Demographics of Afghanistan | |
---|---|
Population | 41,403,465 (2023) [1] |
Growth rate | 2.34% (2016) |
Birth rate | 35.8 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
Death rate | 7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
Life expectancy | 63.3 years (2019) [2] [3] |
• male | 63.2 years (2019) |
• female | 63.2 years (2019) |
Fertility rate | 4.64 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
Infant mortality rate | 66.3 deaths/1,000 live births [4] |
Age structure | |
0–14 years | 42.3% (male 6,464,070/female 6,149,468) |
15–64 years | 55.3% (male 8,460,486/female 8,031,968) |
65 and over | 2.4% (male 349,349/female 380,051) |
Sex ratio | |
At birth | 1.05 male/female |
Under 15 | 1.03 male/female |
15–64 years | 1.04 male/female |
65 and over | 0.87 male/female |
Nationality | |
Nationality | noun: Afghan(s) |
Major ethnic | Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, and others |
Language | |
Official | (Dari) [5] and Pashto |
Spoken | (Dari), Pashto, Uzbeki, and other |
The population of Afghanistan is around 41 million as of 2023. [1] The nation is composed of a multi-ethnic and multilingual society, reflecting its location astride historic trade and invasion routes between Central Asia, South Asia, and Western Asia. Ethnic groups in the country include Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, as well as smaller groups such as Baloch, Nuristani, Turkmen, Aimaq, Mongol and some others which are less known. [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] Together they make up the contemporary Afghan people.
Approximately 46% of the population is under 15 years of age, and 74% of all Afghans live in rural areas. [4] The average woman gives birth to five children during her entire life, the highest fertility rate outside of Africa. About 6.8% of all babies die in child-birth or infancy. [4] The average life expectancy of the nation was reported in 2019 at around 63 years, [2] [3] and only 0.04% of the population has HIV. [11]
Persian (Dari) and Pashto are the official languages of the country. [5] Dari functions as the inter-ethnic lingua franca for the vast majority. Pashto is widely used in the regions south of the Hindu Kush mountains and as far as the Indus River in neighbouring Pakistan. Uzbek and Turkmen are smaller languages spoken in parts of the north. [11] Multilingualism is common throughout the country, especially in the major cities.
Up to 89.7% of the population practices Sunni Islam and belongs to the Hanafi Islamic law school, while 10–15% are followers of Shia Islam; [11] [13] the majority of whom belong to the Twelver branch, with smaller numbers of Ismailis. The remaining 0.3% practice other religions such as Sikhism and Hinduism. Excluding urban populations in the principal cities, most people are organised into tribal and other kinship-based groups, who follow their own traditional customs.
Anatol Lieven of Georgetown University in Qatar wrote in 2021 that "it may be noted that in the whole of modern Afghan history there has never been a census that could be regarded as remotely reliable." [14]
The first nationwide census of Afghanistan was carried out only in 1979, but previously there had been scattered attempts to conduct censuses in individual cities. [15] According to the 1876 census, Kabul had a population of 140,700 people. [16] In Kandahar in 1891 a population census was carried out, according to which 31,514 people lived in the city, of which 16,064 were men and 15,450 were women. [17]
In 1979 the total population was reported to be about 15.5 million. [18] [19] From 1979 until the end of 1983, some 5 million people left the country to take shelter in neighbouring northwestern Pakistan and eastern Iran. This exodus was largely unchecked by any government. The Afghan government in 1983 reported a population of 15.96 million, which presumably included the exodus. [20]
It is assumed that roughly 600,000 to as high as 2 million Afghans may have been killed during the various 1979–2001 wars. [21] These figures are questionable and no attempt has ever been made to verify if they were actually killed or had moved to neighbouring countries as refugees. [20]
As of 2021, the total population of Afghanistan is around 37,466,414, [11] [22] which includes the 3 million Afghan nationals living in both Pakistan and Iran. [23] About 26% of the population is urbanite and the remaining 74% lives in rural areas. [11]
Afghanistan's Central Statistics Organization (CSO) stated in 2011 that the total number of Afghans living inside Afghanistan was about 26 million [23] and by 2017 it reached 29.2 million. Of this, 15 million are males and 14.2 million are females. [24] The country's population is expected to reach 82 million by 2050. [25]
Urban areas have experienced rapid population growth in the last decade, which is due to the return of over 5 million expats. The only city in Afghanistan with over a million residents is its capital, Kabul.
0–14 years: 40.62% (male 7,562,703/female 7,321,646)
15-24 years: 21.26% (male 3,960,044/female 3,828,670)
25-54 years: 31.44% (male 5,858,675/female 5,661,887)
55-64 years: 4.01% (male 724,597/female 744,910)
65 years and over: 2.68% (male 451,852/female 528,831) (2020 est.)
