Suicide and other terrorist attacks in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Suicide and other terrorist attacks was 1,421 in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Suicide and other terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, 1970–2021
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2021, suicide and other terrorist attacks in Afghanistan stood at 1,421.
That represents a change of down 43.9% on the previous year and up 316.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, suicide and other terrorist attacks in Afghanistan peaked at 2,532 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1970.
That places Afghanistan 1st out of 188 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Suicide and other terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0 | — |
| 1971 | 0 | — |
| 1972 | 0 | — |
| 1973 | 1 | — |
| 1974 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1975 | 0 | — |
| 1976 | 0 | — |
| 1977 | 0 | — |
| 1978 | 0 | — |
| 1979 | 3 | — |
| 1980 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1981 | 0 | — |
| 1982 | 0 | — |
| 1983 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 0 | — |
| 1985 | 0 | — |
| 1986 | 0 | — |
| 1987 | 1 | — |
| 1988 | 11 | +1000.0% |
| 1989 | 10 | -9.1% |
| 1990 | 2 | -80.0% |
| 1991 | 30 | +1400.0% |
| 1992 | 36 | +20.0% |
| 1994 | 9 | -75.0% |
| 1995 | 6 | -33.3% |
| 1996 | 4 | -33.3% |
| 1997 | 1 | -75.0% |
| 1998 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 9 | +800.0% |
| 2000 | 14 | +55.6% |
| 2001 | 13 | -7.1% |
| 2002 | 36 | +176.9% |
| 2003 | 99 | +175.0% |
| 2004 | 85 | -14.1% |
| 2005 | 142 | +67.1% |
| 2006 | 231 | +62.7% |
| 2007 | 265 | +14.7% |
| 2008 | 357 | +34.7% |
| 2009 | 458 | +28.3% |
| 2010 | 490 | +7.0% |
| 2011 | 341 | -30.4% |
| 2012 | 1,333 | +290.9% |
| 2013 | 1,313 | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 1,636 | +24.6% |
| 2015 | 1,777 | +8.6% |
| 2016 | 1,505 | -15.3% |
| 2017 | 1,285 | -14.6% |
| 2018 | 1,667 | +29.7% |
| 2019 | 1,730 | +3.8% |
| 2020 | 2,532 | +46.4% |
| 2021 | 1,421 | -43.9% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 1,421 is above the median for low income countries, which is 13, 109.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 1,421 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 4, 355.2× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Suicide and other terrorist attacks in Afghanistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +1400.0% | 2 | 30 |
| 1988 | +1000.0% | 1 | 11 |
| 1999 | +800.0% | 1 | 9 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.4 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.2 | 0 | 11 | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.89 | 1 | 36 | 9 |
| 2000s | 170 | 13 | 458 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,308 | 341 | 1,777 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,976 | 1,421 | 2,532 | 2 |
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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 14,735 (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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0804 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is suicide and other terrorist attacks in Afghanistan?
- Suicide and other terrorist attacks in Afghanistan was 1,421 in 2021, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest suicide and other terrorist attacks recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 2,532 in 2020.
- What is the lowest suicide and other terrorist attacks recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1970.
- How does Afghanistan rank for suicide and other terrorist attacks?
- Afghanistan ranks 1st out of 188 countries with data for 2021.
- Is suicide and other terrorist attacks rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 316.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Suicide and other terrorist attacks. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).