Afghanistan Demographics Profile 2001

Population

26,813,057 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 42.2% (male 5,775,921; female 5,538,836)

15-64 years: 55.01% (male 7,644,242; female 7,106,568)

65 years and over: 2.79% (male 394,444; female 353,046) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate

3.48% (2001 est.)

note: this rate reflects the continued return of refugees from Iran

Birth rate

41.42 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate

17.72 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate

11.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female

total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

147.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 46.24 years

male: 46.97 years

female: 45.47 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.79 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

Nationality

noun: Afghan(s)

adjective: Afghan

Ethnic groups

Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Hazara 19%, minor ethnic groups (Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others) 12%, Uzbek 6%

Religions

Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1%

Languages

Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 31.5%

male: 47.2%

female: 15% (1999 est.)