2.34% (2021) [11]
country comparison to the world: 39
urbanisation population: 26% of the total population (2020)
rate of urbanisation: 3.37% annual rate of change (2015–20)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2020)
Period | Population (thousands) | Live births (thousands) | Deaths (thousands) | Natural change (thousands) | CBR1 | CDR1 | NC1 | TFR1 | Life expectancy (in years) | IMR1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1950 | 7 480 | 365 | 284 | 82 | 48.9 | 37.9 | 10.9 | 7.25 | 27.73 | 285.8 |
1951 | 7 572 | 372 | 283 | 89 | 49.1 | 37.3 | 11.8 | 7.26 | 27.96 | 283.6 |
1952 | 7 668 | 378 | 281 | 97 | 49.3 | 36.6 | 12.7 | 7.26 | 28.45 | 278.8 |
1953 | 7 765 | 385 | 280 | 105 | 49.5 | 36.0 | 13.5 | 7.27 | 28.93 | 273.9 |
1954 | 7 864 | 390 | 280 | 110 | 49.6 | 35.6 | 14.0 | 7.25 | 29.23 | 269.4 |
1955 | 7 972 | 397 | 278 | 119 | 49.8 | 34.8 | 15.0 | 7.26 | 29.92 | 264.1 |
1956 | 8 088 | 404 | 277 | 127 | 49.9 | 34.3 | 15.7 | 7.27 | 30.41 | 259.3 |
1957 | 8 210 | 411 | 277 | 134 | 50.0 | 33.7 | 16.4 | 7.26 | 30.95 | 254.4 |
1958 | 8 334 | 418 | 276 | 143 | 50.1 | 33.0 | 17.1 | 7.27 | 31.51 | 249.5 |
1959 | 8 468 | 425 | 275 | 150 | 50.2 | 32.5 | 17.8 | 7.28 | 32.04 | 244.9 |
1960 | 8 622 | 434 | 275 | 159 | 50.3 | 31.9 | 18.4 | 7.28 | 32.54 | 240.5 |
1961 | 8 790 | 443 | 276 | 168 | 50.4 | 31.3 | 19.1 | 7.28 | 33.07 | 236.2 |
1962 | 8 969 | 453 | 277 | 177 | 50.6 | 30.8 | 19.7 | 7.29 | 33.55 | 232.2 |
1963 | 9 157 | 464 | 278 | 186 | 50.7 | 30.4 | 20.3 | 7.30 | 34.02 | 228.2 |
1964 | 9 356 | 475 | 279 | 196 | 50.8 | 29.9 | 21.0 | 7.30 | 34.49 | 224.3 |
1965 | 9 565 | 486 | 281 | 205 | 50.9 | 29.4 | 21.5 | 7.31 | 34.95 | 220.6 |
1966 | 9 783 | 499 | 282 | 216 | 51.0 | 28.9 | 22.1 | 7.32 | 35.45 | 216.6 |
1967 | 10 010 | 511 | 284 | 227 | 51.1 | 28.4 | 22.7 | 7.34 | 35.92 | 212.9 |
1968 | 10 248 | 524 | 286 | 238 | 51.1 | 27.9 | 23.3 | 7.36 | 36.42 | 209.1 |
1969 | 10 494 | 537 | 288 | 250 | 51.2 | 27.4 | 23.8 | 7.39 | 36.91 | 205.3 |
1970 | 10 753 | 550 | 289 | 261 | 51.1 | 26.9 | 24.2 | 7.40 | 37.42 | 201.5 |
1971 | 11 016 | 564 | 291 | 273 | 51.2 | 26.4 | 24.8 | 7.43 | 37.92 | 197.7 |
1972 | 11 287 | 577 | 292 | 285 | 51.1 | 25.8 | 25.3 | 7.45 | 38.44 | 194.0 |
1973 | 11 575 | 592 | 293 | 299 | 51.1 | 25.3 | 25.8 | 7.49 | 39.00 | 190.1 |
1974 | 11 870 | 608 | 294 | 313 | 51.1 | 24.8 | 26.4 | 7.53 | 39.55 | 186.2 |
1975 | 12 157 | 621 | 295 | 326 | 51.0 | 24.2 | 26.8 | 7.54 | 40.10 | 182.2 |
1976 | 12 425 | 635 | 296 | 339 | 50.9 | 23.7 | 27.2 | 7.56 | 40.65 | 178.3 |
1977 | 12 687 | 648 | 295 | 353 | 50.9 | 23.2 | 27.7 | 7.59 | 41.23 | 174.2 |
1978 | 12 939 | 661 | 310 | 350 | 50.8 | 23.9 | 26.9 | 7.60 | 40.27 | 172.7 |
1979 | 12 986 | 671 | 328 | 343 | 50.7 | 24.8 | 25.9 | 7.61 | 39.09 | 171.7 |
1980 | 12 487 | 661 | 317 | 344 | 50.5 | 24.2 | 26.3 | 7.59 | 39.62 | 167.8 |
1981 | 11 155 | 614 | 289 | 326 | 50.3 | 23.6 | 26.7 | 7.57 | 40.16 | 163.6 |
1982 | 10 088 | 521 | 266 | 255 | 50.1 | 25.6 | 24.5 | 7.55 | 37.77 | 165.2 |
1983 | 9 951 | 504 | 252 | 252 | 50.1 | 25.1 | 25.0 | 7.54 | 38.19 | 161.4 |
1984 | 10 244 | 507 | 303 | 204 | 50.2 | 30.0 | 20.2 | 7.51 | 33.33 | 169.7 |
1985 | 10 512 | 537 | 315 | 222 | 50.6 | 29.7 | 20.9 | 7.52 | 33.55 | 166.4 |
1986 | 10 448 | 541 | 253 | 288 | 50.7 | 23.7 | 27.0 | 7.52 | 39.40 | 150.3 |
1987 | 10 323 | 535 | 245 | 290 | 50.8 | 23.3 | 27.6 | 7.53 | 39.84 | 146.5 |
1988 | 10 383 | 532 | 208 | 324 | 51.0 | 19.9 | 31.0 | 7.53 | 43.96 | 136.0 |
1989 | 10 673 | 546 | 203 | 343 | 51.2 | 19.0 | 32.1 | 7.53 | 45.16 | 131.1 |
