Afghanistan — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Afghanistan, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Afghanistan was 2.77% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 11.81% in 1993. The lowest was -9.82% in 1981 (about -3.5× the latest value). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.54% per year.
Afghanistan ranks 20 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 9%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 1.56%, so Afghanistan sits above it. It peaked in 1993 and has fallen 77% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 11%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 7 of 23 economies; West Bank and Gaza (2.33%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 1220% in 1980. That is 5% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 1992. Doubling roughly every 129 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 132nd of 216 in 1961 → 88th of 216 in 1970 → 216th of 216 in 1980 → 134th of 216 in 1990 → 120th of 217 in 2000 → 24th of 217 in 2010 → 10th of 217 in 2020 → 20th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2.77% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 2.84% | +0.7 pp |
| 2023 | 2.14% | +0.7 pp |
| 2022 | 1.44% | -0.9 pp |
| 2021 | 2.36% | -0.8 pp |
| 2020 | 3.15% | +0.2 pp |
| 2019 | 2.98% | +0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 2.91% | +0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 2.81% | +0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 2.54% | -0.6 pp |
| 2015 | 3.12% | -0.5 pp |
| 2014 | 3.63% | +0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 3.42% | -0.6 pp |
| 2012 | 4.05% | +0.4 pp |
| 2011 | 3.69% | +0.8 pp |
| 2010 | 2.93% | -0.7 pp |
| 2009 | 3.65% | +1.5 pp |
| 2008 | 2.19% | +0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 1.89% | -2.2 pp |
| 2006 | 4.09% | +0.6 pp |
| 2005 | 3.52% | -0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 3.58% | -2.6 pp |
| 2003 | 6.15% | +0.9 pp |
| 2002 | 5.25% | +4.5 pp |
| 2001 | 0.76% | -0.5 pp |
| 2000 | 1.21% | -2.5 pp |
| 1999 | 3.73% | -0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 3.76% | -0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 3.8% | -0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 4.01% | -0.9 pp |
| 1995 | 4.89% | -3.5 pp |
| 1994 | 8.39% | -3.4 pp |
| 1993 | 11.81% | +3.7 pp |
| 1992 | 8.16% | +6.6 pp |
| 1991 | 1.59% | +0.2 pp |
| 1990 | 1.43% | -1.6 pp |
| 1989 | 3% | +1.8 pp |
| 1988 | 1.18% | +1.5 pp |
| 1987 | -0.28% | -0.2 pp |
| 1986 | -0.06% | -2.2 pp |
| 1985 | 2.09% | -0.4 pp |
| 1984 | 2.46% | +3.1 pp |
| 1983 | -0.67% | +7.6 pp |
| 1982 | -8.26% | +1.6 pp |
| 1981 | -9.82% | -6.2 pp |
| 1980 | -3.63% | -3.9 pp |
| 1979 | 0.32% | -1.7 pp |
| 1978 | 2.01% | -0.1 pp |
| 1977 | 2.13% | -0.1 pp |
| 1976 | 2.21% | -0.2 pp |
| 1975 | 2.42% | -0.1 pp |
| 1974 | 2.53% | -0.0 pp |
| 1973 | 2.53% | +0.1 pp |
| 1972 | 2.44% | +0.0 pp |
| 1971 | 2.43% | -0.0 pp |
| 1970 | 2.45% | +0.1 pp |
| 1969 | 2.39% | +0.0 pp |
| 1968 | 2.36% | +0.1 pp |
| 1967 | 2.31% | +0.0 pp |
| 1966 | 2.27% | +0.0 pp |
| 1965 | 2.23% | +0.1 pp |
| 1964 | 2.16% | +0.1 pp |
| 1963 | 2.11% | +0.1 pp |
| 1962 | 2.04% | +0.1 pp |
| 1961 | 1.96% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Afghanistan’s Population growth in 1962?
2.04% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Afghanistan’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +41.0% in total — about 0.5% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 2.77%; 2024: 2.84%; 2023: 2.14%; 2022: 1.44%; 2021: 2.36%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.