Afghanistan vs Australia: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 163 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

Afghanistan has 65% more people than Australia (45.04 million vs 27.23 million). Australia's economy is 161 times the size of Afghanistan's ($2.02 trillion vs $12.56 billion GDP).

Comparing Afghanistan and Australia: Afghanistan leads on Refined Petroleum Products Consumption (35,000) against Australia (1.18); Afghanistan leads on Televisions (100,000) against Australia (10.15); Afghanistan leads on Electricity Installed Capacity (634,100) against Australia (65.56). Across 163 compared metrics, Afghanistan wins on 56 and Australia wins on 94.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 59 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 20 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 40 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇦🇺 AustraliaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration0.08 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants36.63 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)16.09 %96.13 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)17.71 %97.06 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 18% (2023 est.)percent of population: 97% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed0.08 Mbps36.63 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score17.88 points75.15 points★
Radios167,000★25.5
Televisions100,000★10.15
Waterways1,2002,000★

Economy

59 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇦🇺 AustraliaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country5.62B $61.53B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars12.56B $2.02T $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)15.29 %23.87 %★
Apple Import Volume90,480 tonnes1.04M tonnes★
Bank Account Ownership Rate9.65 %99.32 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)NANA
Coal Revenue0.450.78★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)15 %★5.24 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.4 % of GDP★9.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business IndexOverall Ease of Doing Business score: 44.1 | Starting a Business score: 92.0 | Trading Across Borders score: 30.6 | Enforcing Contracts score: 31.8 79
Electricity Consumption5.53229.4★
Electricity Exports00
Electricity from Fossil Fuels4572★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants52★11
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels00
Electricity from Other Renewables417★
Electricity Imports4.4★0
Electricity Installed Capacity634,100★65.56
Electricity Production1.21243★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)3.38 USD per capita223.16 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate5.3 %77.39 %★
Gini Index Coefficient29.434.3★
Gross Fixed InvestmentNA%27.4
Gross National Saving22.7★21
High-Tech Export Percentage0.34 %14.95 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries1,964.45 USD60,309.58 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)1.8 %★0.5 %
Inflation Rate-6.6 %★3.17 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)-6.6 %★3.2 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)3.3 % of GDP★2 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption164.2★45.25
Natural Gas Exports067.96★
Natural Gas Imports05.78★
Natural Gas Production164.2★105.2
Natural Gas Proved Reserves49.55★1.99
Oil Consumption4,800960,800★
Oil Exports0312,600★
Oil Imports4,512731,400★
Oil Production0549,200★
Oil Proved Reserves03.32★
Population Below Poverty Line54.5 people13.4 people★
Private Investment (% of GDP)10.39 % of GDP20.06 % of GDP★
Public Debt7.8★58
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.3 USD★1.4 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends12.14 %★1.54 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption35,000★1.18
Refined Petroleum Products Exports064,120★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports34,210619,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0462,500★
Remittances1.9★0.1
Revenue from Forest Resources0.2★0.13
Tax Burden (% of GDP)9.9 %★22.02 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)9.9 % of GDP22.02 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues9.923.6★
Top Exporting Countries2.89B USD463.12B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.14 %2.02 %★
Unemployment Rate13.3 %4.1 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate37.46 %★66.54 %
Youth Unemployment Rate16.79 %9.61 %★

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇦🇺 AustraliaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)309,679★2.42M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate0 %54,093.75 %★
Average Annual Temperature13.8 °C22.64 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions7.76★394.65
Global Precipitation Distribution266.24 mm454.91 mm★
Population Distributionpopulations 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 populatedpopulation is primarily located on the periphery, with the highest concentration of people residing in the east and southeast; a secondary population center is located in and around Perth in the west; of the states and territories, New South Wales has, by
Protected Land Area for Adaptation3.6 sq km22.48 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage3.6 %22 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country10.65 Cubic meters per year72 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources65.33492★
Total Threatened Mammal Species12 species★69 species