1990 | 10 695 | 567 | 204 | 364 | 51.4 | 18.4 | 33.0 | 7.57 | 45.97 | 127.0 |
1991 | 10 745 | 556 | 193 | 363 | 51.8 | 17.9 | 33.8 | 7.61 | 46.66 | 123.4 |
1992 | 12 057 | 579 | 192 | 387 | 51.9 | 17.2 | 34.7 | 7.67 | 47.60 | 118.3 |
1993 | 14 004 | 698 | 199 | 499 | 52.0 | 14.8 | 37.2 | 7.72 | 51.47 | 110.8 |
1994 | 15 456 | 789 | 222 | 567 | 52.2 | 14.7 | 37.5 | 7.72 | 51.50 | 107.0 |
1995 | 16 419 | 853 | 231 | 622 | 52.1 | 14.1 | 38.0 | 7.71 | 52.54 | 104.2 |
1996 | 17 107 | 887 | 233 | 654 | 51.9 | 13.6 | 38.2 | 7.71 | 53.24 | 101.2 |
1997 | 17 789 | 914 | 237 | 677 | 51.4 | 13.3 | 38.1 | 7.67 | 53.63 | 98.9 |
1998 | 18 493 | 940 | 251 | 690 | 50.9 | 13.6 | 37.3 | 7.64 | 52.94 | 97.0 |
1999 | 19 263 | 968 | 240 | 728 | 50.4 | 12.5 | 37.9 | 7.60 | 54.85 | 93.4 |
2000 | 19 543 | 996 | 243 | 753 | 49.7 | 12.1 | 37.6 | 7.53 | 55.30 | 90.8 |
2001 | 19 689 | 969 | 232 | 737 | 49.0 | 11.7 | 37.3 | 7.45 | 55.80 | 88.4 |
2002 | 21 000 | 980 | 229 | 751 | 48.2 | 11.3 | 36.9 | 7.34 | 56.45 | 85.8 |
2003 | 22 645 | 1 063 | 240 | 823 | 47.4 | 10.7 | 36.7 | 7.22 | 57.34 | 82.6 |
2004 | 23 554 | 1 097 | 243 | 854 | 46.3 | 10.3 | 36.1 | 7.07 | 57.94 | 79.9 |
2005 | 24 411 | 1 099 | 241 | 858 | 45.3 | 9.9 | 35.3 | 6.91 | 58.36 | 77.5 |
2006 | 25 443 | 1 137 | 246 | 891 | 44.7 | 9.7 | 35.0 | 6.72 | 58.68 | 74.9 |
2007 | 25 903 | 1 157 | 247 | 910 | 43.9 | 9.4 | 34.5 | 6.53 | 59.11 | 71.9 |
2008 | 26 427 | 1 092 | 232 | 859 | 41.5 | 8.8 | 32.7 | 6.38 | 59.85 | 69.2 |
2009 | 27 385 | 1 129 | 234 | 895 | 41.2 | 8.5 | 32.6 | 6.24 | 60.36 | 67.2 |
2010 | 28 190 | 1 148 | 233 | 914 | 40.6 | 8.3 | 32.3 | 6.10 | 60.85 | 64.8 |
2011 | 29 249 | 1 158 | 230 | 927 | 39.9 | 7.9 | 31.9 | 5.96 | 61.42 | 62.3 |
2012 | 30 466 | 1 217 | 235 | 983 | 40.0 | 7.7 | 32.3 | 5.83 | 61.92 | 60.0 |
2013 | 31 541 | 1 248 | 236 | 1 013 | 39.6 | 7.5 | 32.1 | 5.70 | 62.42 | 57.8 |
2014 | 32 716 | 1 275 | 241 | 1 034 | 39.1 | 7.4 | 31.7 | 5.56 | 62.55 | 56.3 |
2015 | 33 753 | 1 316 | 249 | 1 067 | 38.8 | 7.3 | 31.5 | 5.41 | 62.66 | 54.5 |
2016 | 34 636 | 1 316 | 245 | 1 070 | 37.9 | 7.1 | 30.9 | 5.26 | 63.14 | 52.5 |
2017 | 35 643 | 1 332 | 251 | 1 081 | 37.3 | 7.0 | 30.3 | 5.13 | 63.02 | 49.4 |
2018 | 36 687 | 1 356 | 256 | 1 100 | 36.9 | 7.0 | 29.9 | 5.00 | 63.08 | 47.8 |
2019 | 37 769 | 1 378 | 257 | 1 121 | 36.5 | 6.8 | 29.7 | 4.87 | 63.57 | 46.7 |
2020 | 38 972 | 1 402 | 277 | 1 126 | 36.1 | 7.1 | 28.9 | 4.75 | 62.58 | 45.8 |
2021 | 40 099 | 1 441 | 295 | 1 146 | 35.8 | 7.3 | 28.5 | 4.64 | 61.98 | 44.7 |
1CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births | ||||||||||
Source: [26] |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR): [27]
Year | CBR (Total) | TFR (Total) | CBR (Urban) | TFR (Urban) | CBR (Rural) | TFR (Rural) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | 35.6 | 5.1 | 34.7 | 4.5 | 35.9 | 5.2 |
2015 | 36.8 | 5.3 (4.4) | 35.8 | 4.8 (3.7) | 37.1 | 5.4 (4.6) |
Fertility data by province (DHS Program): [28]
Province | Total fertility rate (2015) |
---|---|
Kabul | 4.6 |
Kapisa | 4.8 |
Parwan | 5.7 |
Wardak | 4.2 |
Logar | 4.2 |
Nangarhar | 6.4 |
Laghman | 7.3 |
Panjshir | 3.2 |
Baghlan | 4.4 |
Bamyan | 5.4 |
Ghazni | 2.8 |
Paktika | 5.3 |
Paktia | 5.2 |
Khost | 5.6 |
Kunar | 6.8 |
Nuristan | 8.9 |
Badakhshan | 5.3 |
Takhar | 5.7 |
Kunduz | 4.4 |
Samangan | 5.1 |
Balkh | 5.5 |
Sar-e Pol | 4.8 |
Ghor | 5.8 |
Daykundi | 5.2 |
Urozgan | 8.8 |
Zabul | 5.1 |
Kandahar | 6.5 |
Jawzjan | 3.9 |
Faryab | 6.2 |
Helmand | 4.7 |
Badghis | 6.6 |
Herat | 4.8 |
Farah | 5.4 |
Nimruz | 5.4 |
