Prevalence of anemia among children in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Prevalence of anemia among children was 44.9% in 2019. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of anemia among children in Afghanistan, 2000–2019
Source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository/World Health Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of children ages 6-59 months.
Analysis
In 2019, prevalence of anemia among children in Afghanistan stood at 44.9%.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 2.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of anemia among children in Afghanistan peaked at 51.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 43.5%, in 2011.
Afghanistan ranks 50th of 190 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.
Prevalence of anemia among children in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % of children ages 6-59 months | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 51.5% | — |
| 2001 | 49.8% | -3.3% |
| 2002 | 48.3% | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 47.1% | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 46.2% | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 45.5% | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 44.9% | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 44.5% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 44.2% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 43.9% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 43.7% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 43.5% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 43.5% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 43.5% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 43.6% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 43.7% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 43.9% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 44.2% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 44.5% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 44.9% | +0.9% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 44.9% is below the median for low income countries, which is 58.0%, 77% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 44.9% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 28.0%, 1.6× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 46.6% | 43.9% | 51.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.9% | 43.5% | 44.9% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 47 Papua New Guinea 46.7% compare
- 48 East Timor 46.3% compare
- 49 Namibia 46.1% compare
- 51 Bhutan 44.7% compare
- 52 Nepal 44.6% compare
- 53 South Africa 44.4% compare
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 prevalence of anemia among children in Afghanistan?
- Prevalence of anemia among children in Afghanistan was 44.9% in 2019, according to Global Health Observatory Data Repository/World Health Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest prevalence of anemia among children recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 51.5% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of anemia among children recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.5% in 2011.
- How does Afghanistan rank for prevalence of anemia among children?
- Afghanistan ranks 50th out of 190 countries with data for 2019.
- Is prevalence of anemia among children rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Observatory Data Repository/World Health Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Prevalence of anemia among children (% of children ages 6-59 months). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 20 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Prevalence of anemia, children ages 6-59 months, is the percentage of children ages 6-59 months whose hemoglobin level is less than 110 grams per liter, adjusted for altitude.