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇦🇺 AustraliaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization2.35 %★0.18 %
Agricultural land387,372 sq. km3.67M sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km652,2307.69M★
Coastline Length (km)0 km25,760 km★
Dam capacity per capita43.87 cubic meters per inhabitant2,840.49 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land24,930★19,450

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇦🇺 AustraliaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country6.1 %90.34 %★
Administrative Divisions34★6
Corruption Perception Index17 index★77 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score17 index77 index★
Independence19★1
LGBT Rights Index Score-2.219.57★
Prison Population Rate62 per 100,000★160 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception17★77
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

20 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇦🇺 AustraliaShare
Average BMI for Adults22.6 kg/m²27.6 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate55 %91 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)11.7★7.4
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.29 years83.05 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends2.8 per 1,000 births0.26 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita404.26 USD9,382.2 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score42 score89 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)21.8 % of GDP★10.5 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.29 years83.05 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate(2021 est.) <0.1%0.1 %
Hospital Bed Density0.4 people/sq km3.8 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita0.45 beds per 1,0003.82 beds per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)521 %2 %★
Mean Age at First Birth19.928.7★
Nurses and Midwives Density0.45 per 1,000 people12.76 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)5.5 %★29 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending77.14 %15.85 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS12,000★30,000
Total Number of Doctors0.253.9★
Underweight Children Under 519.1NA

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇦🇺 AustraliaShare
Active Military Personnel100,000 personnel★60,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.83 %★1.97 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)165,000★60,000

People and Society

40 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇦🇺 AustraliaShare
Currently married (Percent)65.73 %★53.27 %
Human Capital Index0.420.79★
Life expectancy at birth69.52 years86.17 years★
Median age of population17.46 years38.51 years★
Population Change1.50M persons★266,623.9 persons
Population density68.74 per sq. km3.54 per sq. km★
Total population45.04M persons★27.23M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.090.86★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAB★
Beer Consumption per Capita0 liters3.3 liters★
Birth Rate (%)35.99 %★10.75 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate18.9 %66.9 %★
Crude Birth Rate35.01 per 1,000 people★10.7 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)5.79 %★6.81 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.3 % of GDP5.1 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age10.79M persons★6.26M persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)5.94 %130.23 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate0.08 %36.63 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.53 male/female105.59 male/female★
Human Development Index0.180.85★
Labor Force Participation Rate9.1314.91★
Learning-adjusted years of school5.41 years11.59 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population4.59 people5.24 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)165.26179.2★
Mean Years of Schooling5.69 years12.93 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age22★17
Military Service Age and Obligationservice is voluntary; there is no conscription (2023) note: the Taliban dismissed nearly all women from the former Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, except those serving in detention facilities and assisting with body searches17
Old-Age Dependency Ratio4.37 %★26.88 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization82.81 %★81.69 %
Physician Density0.32 people/sq km4.09 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate2.86 %★1.59 %
Population living in slums74.25 %★0.03 %
Total deaths213,986.9 persons184,381.4 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)36.45 %65.29 %★
Total fertility rate4.57 per woman★1.63 per woman
Total net-migration192,894.5 persons★146,184.2 persons
Under-five mortality rate50.42 per live births2.81 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate3.69 %★1.67 %
Voting Age Population9.63 millions80.79 millions★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇦🇺 AustraliaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.043.09★
Airports682,257★
Civil Air Travel2about 150 major transport aircraft
Heliports8392★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇦🇺 AustraliaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita74.83M USD26.23B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇦🇺 AustraliaShare
Current Bank Rate7.5 %★4.35 %

Frequently Asked Questions About Afghanistan vs Australia

Which has a larger population, Afghanistan or Australia?▾

Afghanistan. Afghanistan has 65% more people than Australia (45.04 million vs 27.23 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Afghanistan or Australia?▾

Australia. Australia's economy is 161 times the size of Afghanistan's ($2.02 trillion vs $12.56 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Afghanistan or Australia?▾

Australia is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $74,342 in Australia vs $278.78 in Afghanistan (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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