Afghanistan population pyramid 2026
45,047,068 people in 2026 (projected). Afghanistan has one of Asia’s most expansive pyramids: every band is narrower than the one below, built on fertility above seven into the 2000s.
- 2026 population
- 45Mrank 36 of 237
- Median age
- 17.4 yearsoldest rank 226
- Fertility rate
- 4.56births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Youthful2.5% age 65+
Afghanistan population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Afghanistan age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 42.2% of the population, while 2.5% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 55.3% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Afghanistan’s age structure as youthful; the guide to expansive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 80.7: about 81 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (76.3 children and 4.4 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Afghanistan’s population pyramid
Decades of very high fertility
Afghan women averaged more than seven children each from the 1950s until the early 2000s, and fertility is still about 4.6 in 2026. The result is a textbook expansive population pyramid: in 2026 every band is narrower than the one below it, and the under-15 bands together hold about 42% of the population. Afghanistan accordingly sits near the top of the youngest populations ranking outside sub-Saharan Africa.
The base is beginning to change. In 2000 the 0–4 band was more than a quarter wider than the 5–9 band; in 2026 the difference is about a tenth. That pattern, births still rising but more slowly, is what falling fertility looks like in a population whose number of young parents is still growing fast.
Conflict, displacement and uncertain counts
War has shaped the population since the Soviet intervention of 1979. During the 1980s several million Afghans fled to Pakistan and Iran, one of the largest refugee movements of the late twentieth century, and the UN series shows the resident population lower in 1990 than in 1980. Millions returned after 2002, while new waves of displacement followed later conflict and the change of government in 2021.
Conflict deaths and male labor migration have both affected the sex balance. In the 2000 pyramid women outnumber men in every band from 30–34 to 45–49, the cohorts born in 1951–70; in 2026 those cohorts are aged 56–75, and a modest female excess remains at ages 55–74. The chart alone cannot separate the two causes.
All of these figures carry wide uncertainty. Afghanistan has not completed a full national census since the incomplete census of 1979, so the UN pyramid is a reconstruction from surveys and refugee registrations rather than a count.
Because so many people are still entering their childbearing years, the population keeps growing even as fertility falls, an example of population momentum. Under the UN medium scenario it rises from about 45 million in 2026 to about 77 million by 2050, with fertility near 3.1 children per woman.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Afghanistan’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
In the UN medium scenario births outnumber deaths in every year through 2100. Children under 15 outnumber people aged 65 and older in every pyramid year through 2100.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Afghanistan is projected to record 1,520,756 births (about one birth every 21 seconds) and 248,524 deaths, a natural increase of 1,272,232. Net migration adds −53,884 people, ranking #156 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 29,704,785 births, 6,031,944 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −1,880,148. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −1,087,789 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 68.3 years28.8 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 65.2 years27.5 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 13.4 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 40.0per 1,000 births · 282 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 51.2per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 30.6 yearssex ratio at birth 105.1
Women in Afghanistan are projected to live 3.1 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 282 to 40.0 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #25 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 30.6 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Afghanistan
The median age of 17.4 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 4.56 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 66.8 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 45,047,068 | #36 | Largest first |
| Median age | 17.4 years | #226 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 4.56 | #9 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +2.7% | #15 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 66.8 years | #203 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 2.5% | #230 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Afghanistan
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–4 | 7,011,466 | 15.6% | 3.6M / 3.4M |
| 2 | 5–9 | 6,324,194 | 14.0% | 3.2M / 3.1M |
| 3 | 10–14 | 5,681,671 | 12.6% | 2.9M / 2.8M |
| 4 | 15–19 | 4,984,513 | 11.1% | 2.6M / 2.4M |
| 5 | 20–24 | 4,432,605 | 9.8% | 2.3M / 2.2M |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Afghanistan has 22,755,660 males and 22,291,409 females. That is 102.1 males per 100 females, ranking #44 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 50.5% of the population and females for 49.5%. There are 464,251 more males than females overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 73.4 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 105.1 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Afghanistan has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 7,776,176 in 1950 to 45,047,068 in 2026, a change of 479%. Over the same span, median age moved from 18.4 to 17.4 years.