Structure of the population (2012.01.07) (Data refer to the settled population based on the 1979 Population Census and the latest household prelisting. The refugees of Afghanistan in Iran, Pakistan, and an estimated 1.5 million nomads, are not included): [29]
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2012) (Data refer to the settled population based on the 1979 Population Census and the latest household prelisting. The refugees of Afghanistan in Iran, Pakistan, and an estimated 1.5 million nomads, are not included.):
Age Group | Male | Female | Total | % |
---|---|---|---|---|
Total | 13,044,400 | 12,455,700 | 25,500,100 | 100 |
0–4 | 2,422,244 | 2,556,304 | 4,978,548 | 19.52 |
5–9 | 1,941,363 | 1,880,407 | 3,821,770 | 14.99 |
10–14 | 1,556,158 | 1,401,695 | 2,957,853 | 11.60 |
15–19 | 1,276,563 | 1,140,810 | 2,417,373 | 9.48 |
20–24 | 1,059,939 | 1,009,807 | 2,069,746 | 8.12 |
25–29 | 843 967 | 864 738 | 1,708,705 | 6.70 |
30–34 | 678 577 | 745 534 | 1,424,111 | 5.58 |
35–39 | 598 045 | 652 326 | 1,250,371 | 4.90 |
40–44 | 546 102 | 533 524 | 1,079,626 | 4.23 |
45–49 | 495 190 | 440 789 | 935 979 | 3.67 |
50–54 | 435 143 | 354 633 | 789 776 | 3.10 |
55–59 | 360 394 | 275 468 | 635 862 | 2.49 |
60–64 | 281 627 | 209 152 | 490 779 | 1.92 |
65–69 | 204 376 | 150 137 | 354 513 | 1.39 |
70–74 | 141 729 | 102 048 | 243 777 | 0.96 |
75–79 | 91 164 | 64 658 | 155 822 | 0.61 |
80–84 | 55 446 | 38 699 | 94 145 | 0.37 |
85+ | 56 373 | 34 971 | 91 344 | 0.36 |
Age group | Male | Female | Total | Percent |
0-14 | 5,919,765 | 5,838,406 | 11,758,171 | 46.11 |
15–64 | 6,575,547 | 6,226,781 | 12,802,328 | 50.21 |
65+ | 549 088 | 390 513 | 939 601 | 3.68 |
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2020) (Data refer to the settled population based on the 1979 Population Census and the latest household prelisting. The refugees of Afghanistan in Iran, Pakistan, and an estimated 1.5 million nomads, are not included.): [30]
Age Group | Male | Female | Total | % |
---|---|---|---|---|
Total | 15,981,303 | 15,408,868 | 31,390,171 | 100 |
0–4 | 2,853,288 | 2,743,103 | 5,596,391 | 17.83 |
5–9 | 2,542,405 | 2,379,618 | 4,922,023 | 15.68 |
10–14 | 2,220,065 | 2,026,796 | 4,246,861 | 13.53 |
15–19 | 1,840,432 | 1,727,287 | 3,567,719 | 11.37 |
20–24 | 1,371,188 | 1,463,797 | 2,834,985 | 9.03 |
25–29 | 1,079,117 | 1,177,555 | 2,256,672 | 7.19 |
30–34 | 828 055 | 818 313 | 1,646,368 | 5.24 |
35–39 | 674 920 | 661 949 | 1,336,869 | 4.26 |
40–44 | 577 135 | 611 016 | 1,188,151 | 3.79 |
45–49 | 480 700 | 511 608 | 992 308 | 3.16 |
50–54 | 381 772 | 396 026 | 777 798 | 2.48 |
55–59 | 320 024 | 308 966 | 628 990 | 2.00 |
60–64 | 286 732 | 229 605 | 516 337 | 1.64 |
65-69 | 222 590 | 161 851 | 384 441 | 1.22 |
70-74 | 150 436 | 99 412 | 249 848 | 0.80 |
75-79 | 70 271 | 42 288 | 112 559 | 0.36 |
80-84 | 48 540 | 26 549 | 75 089 | 0.24 |
85+ | 33 633 | 23 129 | 56 762 | 0.18 |
Age group | Male | Female | Total | Percent |
0–14 | 7,615,758 | 7,149,517 | 14,765,275 | 47.04 |
15–64 | 7,840,075 | 7,906,122 | 15,746,197 | 50.16 |
65+ | 525 470 | 353 229 | 878 699 | 2.80 |
Period | Life expectancy in Years | Period | Life expectancy in Years |
---|---|---|---|
1950–1955 | 28.6 | 1985–1990 | 47.7 |
1955–1960 | 31.1 | 1990–1995 | 51.7 |
1960–1965 | 33.4 | 1995–2000 | 54.2 |
1965–1970 | 35.6 | 2000–2005 | 56.9 |
1970–1975 | 37.8 | 2005–2010 | 60.0 |
1975–1980 | 40.4 | 2010–2015 | 62.3 |
1980–1985 | 43.6 | 2015-2020 | 63.2 |
Source: UN World Population Prospects [33]
total: 10 years
male: 13 years
female: 8 years (2018)
0.04% (2015) [11]
Up to 6,900 (2015 estimate) [11] [34]
