Population, female in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Population, female was 21.70 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
21.70 million
Change on year
up 2.8%
World rank
36th
of 218 countries
All-time high
21.70 million
in 2025
All-time low
4.34 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population, female in Afghanistan, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population, female in Afghanistan is 21.70 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 29.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population, female in Afghanistan peaked at 21.70 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 4.34 million, in 1960.
Afghanistan ranks 36th of 218 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population, female in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.34 million | — |
| 1961 | 4.44 million | +2.2% |
| 1962 | 4.54 million | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 4.64 million | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 4.75 million | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 4.86 million | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 4.98 million | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 5.10 million | +2.5% |
| 1968 | 5.23 million | +2.5% |
| 1969 | 5.36 million | +2.5% |
| 1970 | 5.50 million | +2.6% |
| 1971 | 5.64 million | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 5.79 million | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 5.94 million | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 6.10 million | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 6.25 million | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 6.39 million | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 6.53 million | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 6.67 million | +2.1% |
| 1979 | 6.70 million | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 6.47 million | -3.4% |
| 1981 | 5.88 million | -9.2% |
| 1982 | 5.42 million | -7.7% |
| 1983 | 5.40 million | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 5.55 million | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 5.69 million | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 5.70 million | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 5.70 million | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 5.77 million | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 5.95 million | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 6.03 million | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 6.13 million | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 6.65 million | +8.5% |
| 1993 | 7.49 million | +12.5% |
| 1994 | 8.14 million | +8.7% |
| 1995 | 8.54 million | +5.0% |
| 1996 | 8.88 million | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 9.22 million | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 9.57 million | +3.8% |
| 1999 | 9.92 million | +3.7% |
| 2000 | 10.04 million | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 10.10 million | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 10.64 million | +5.3% |
| 2003 | 11.31 million | +6.3% |
| 2004 | 11.71 million | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 12.12 million | +3.5% |
| 2006 | 12.62 million | +4.1% |
| 2007 | 12.85 million | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 13.13 million | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 13.61 million | +3.7% |
| 2010 | 14.01 million | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 14.53 million | +3.7% |
| 2012 | 15.13 million | +4.1% |
| 2013 | 15.65 million | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 16.22 million | +3.7% |
| 2015 | 16.73 million | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 17.16 million | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 17.65 million | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 18.18 million | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 18.74 million | +3.1% |
| 2020 | 19.34 million | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 19.81 million | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 20.10 million | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 20.53 million | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 21.11 million | +2.8% |
| 2025 | 21.70 million | +2.8% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 21.70 million is above the median for low income countries, which is 12.08 million, 1.8× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 21.70 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 5.59 million, 3.9× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.83 million | 4.34 million | 5.36 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.15 million | 5.50 million | 6.70 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.75 million | 5.40 million | 6.47 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.06 million | 6.03 million | 9.92 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.81 million | 10.04 million | 13.61 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.40 million | 14.01 million | 18.74 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.43 million | 19.34 million | 21.70 million | 6 |
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)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 19 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.077 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population, female in Afghanistan?
- Population, female in Afghanistan was 21.70 million in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population, female recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 21.70 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population, female recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.34 million in 1960.
- How does Afghanistan rank for population, female?
- Afghanistan ranks 36th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population, female rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population, female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Female population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all female residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.