Kabul's 2026 population is now estimated at 4,929,104. In 1979, the population of Kabul was 913,164. Kabul has grown by 82,417 in the last year, which represents a 1.7% annual change. These population values and projections come from Central Statistics Office Afghanistan - 1979 Census, Central Statistics Office Afghanistan - City Population Projections and World Population Review Internal Projections .
Kabul is a city located in Afghanistan. It is the capital city, as well as the largest city by population. Not only is it the largest city in the country, but it also one of the largest in the world, ranking 64th. Rapid urbanization has also led to the city being the fifth fastest-growing in the world. Estimates taken in 2015 show that the population of Kabul is 4.635 million.
The city is spread across a total of 1,023 square kilometers (395 square miles) and has a population density of 4,500 residents per square kilometer (12,000 per square mile).
About 45% of Kabul’s population is Tajik. One-quarter is Hazara, another 25% is Pashtun, and minority ethnic groups include Baloch, Uzbek, Turkmen, and Afghan Hindu.
Almost three-quarters of the population of Kabul follow Sunni Islam, and around Twenty-five percent of residents are Shiites. Other religions in the city include Sikhism and Hinduism.
The common language is Dari, although Pashto is widely spoken throughout the city as well. Many inhabitants speak more than one language.
The city’s population has seen very exciting changes throughout the years, primarily due to wars. The population dropped in the 1990s but has grown four times between 2001 and 2014, as immigrants move away from rebel groups and government forces. The city is now one of the fastest-growing in the entire world, and because of this, many informal settlements have popped up all around the city to accommodate this growth. The city’s population in the past has fluctuated throughout the years; however, its current trajectory hasn’t shown signs of slowing just yet.
| City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Kabul | 4,929,104 | 1.7% |
| Herat | 635,501 | 1.63% |
| Kandahar | 571,355 | 1.42% |
| Mazar-e Sharif | 538,666 | 1.7% |
| Jalalabad | 302,936 | 1.74% |
| Kunduz | 208,451 | 1.56% |
| Pul-e Khumri | 137,111 | 1.66% |
| Sheberghan | 104,466 | 1.76% |
| Meymaneh | 104,197 | 1.33% |
| Lashkargah | 98,301 | 1.55% |
| Taluqan | 93,180 | 1.69% |
| Baghlan | 85,220 | 1.11% |
| Ghazni | 74,432 | 1.23% |
| Charikar | 72,129 | 1.46% |
| Khulm | 61,945 | 1.13% |
| Khan Abad | 50,440 | 0.95% |
| Farah | 46,181 | 1.24% |
| Hazrat-e Imam Sahib | 44,735 | 1.53% |
| Ghorian | 44,083 | 1.53% |
| Fayzabad | 42,878 | 1.69% |
| Andkhoy | 41,442 | 1.45% |
| Aibak | 38,138 | 1.89% |
| Sar-e Pul | 37,945 | 1.22% |
| Zaranj | 33,876 | 1.74% |
| Gardez | 30,987 | 1.47% |
| Aqchah | 30,749 | 1.51% |
| Chahab | 29,984 | 1.35% |
| Paghman | 25,584 | 0.45% |
| Qal'ah-ye Zal | 23,197 | 1.01% |
| Kushk | 21,879 | 1.61% |
| Balkh | 19,526 | 1.32% |
| Qal'ah-ye Now | 18,676 | 1.52% |
| Asad Abad | 17,922 | 1.92% |
| Rustaq | 16,063 | 1.22% |
| Bamyan | 15,721 | 1.09% |
| Sancharak | 15,660 | 1.03% |
| Khost | 15,089 | 1.9% |
| Qalat | 14,012 | 1.22% |
| Dowlat Abad | 13,393 | 1.13% |
| Sholgarah | 12,975 | 1.14% |
| Yangi Qal'ah | 12,100 | 1.39% |
| Gereshk | 11,967 | 1.22% |
| Chaghcharan | 8,831 | 1.4% |
| Tarinkot | 8,426 | 1.25% |
| Pul-e 'Alam | 6,622 | 0.81% |
| Mehtarlam | 6,149 | 0.69% |
| Sharan | 5,593 | 1.49% |
| Maidan Shahr | 3,694 | 0.87% |
| Mahmud-e Raqi | 1,876 | 0.7% |