In 2008, health officials in Afghanistan reported 504 [35] cases of people living with HIV but by the end of 2012 the numbers reached 1,327. The nation's health ministry stated that most of the HIV patients were among intravenous drug users and that 70% of them were men, 25% women, and the remaining 5% children. They belonged to Kabul, Kandahar and Herat, the provinces from where people make the most trips to neighbouring and foreign countries. [36] Regarding Kandahar, 22 cases were reported in 2012. "AIDS Prevention department head Dr Hamayoun Rehman said 1,320 blood samples were examined and 21 were positive. Among the 21 patients, 18 were males and three were females who contracted the deadly virus from their husbands. He said four people had reached a critical stage while three had died. The main source of the disease was the use of syringes used by drug addicts." [37] There are approximately 23,000 addicts in the country who inject drugs into their bodies using syringes
country comparison to the world: 168
Up to 300 (2015 estimate) [11]
Degree of risk: high
Note: WH5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk as of 2009.[ citation needed ]
An approximate distribution of the ethnolinguistic groups are listed in the chart below:
Ethnic group | Image | 2023 estimate based on native mother tongue [38] | 2013 estimate [39] | Pre-2004 estimates [40] [41] [42] |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pashtun | 45% | 42% | 38–50% | |
Tajik | 33% [upper-alpha 1] | 27% | 20–25.3% | |
Hazara | 9% | 12–19% | ||
Uzbek | 7% | 9% | 6–8% | |
Aimak | – | 4% | – | |
Turkmen | 3% | 3% | 2.5% | |
Baloch | 1% | 2% | – | |
Others (Pashai, Nuristani, Arab, Brahui, Qizilbash, Pamiri, etc.) | 11% | 4% | 1–12% |
The recent estimate in the above chart is somewhat supported by the below national opinion polls, which were aimed at knowing how a group of about 804 to 8,706 local residents in Afghanistan felt about the current war, political situation, as well as the economic and social issues affecting their daily lives. Ten surveys were conducted between 2004 and 2015 by the Asia Foundation (a sample is shown in the table below; the survey in 2015 did not contain information on the ethnicity of the participants) and one between 2004 and 2009 by a combined effort of the broadcasting companies NBC News, BBC, and ARD. [43] [44]
Ethnic group | "Afghanistan: Where Things Stand" (2004) [44] "A survey of the Afghan people" (2004) [43] | "Afghanistan: Where Things Stand" (2005) [44] | "Afghanistan: Where Things Stand" (2006) [44] | "Afghanistan: Where Things Stand" (2007) [44] | "A survey of the Afghan people" (2007) [43] | "Afghanistan: Where Things Stand" (2009) [44] | "A survey of the Afghan people" (2012) [43] | "A survey of the Afghan people" (2014) [43] | "A survey of the Afghan people" (2018) [43] | "A survey of the Afghan people" (2019) [43] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pashtun | 46% | 40% | 42% | 38% | 40.1% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 37% | 39% |
Tajik | 39% | 37% | 37% | 38% | 35.1% | 37% | 33% | 36% | 37% | 37% |
Hazara | 6% | 13% | 12% | 6% | 10.0% | 11% | 11% | 10% | 10% | 11% |
Uzbek | 6% | 6% | 5% | 6% | 8.1% | 7% | 9% | 8% | 9% | 8% |
Aimak | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.8% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 1% | <0.5% |
Turkmen | 1% | 1% | 3% | 2% | 3.1% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Baloch | 0% | 0% | 0% | 3% | 0.7% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | <0.5% |
