Afghanistan at its true size
Afghanistan covers 652,230 km², number 42 of 235 by area. Home to 43,844,111 people (2025). Sitting near the equator, it is one of the few places Mercator gets almost right.
Equal-area projection · Natural Earth 50m
| Area | 652,230 km² Wikidata |
|---|---|
| Population | 43,844,111 World Bank, 2025 |
| Density | 67 per km² |
| Capital | Kabul |
| Region | Southern Asia, Asia |
| Status | Independent state |
| Coast | Landlocked |
| Codes | AF · AFG · 004 |
Countries of a similar size
- South Sudan1.01×Afghanistan and South Sudan are almost exactly the same size.
- France1.01×Afghanistan and France are almost exactly the same size.
- Somalia1.02×Afghanistan and Somalia are almost exactly the same size.
- Myanmar0.96×Afghanistan is 4% smaller than Myanmar.
- Central African Republic1.05×Afghanistan is 5% larger than Central African Republic.
- Ukraine1.08×Afghanistan is 8% larger than Ukraine.
How many times does Afghanistan fit into…
- Russia: about 26 times
- Canada: about 15 times
- United States: about 15 times
Neighbours
Questions about Afghanistan
- How big is Afghanistan?
- Afghanistan covers 652,230 km², which makes it number 42 of 235 countries and territories by area. About 43,844,111 people live there (2025), 67 per km².
- Is Afghanistan bigger than South Sudan?
- Afghanistan and South Sudan are almost exactly the same size. Afghanistan: 652,230 km²; South Sudan: 644,329 km².
- How much does the Mercator map distort Afghanistan?
- Afghanistan lies close to the equator, so Mercator draws it at nearly its true size. It is the countries far from the equator that Mercator inflates.
- Which countries border Afghanistan?
- Afghanistan shares a land border with China, Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan.