Number of deaths in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Number of deaths was 240,296 deaths in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
240,296 deaths
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
39th
of 236 countries
All-time high
362,220 deaths
in 1985
All-time low
218,356 deaths
in 1993
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of deaths in Afghanistan, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of deaths in Afghanistan is 240,296 deaths, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and up 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of deaths in Afghanistan peaked at 362,220 deaths in 1985 and was at its lowest, 218,356 deaths, in 1993.
Afghanistan ranks 39th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Number of deaths in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 290,972 deaths | — |
| 1951 | 288,752 deaths | -0.8% |
| 1952 | 288,059 deaths | -0.2% |
| 1953 | 287,712 deaths | -0.1% |
| 1954 | 289,189 deaths | +0.5% |
| 1955 | 286,725 deaths | -0.9% |
| 1956 | 286,654 deaths | -0.0% |
| 1957 | 286,114 deaths | -0.2% |
| 1958 | 285,911 deaths | -0.1% |
| 1959 | 285,500 deaths | -0.1% |
| 1960 | 286,159 deaths | +0.2% |
| 1961 | 286,818 deaths | +0.2% |
| 1962 | 288,056 deaths | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 289,745 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 291,215 deaths | +0.5% |
| 1965 | 292,987 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 294,993 deaths | +0.7% |
| 1967 | 296,952 deaths | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 299,051 deaths | +0.7% |
| 1969 | 301,153 deaths | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 302,998 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 305,182 deaths | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 306,798 deaths | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 308,381 deaths | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 310,341 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 311,727 deaths | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 312,570 deaths | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 312,222 deaths | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 329,013 deaths | +5.4% |
| 1979 | 348,735 deaths | +6.0% |
| 1980 | 338,526 deaths | -2.9% |
| 1981 | 315,307 deaths | -6.9% |
| 1982 | 308,039 deaths | -2.3% |
| 1983 | 294,923 deaths | -4.3% |
| 1984 | 358,183 deaths | +21.4% |
| 1985 | 362,220 deaths | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 285,998 deaths | -21.0% |
| 1987 | 280,336 deaths | -2.0% |
| 1988 | 237,449 deaths | -15.3% |
| 1989 | 232,518 deaths | -2.1% |
| 1990 | 234,647 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 229,891 deaths | -2.0% |
| 1992 | 228,005 deaths | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 218,356 deaths | -4.2% |
| 1994 | 242,610 deaths | +11.1% |
| 1995 | 245,793 deaths | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 247,403 deaths | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 251,885 deaths | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 266,055 deaths | +5.6% |
| 1999 | 252,505 deaths | -5.1% |
| 2000 | 253,804 deaths | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 242,473 deaths | -4.5% |
| 2002 | 239,161 deaths | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 243,573 deaths | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 244,435 deaths | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 241,932 deaths | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 245,586 deaths | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 245,809 deaths | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 235,284 deaths | -4.3% |
| 2009 | 237,450 deaths | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 237,640 deaths | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 235,724 deaths | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 239,042 deaths | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 240,239 deaths | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 246,289 deaths | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 254,689 deaths | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 254,007 deaths | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 261,084 deaths | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 267,164 deaths | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 267,421 deaths | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 295,555 deaths | +10.5% |
| 2021 | 320,101 deaths | +8.3% |
| 2022 | 243,197 deaths | -24.0% |
| 2023 | 240,296 deaths | -1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 287,559 deaths | 285,500 deaths | 290,972 deaths | 10 |
| 1960s | 292,713 deaths | 286,159 deaths | 301,153 deaths | 10 |
| 1970s | 314,797 deaths | 302,998 deaths | 348,735 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 301,350 deaths | 232,518 deaths | 362,220 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 241,715 deaths | 218,356 deaths | 266,055 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 242,951 deaths | 235,284 deaths | 253,804 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 250,330 deaths | 235,724 deaths | 267,421 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 274,787 deaths | 240,296 deaths | 320,101 deaths | 4 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More health data for Afghanistan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.45 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.03 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 812.4 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 14,735 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate 2.05 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.2081 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate 1.99 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.2175 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of deaths in Afghanistan?
- Number of deaths in Afghanistan was 240,296 deaths in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of deaths recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 362,220 deaths in 1985.
- What is the lowest number of deaths recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 218,356 deaths in 1993.
- How does Afghanistan rank for number of deaths?
- Afghanistan ranks 39th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of deaths rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Number of deaths in a calendar year.