Others (Pashayi, Nuristani, Kurdish, Arab, Qizilbash.) | 3% | 3% | 1% | 5% | 2.1% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 3% |
Don't know | -% | -% | -% | -% | -% | -% | -% | -% | 1% | -% |
Dari and Pashto are both official languages of Afghanistan. [5]
Uzbek and Turkmen are spoken as native languages in northern provinces, mainly among the Uzbeks and Turkmens. Smaller number of Afghans are also fluent in English, Urdu, Balochi, Arabic and other languages. An approximate distribution of languages spoken in the country is shown in the chart below:
Language | Recent estimate including both L1 and L2 speakers [45] | Pre-1992 estimates including both L1 and L2 speakers [40] [46] [47] | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dari Persian (incl. Eastern, Hazaragi & Aimaqi) | 78% | 37-62% (incl. 25-50% Eastern, 9% Hazaragi & 3% Aimaqi) | ||||||
Pashto (incl. Northern and Southern) | 48% | 78-90% | ||||||
Uzbek | 11% | 9% | ||||||
English | 6% | |||||||
Turkmen | 3% | 500,000 speakers | ||||||
Urdu | 3% | |||||||
Pashayi | 1% | |||||||
Nuristani | 1% | |||||||
Arabic | 1% | |||||||
Balochi | 1% | 200,000 | ||||||
1note: data represent most widely spoken languages; shares sum to more than 100% because there is much bilingualism in the country and because respondents were allowed to select more than one language note: the Turkic languages Uzbek and Turkmen, as well as Balochi, Pashayi, Nuristani, and Pamiri are the third official languages in areas where the majority speaks them [45] |
Based on information from the latest national opinion polls, up to 51% stated that they can speak or understand Pashto and up to 79% stated that they can speak or understand Dari. Uzbek was spoken or understood by up to 11% and Turkmen by up to 7%. Other languages that can be spoken are Arabic (4%) and Balochi (2%). [43] [44]
Almost the entire Afghan population is Muslim, with less than 1% being non-Muslim. Despite attempts to secularise Afghan society, Islamic practices pervade all aspects of life. Likewise, Islamic religious tradition and codes, together with traditional practices, provide the principal means of controlling personal conduct and settling legal disputes. Islam was used as the main basis for expressing opposition to the progressive reforms of Afghanistan by King Amanullah in the 1920s.
The members of Sikh and Hindu communities are mostly concentrated in urban areas. They numbered hundreds of thousands in the 1970s but over 90% have since fled due to the Afghan wars and persecution. [49]
Religion | "A survey of the Afghan people" (2004) [43] | "A survey of the Afghan people" (2006) [43] | "A survey of the Afghan people" (2007) [43] | "A survey of the Afghan people" (2008) [43] | "A survey of the Afghan people" (2009) [43] | "A survey of the Afghan people" (2010) [43] | "A survey of the Afghan people" (2011) [43] | "A survey of the Afghan people" (2012) [43] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sunni Islam | 92% | " | 87.3% | " | " | " | " | " |
Shia Islam | 7% | " | 12.3% | " | " | " | " | " |
Ismailism | 1% | " | 0.4% | " | " | " | " | " |
Hinduism | 0% | " | 0.1% | " | " | " | " | " |
Buddhism | 0% | " | 0% | " | " | " | " | " |
Sikhism | 0% | " | 0% | " | " | " | " | " |
Afghans or Afghan people are nationals or citizens of Afghanistan, or people with ancestry from there. Afghanistan is made up of various ethnicities, of which Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras and Uzbeks are the largest. The three main languages spoken by Afghans are Dari, Pashto and Uzbek many Afghans are bilingual speaking both Dari and Pashto.
