Afghanistan’s population rises to 37.2 million

Afghanistan’s General Statistics and Information Authority (GSIA) has estimated the country’s population at 37.2 million for the solar year 1405.

The latest estimate shows that men account for 51 percent of the population, while women make up 49 percent.

According to GSIA, around 70 percent of Afghanistan’s population — nearly 26 million people — live in rural areas. About 26 percent, or 9.8 million people, reside in urban areas, while the remaining 4 percent, or 1.5 million people, are nomads.

The figures show that Kabul remains the country’s most populous province, with around 6.4 million residents, including 3.3 million men and 3.1 million women.

Herat is the second most populous province, with an estimated population of 2.4 million, comprising around 1.23 million men and 1.2 million women.

GSIA released the population estimate on the occasion of World Population Day.

The authority had estimated Afghanistan’s population at 36.4 million last year. The latest figures indicate that the population has grown by 2.2 percent, or 800,000 people, over the past year, reaching 37.2 million.