | 8.1% | 10.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.4% | 11.2% | 15.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.5% | 15.7% | 17.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.8% | 17.3% | 18.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.8% | 18.6% | 21.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.1% | 22.3% | 25.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.5% | 25.3% | 25.9% | 6 |
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 do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Afghanistan?
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Afghanistan was 25.9% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 25.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Afghanistan rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
- Afghanistan ranks 222nd out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Do more people live in urban or rural areas?. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modeled historical data.