STATISTICAL OVERVIEW*

Estimated Population: 37,466,414 (July 2021 estimate)

Ethnic Groups: Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, other (includes smaller numbers of Baloch, Turkmen, Nuristani, Pamiri, Arab, Gujar, Brahui, Qizilbash, Aimaq, Pashai, and Kyrghyz) (2015)

Languages: Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 78% (Dari functions as the lingua franca), Pashto (official) 50%, Uzbek 10%, English 5%, Turkmen 2%, Urdu 2%, Pashayi 1%, Nuristani 1%, Arabic 1%, Balochi 1%, other <1% (2017 est.)

Religions: Muslim 99.7% (Sunni 84.7 - 89.7%, Shia 10 - 15%), other 0.3% (2009 est.)

Population Age Structure:

• 0-14 years: 40.62% (male 7,562,703/female 7,321,646)

• 15-24 years: 21.26% (male 3,960,044/female 3,828,670)

• 25-54 years: 31.44% (male 5,858,675/female 5,661,887)

• 55-64 years: 4.01% (male 724,597/female 744,910)

• 65 years and over: 2.68% (male 451,852/female 528,831) (2020 est.)

Population Distribution: Populations tend to cluster in the foothills and periphery of the rugged Hindu Kush range; smaller groups are found in many of the country's interior valleys; in general, the east is more densely settled, while the south is sparsely populated

Population of Major Urban Areas: 4.336 million KABUL (capital) (2021)

Life Expectancy at Birth:

• Total population: 53.25 years

• Male: 51.73 years

• Female: 54.85 years (2021 est.)

Physician Density: 0.28 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Hospital Bed Density: 0.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Literacy: Age 15 and over can read and write

• Total population: 43%

• Male: 55.5%

• Female: 29.8% (2018)

Environment—Current Issues: Limited natural freshwater resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water pollution in overcrowded urban areas

Food Insecurity: Severe localized food insecurity due to civil conflict, population displacement, and economic slowdown—the food security situation worsened in recent months due to the impact of COVID‑19 as informal labor opportunities and remittances declined; between November 2020 and March 2021, about 13.15 million people were estimated to be in severe acute food insecurity and to require urgent humanitarian assistance, including 8.52 million people in "Crisis" and 4.3 million people in "Emergency"; the food security of the vulnerable populations, including IDPs and the urban poor, is likely to deteriorate as curfews and restrictions on movements to contain the COVID‑19 outbreak limit the employment opportunities for casual laborers (2021)

As of 2020, there are more than four million Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in Afghanistan.

Today, thousands of new displaced people are registered daily, with the majority being women and children.

Iran, Pakistan, Turkey and EU countries continued to forcibly return migrants and asylum-seekers to Afghanistan, in violation of the principle of non-refoulement. These returns, which slowed for a period during the pandemic, were alarming in light of the health care situation in Afghanistan, the unabated conflict, and high levels of poverty.

The Iranian authorities forcibly returned nearly 700,000 people between 1 January and 31 October. Iranian border forces were also responsible for attacks on Afghan migrants, including cases of torture and drowning in May and an arson attack on a vehicle carrying migrants in June. The attacks were not investigated, and no action was taken against the perpetrators.

According to the International Organization for Migration, there were 4 million people internally displaced in Afghanistan in 2020, an increase from 1.2 million in 2016 and half a million in 2013. Throughout this time, internally displaced people languished on the brink of survival, in many cases living in densely populated camps and facing constant difficulties accessing clean water, health care and employment. Their situation deteriorated further as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Information Courtesy of Amnesty International; “Afghanistan 2020” visit web page)

While statistics are interesting as a comparison with other countries and lifestyles, they do not adequately convey the struggles and subsequent hopelessness of everyday life for those who are affected.

Nor do you get a glimpse of the resilience, kindness, and hospitality of the typical Afghan citizen.

Due to war, terrorism, and unrest, many victims have lost lives of loved ones or their own lives, have been crippled by injuries (estimated 80,000 people are missing limbs—Wikipedia), no longer have jobs (young children work in the streets out of desperation), and they have been displaced from their homes. Many live in unhealthy IDP camps without access to adequate food and clean water. Can you imagine? It’s no wonder they often feel lost and hopeless believing no one knows and no one cares.

Epek International is working to address urgent needs, such as lack of potable water and the despErate food insecurities

Kabul is a difficult place, 2021 is a difficult time—and it’s not getting any easier. But we persevere to be a light in this darkness and literally save lives. Our training center addresses illiteracy and helps provide individuals with skills needed to be self-supporting.

Our work is a challenge, but one we approach with open, loving, compassionate hearts, and the prayers and support of amazing partners and individuals who believe in us and believe lives and futures can be changed for the better. We can restore dignity and hope!

Afghan political unity remains fragile.

Most Afghans overwhelmingly want peace, but also want to preserve the current constitutional system that includes democracy, personal freedoms, a free media, and women’s rights. The Taliban have said little to reassure citizens that their views have changed from the extreme restrictions they brutally enforced in the 1990s. 

The ongoing insurgency compounds myriad other challenges that make Afghanistan one of the most fragile states in the world. COVID-19 has caused both humanitarian and economic hardships on top of already severe poverty, food insecurity, and climate vulnerability. A successful political settlement of the conflict leading to an inclusive and sustainable peace is the surest path to addressing these deep-rooted challenges.

( Credit: USIP )

*Statistics from The World Factbook 2021.