The under-15 share changed from 41.0% to 42.2%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 2.8% to 2.5%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately. See the Afghanistan population pyramid in 1950 for the full starting shape.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Afghanistan’s population is projected to grow by about 71%, reaching 76,885,134 in 2050. The median age changes from 17.4 to 23.0 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 1.5 percentage points to 4.0%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 32.5%. The Afghanistan population pyramid for 2050 shows the projected shape in detail. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The population is still rising at the end of the UN medium projection in 2100, when it reaches 130,216,739. The page therefore does not assign a peak year beyond the available horizon.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 7,776,176 | 18.4 | 7.25 | 28.2 | 383,985 | 290,970 | +6,161 | +1.3% |
| 1960 | 9,035,044 | 17.9 | 7.28 | 32.8 | 456,418 | 286,157 | +2,606 | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 11,290,128 | 17.0 | 7.40 | 37.5 | 578,135 | 302,999 | +4,458 | +2.5% |
| 1980 | 13,169,312 | 15.8 | 7.64 | 39.3 | 703,929 | 338,529 | −1,174,239 | -6.1% |
| 1990 | 12,045,660 | 15.0 | 7.58 | 45.1 | 637,076 | 234,642 | −458,737 | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 20,130,327 | 14.0 | 7.57 | 55.0 | 1,036,525 | 253,807 | −1,025,973 | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 28,284,089 | 14.6 | 6.20 | 60.7 | 1,181,113 | 237,639 | −167,460 | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 39,068,979 | 16.4 | 5.15 | 61.5 | 1,429,983 | 295,554 | +143,634 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 41,454,761 | 16.9 | 4.84 | 66.0 | 1,469,029 | 240,296 | −48,958 | +2.9% |
| 2024* | 42,647,492 | 17.1 | 4.76 | 66.3 | 1,492,956 | 243,186 | −44,089 | +2.8% |
| 2026* | 45,047,068 | 17.4 | 4.56 | 66.8 | 1,520,756 | 248,524 | −53,884 | +2.7% |
| 2030* | 50,039,402 | 18.2 | 4.22 | 67.6 | 1,576,405 | 261,694 | +20,392 | +2.7% |
| 2040* | 63,347,870 | 20.5 | 3.56 | 69.4 | 1,700,106 | 312,502 | +33,259 | +2.2% |
| 2050* | 76,885,134 | 23.0 | 3.09 | 70.9 | 1,811,144 | 394,682 | −123,627 | +1.7% |
| 2060* | 90,362,736 | 25.6 | 2.76 | 72.3 | 1,889,830 | 506,972 | −86,012 | +1.4% |
| 2070* | 103,416,642 | 28.1 | 2.51 | 73.6 | 1,909,734 | 656,714 | +65,970 | +1.3% |
| 2080* | 114,673,795 | 30.4 | 2.31 | 74.8 | 1,898,699 | 832,548 | −32,664 | +0.9% |
| 2090* | 123,304,496 | 32.7 | 2.17 | 76.1 | 1,862,532 | 1,001,680 | −498 | +0.7% |
| 2100* | 130,216,739 | 34.8 | 2.06 | 77.3 | 1,813,187 | 1,161,691 | −99,070 | +0.4% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 3,580,503 | 3,430,963 | 7,011,466 | 15.6% |
| 5–9 | 3,230,758 | 3,093,436 | 6,324,194 | 14.0% |
| 10–14 | 2,906,037 | 2,775,634 | 5,681,671 | 12.6% |
| 15–19 | 2,553,735 | 2,430,778 | 4,984,513 | 11.1% |
| 20–24 | 2,266,642 | 2,165,963 | 4,432,605 | 9.8% |
| 25–29 | 1,950,995 | 1,892,258 | 3,843,253 | 8.5% |
| 30–34 | 1,573,152 | 1,547,656 | 3,120,808 | 6.9% |
| 35–39 | 1,199,864 | 1,185,253 | 2,385,117 | 5.3% |
| 40–44 | 920,631 | 912,577 | 1,833,208 | 4.1% |
| 45–49 | 754,040 | 751,818 | 1,505,858 | 3.3% |
| 50–54 | 599,195 | 614,494 | 1,213,689 | 2.7% |
| 55–59 | 444,089 | 484,750 | 928,839 | 2.1% |
| 60–64 | 308,370 | 368,678 | 677,048 | 1.5% |
| 65–69 | 209,034 | 268,183 | 477,217 | 1.1% |
| 70–74 | 133,617 | 180,482 | 314,099 | 0.7% |
| 75–79 | 75,612 | 111,608 | 187,220 | 0.4% |
| 80–84 | 35,923 | 54,488 | 90,411 | 0.2% |
| 85–89 | 11,226 | 18,077 | 29,303 | 0.1% |
| 90–94 | 2,046 | 3,857 | 5,903 | 0.0% |
| 95–99 | 186 | 433 | 619 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 7 | 23 | 30 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Afghanistan’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Uganda99% overlap · median age 17.1
- Mozambique98% overlap · median age 16.6
- Tanzania98% overlap · median age 17.6
- Mauritania97% overlap · median age 17.5
- Guinea97% overlap · median age 18.5
- Zambia97% overlap · median age 18.2
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Afghanistan.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Afghanistan Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/afghanistan/
MLA
“Afghanistan Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/afghanistan/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Afghanistan Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/afghanistan/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Afghanistan in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Afghanistan's population in 2026 is projected at 45,047,068.
What is the median age in Afghanistan?
The projected median age in Afghanistan in 2026 is 17.4 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Afghanistan?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 4.56 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Afghanistan's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 71%, from 45M to 76.9M.
What share of Afghanistan is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 2.5% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 4.0%.
How many babies are born in Afghanistan each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 1,520,756 births and 248,524 deaths in 2026, about one birth every 21 seconds. Births exceed deaths by 1,272,232.
What is life expectancy in Afghanistan for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 68.3 years for women and 65.2 years for men, a gap of 3.1 years in favour of women.
Does Afghanistan have more immigrants or emigrants?
Afghanistan is projected to lose about 53,884 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −1,880,148.
What is the sex ratio in Afghanistan?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 102.1 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.