Afghanistan at its true size
Afghanistan covers 652,230 km², number 40 of 194 countries 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 |
| Local time in Kabul | |
| Time zone | UTC+4:30 IANA |
| Currency | Afghani (AFN) Wikidata |
| Languages | Arabic, Pashto, Uzbek, Turkmen, Dari, Balochi, Nuristani, Pamir, Pashayi |
| Traffic | On the right |
| Region | Southern Asia, Asia |
| Status | Independent state |
| Coast | Landlocked |
| Calling code | +93 |
| Codes | AF · AFG · 004 |
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Where Afghanistan ranks
Among the independent states, in 42 rankings. Each links to its table.
People
- Population#36 of 19444 million people#15 of 48 in Asia
- Population density#119 of 19467 people per km²#38 of 48 in Asia
- Urban population#179 of 19226% urban#46 of 47 in Asia
- Fertility rate#9 of 1924.76 births per woman#1 of 47 in Asia
- Population growth#19 of 192+2.77% a year#8 of 47 in Asia
- Birth rate#9 of 19235.0 births per 1,000 people#1 of 47 in Asia
- Death rate#148 of 1925.7 deaths per 1,000 people#27 of 47 in Asia
- Children under 15#11 of 19242.6% under 15#1 of 47 in Asia
- People over 65#185 of 1922.4% aged 65 and over#45 of 47 in Asia
- Net migration#132 of 192−1.7 per 1,000 people#36 of 47 in Asia
- Refugees abroad#6 of 19060.93 refugees abroad per 1,000 people#2 of 47 in Asia
Health & education
- Life expectancy#158 of 19266.3 years#47 of 47 in Asia
- Infant mortality#13 of 19148.3 infant deaths per 1,000 live births#1 of 47 in Asia
- Doctors#136 of 1780.32 doctors per 1,000 people#44 of 46 in Asia
- University enrolment#128 of 14510.9% gross enrolment#41 of 42 in Asia
- Human Development Index#178 of 190an index of 0.496#45 of 46 in Asia
Economy
- GNI per capita#184 of 185$390 a person#45 of 45 in Asia
- Internet users#178 of 18416% online#43 of 43 in Asia
- GDP per capita (PPP)#174 of 184$2,236 a person#45 of 45 in Asia
- GDP growth#134 of 187+1.9% a year#36 of 45 in Asia
- Inflation#176 of 176−6.6% a year#42 of 42 in Asia
- Unemployment#20 of 17813.4% of the labour force#5 of 47 in Asia
- Jobs in agriculture#23 of 17851.6% of jobs#3 of 47 in Asia
- Jobs in industry#90 of 17818.9% of jobs#33 of 47 in Asia
- Jobs in services#165 of 17829.5% of jobs#45 of 47 in Asia
- Foreign investment#158 of 1840.1% of GDP#41 of 44 in Asia
- Exports#146 of 16815.7% of GDP#35 of 42 in Asia
- Military spending#75 of 1551.8% of GDP#23 of 38 in Asia
- Mobile subscriptions#176 of 19160 subscriptions per 100 people#45 of 47 in Asia
Energy & environment
- CO₂ per person#164 of 1850.28 tonnes a person#46 of 47 in Asia
- Forest area#172 of 1922% forest#39 of 47 in Asia
- Renewable energy#107 of 19020.0% renewable#16 of 47 in Asia
- Access to electricity#143 of 19287.8% with electricity#44 of 47 in Asia
- Air pollution (PM2.5)#26 of 19137.9 µg/m³#15 of 47 in Asia
- Protected land#174 of 1913.6% of the land protected#42 of 47 in Asia
- Arable land#84 of 19012.0% of the land arable#18 of 47 in Asia
- Water stress#33 of 17654.8% of its available fresh water#23 of 47 in Asia
- Precipitation#152 of 180327 mm a year#32 of 47 in Asia
Governance & safety
Countries of a similar size
Every country within 25% of Afghanistan’s area, lit up on the map →
- 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
The land itself
Rivers, summits and lakes Afghanistan shares with the rest of the world. Turn on “Rivers & lakes” and “Physical names” in the atlas to see them on the map.
Rivers
- Helmand1,150 km
- Panj921 km
Summits
- Noshaq7,492 m
- Shāh Fōlādī5,048 m
- Sikaram4,790 m
- Kuh-e Jang Qal'eh4,171 m
Rivers are listed by the published length of their whole course, not the part inside Afghanistan. Figures from Wikidata, features from Natural Earth.
Neighbours
Questions about Afghanistan
- How big is Afghanistan?
- Afghanistan covers 652,230 km², which makes it number 40 of 194 countries 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.