Tajiks are a Persian-speaking Iranian ethnic group native to Central Asia, living primarily in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Tajiks are the largest ethnicity in Tajikistan, and the second-largest in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. They speak varieties of Persian, a Western Iranian language. In Tajikistan, since the 1939 Soviet census, its small Pamiri and Yaghnobi ethnic groups are included as Tajiks. In China, the term is used to refer to its Pamiri ethnic groups, the Tajiks of Xinjiang, who speak the Eastern Iranian Pamiri languages. In Afghanistan, the Pamiris are counted as a separate ethnic group.
Dari, also known as Dari Persian, is the variety of the Persian language spoken in Afghanistan. Dari is the Afghan government's official term for the Persian language; it is known as Afghan Persian or Eastern Persian in many Western sources. The decision to rename the local variety of Persian in 1964 was more political than linguistic to support an Afghan state narrative. Apart from a few basics of vocabulary, there is little difference between formal written Persian of Afghanistan and Iran; the languages are mutually intelligible. Dari is the official language for 35 million Afghans in Afghanistan and it serves as the lingua franca for interethnic communications in Afghanistan.
Pashtunistan is a region located on the Iranian Plateau, inhabited by the indigenous Pashtun people of southern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan, wherein Pashtun culture, the Pashto language, and Pashtun identity have been based. Alternative names historically used for the region include Pashtūnkhwā (پښتونخوا), Pakhtūnistān, Pathānistān, or simply the Pashtun Belt.
Kunduz is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the northern part of the country next to Tajikistan. The population of the province is around 1,136,677, which is mostly a tribal society; it is one of Afghanistan's most ethnically diverse provinces with many different ethnicities in large numbers living there. The city of Kunduz serves as the capital of the province. It borders the provinces of Takhar, Baghlan, Samangan and Balkh, as well as the Khatlon Region of Tajikistan. The Kunduz Airport is located next to the provincial capital.
Balkh is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the north of the country. It is divided into 15 districts and has a population of about 1,509,183, which is multi-ethnic and mostly a Persian-speaking society. The city of Mazar-i-Sharif serves as the capital of the province. The Mazar-i-Sharif International Airport and Camp Marmal sit on the eastern edge of Mazar-i-Sharif.
Kabul, situated in the east of the country, is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. The capital of the province is Kabul city, which is Afghanistan's capital and largest city. The population of the Kabul Province is over 5.5 million people as of 2022, of which over 85 percent live in urban areas. The current governor of the province is Qari Baryal.
Nimruz or Nimroz is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the southwestern part of the country. It lies to the east of the Sistan and Baluchestan Province of Iran and north of Balochistan, Pakistan, also bordering the Afghan provinces of Farah and Helmand. It has a population of about 186,963 people. The province is divided into five districts, encompassing about 649 villages.
Parwan also spelled Parvan is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is the largest province of the Greater Parwan region and has a population of about 751,000. The province is multi-ethnic and mostly rural society. The province is divided into ten districts. The town of Imam Abu Hanifa serves as the provincial capital. The province is located north of Kabul Province and south of Baghlan Province, west of Panjshir Province and Kapisa Province, and east of Maidan Wardak Province and Bamyan Province. The province's famous tourism attraction is the Golghondi Hill, also known as “the flower hill,” located in Imam Azam about an hour away from the capital city of Kabul. After Panjshir this province has been considered as one of the main raising points of Afghanistan War against Soviets.
Fārsīwān is a contemporary designation for Persian speakers in Afghanistan and its diaspora elsewhere. More specifically, it was originally used to refer to a distinct group of farmers in Afghanistan and urban dwellers. In Afghanistan, original Farsiwans are found predominantly in Herat and Farah provinces. They are roughly the same as the Persians of eastern Iran. The term excludes the Hazāra and Aymāq tribes, who also speak dialects of Persian.
Qala-e-Naw, also Qalay-e-Naw or Qalanou is a district in the west of Badghis Province, Afghanistan. The majority of its population are Sunni Hazaras, with significant numbers of Tajiks, Pashtuns, Balochs, Uzbeks, and Turkmens.
Afghanistan is a linguistically diverse nation, with upwards of 40 distinct languages. However, Dari and Pashto are two of the most prominent languages in the country, and have shared official status under various governments of Afghanistan. Dari, as a shared language between multiple ethnic groups in the country, has served as a historical lingua franca between different linguistic groups in the region and is the most widely understood language in the country. Pashto is also widely spoken in the region; but the language does not have a diverse multi-ethnic population like Dari, and the language is not as commonly spoken by non-Pashtuns. Dari and Pashto are also "relatives", as both are Iranian languages.
Afghanistan is a multiethnic and mostly tribal society. The population of the country consists of numerous ethnolinguistic groups: mainly the Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, and Uzbek, as well as the minorities of Aimaq, Turkmen, Baloch, Pashai, Nuristani, Gujjar, Brahui, Qizilbash, Pamiri, Kyrgyz, Sadat, Mongol and others. Altogether they make up the Afghan people.
Shinḍanḍ District is located in the southern part of Herat Province in Afghanistan, bordering Adraskan District to the north, Ghor Province to the east and Farah Province to the south and west. It is one of the 16 districts of Herat Province. The name Shindand is Pashto and relates to lush green farming area. In Persian language it translates to Sabzwār.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Afghanistan:
Pakistan is an ethnically and linguistically diverse country. The major Pakistani ethnolinguistic groups include Punjabis, Pashtuns, Sindhis, Balochs, and Brahuis. with significant numbers of Baltis, Kashmiris, Chitralis, Shina, Kohistanis, Torwalis, Hazaras, Burusho, Wakhis, Kalash, Siddis, Uzbeks, Nuristanis, Pamiris, Hindkowans, Kyrgyz, Turkmen, Uyghurs and other various minorities.
As a geographically fragmented state, Afghanistan is separated into as many as 14 ethnic groups that have historically faced divisions that devolved into political violence. This conflict reached its culminating point in the 1990s with the rise of the Taliban.
Anti-Pashtun sentiment refers to dislike and hostility towards Pashtuns, Pashtun culture, or the Pashto language. This includes fear as well as resentment exhibited by non-Pashtun ethnic majorities who have suffered decades of persecution at the hands of Pashtuns, including disappearances, murder, slavery, Pashtunization, and genocide, especially the Hazaras.
Mohammad Moeen Marastial is an Afghan politician who served as a Member of Parliament in Wolesi Jirga, the lower house, representing the people of Afghanistan from 2003 to 2009. During his incumbency, he advocated for education for all, a receptive and accountable government, focusing on the best interests of the nation and a strong rule of law.
An Afghan personal name consists of a given name and sometimes a surname at the end. Personal names are generally not divided into first and family names; a single name is recognized as a full personal name, and the addition of further components – such as additional given names, regional, or ethnic family/clan names or patronymics – is often a matter of parents' choice. This structure is shared amongst the different ethnicities of Afghanistan and people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
From among the languages of Pashto, Dari, Uzbeki, Turkmani, Baluchi, Pashai, Nuristani, Pamiri (alsana), Arab and other languages spoken in the country, Pashto and Dari are the official languages of the state.
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: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)Ethnic divisions: 50% Pashtun, 25% Tajik, 9% Uzbek, 12-15% Hazara[,] minor ethnic groups include Chahar Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others […] Language: 50% Pashtu, 35% Afghan Persian (Dari), 11% Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen), 4% thirty minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai)[,] much bilingualism
In 1996, approximately 40 percent of Afghans were Pashtun, 11.4 of whom are of the Durrani tribal group and 13.8 percent of the Ghilzai group. Tajiks make up the second largest ethnic group with 25.3 percent of the population, followed by Hazaras, 18 percent; Uzbeks, 6.3 percent; Turkmen, 2.5 percent; Qizilbash, 1.0; 6.9 percent other. The usual caveat regarding statistics is particularly appropriate here.
Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 6%, Hazara 19%; minor ethnic groups include Chahar Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others
D-14. Which ethnic group do you belong to?
D-14. WHICH ETHNIC GROUP DO YOU BELONG TO?
Ethnicity Status
D-9. Which ethnic group do you belong to? SINGLE RESPONSE ONLY Pashtun 48%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 9%, Hazara 10%, Turkmen 2%, Baloch 1%, Nuristani 1%, Aimak 2%, Arab 2%
The 2009 survey interviewed 6,406 Afghans (53% men and 47% women)
The 2008 survey interviewed 6,593 Afghans...
The 2007 survey interviewed 6,406 Afghans, Which ethnic group do you belong to? SINGLE RESPONSE ONLY Pashtun 55%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 8%, Hazara 15%, Turkmen 8%, Baloch 1%, Nuristani 1%, Aimak 1%, Arab 1%
A total of 6,226 respondents were surveyed in the study, out of which 4888 (78.5%) were from the rural areas and 1338 (22%) were from the urban areas. Ethnicity: Pashtun 40.9, Tajik 37.1, Uzbek 9.2, Hazara 9.2, Turkmen 1.7, Baloch 0.5, Nuristani 0.4, Aimak 0.1, Arab 0.7, Pashayi 0.3
The 2004 survey interviewed 804 Afghans, Which ethnic group do you belong to? Pashtun 40%, Tajik 39%, Uzbek 6%, Hazara 6%, Turkmen 1%, Baloch 0%, Nuristani 1%, Aimak 0%, Arab 1%, Pashaye 0%, Other 1%.
A. Official languages. Pashto (1) is the language most spoken in Afghanistan. The native tongue of 65-70% of the population. Persian (2) is the native tongue of 30-35% of Afghans. Persian is split into numerous dialects.