Afghanistan vs Thailand: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 168 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

Thailand has 59% more people than Afghanistan (71.57 million vs 45.04 million). Thailand's economy is 42.5 times the size of Afghanistan's ($533.67 billion vs $12.56 billion GDP).

Comparing Afghanistan and Thailand: Afghanistan leads on Refined Petroleum Products Consumption (35,000) against Thailand (1.33); Afghanistan leads on Electricity Installed Capacity (634,100) against Thailand (44.89); Afghanistan leads on Radios (167,000) against Thailand (13.96). Across 168 compared metrics, Afghanistan wins on 51 and Thailand wins on 106.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 61 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 22 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration0.08 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants14.51 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)16.09 %90.87 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)17.71 %89.54 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 18% (2023 est.)percent of population: 90% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed0.08 Mbps14.51 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score17.88 points56.72 points★
Radios167,000★13.96
Televisions100,000★15.19
Waterways1,2004,000★

Economy

61 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country5.62B $45.86B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars12.56B $533.67B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)15.29 %22.46 %★
Apple Import Volume90,480 tonnes186.16M tonnes★
Bank Account Ownership Rate9.65 %95.58 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)NA3.75 %
Coal Revenue0.45★0.03
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)15 %★4.42 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.4 % of GDP★3.8 % 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 84.6
Electricity Consumption5.53187.7★
Electricity Exports02.27★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels4576★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants52★8
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels00
Electricity from Other Renewables416★
Electricity Imports4.419.83★
Electricity Installed Capacity634,100★44.89
Electricity Production1.21181.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)3.38 USD per capita80.6 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate5.3 %69.01 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage-125.21 %-6.63 %★
Gender Wage Gap-125.21 %★-6.63 %
Gini Index Coefficient29.435★
Gross Fixed InvestmentNA%24.7
Gross National Saving22.734.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage0.34 %61.93 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries1,964.45 USD21,882.22 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)1.8 %★0.9 %
Inflation Rate-6.6 %★0.4 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)-6.6 %★1.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)3.3 % of GDP★1.1 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption164.2★52.64
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports014.41★
Natural Gas Production164.2★38.59
Natural Gas Proved Reserves49.55193.4★
Oil Consumption4,800988,000★
Oil Exports0269,100★
Oil Imports4,512807,100★
Oil Production0406,800★
Oil Proved Reserves0435★
Population Below Poverty Line54.5 people5.4 people★
Private Investment (% of GDP)10.39 % of GDP16.36 % of GDP★
Public Debt7.8★61.1
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.3 USD2.5 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends12.14 %★2.47 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption35,000★1.33
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0278,300★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports34,210134,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production01.33★
Remittances1.9★1.8
Revenue from Forest Resources0.20.34★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)9.9 %★15.52 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)9.9 % of GDP15.52 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues9.915.4★
Top Exporting Countries2.89B USD337.63B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.14 %3.04 %★
Unemployment Rate13.3 %0.7 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate37.46 %★66.68 %
Youth Unemployment Rate16.79 %4.53 %★

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)309,679★3.03M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate0 %★-138,016.02 %
Average Annual Temperature13.8 °C26.31 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions7.76★336.69
Global Precipitation Distribution266.24 mm1,756.8 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 populatedhighest population density is found in and around Bangkok; significant population clusters throughout large parts of the country, particularly north and northeast of Bangkok and in the extreme southern region of the country
Protected Land Area for Adaptation3.6 sq km18.37 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage3.6 %18.4 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country10.65 Cubic meters per year41.9 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources65.33438.61★
Total Threatened Mammal Species12 species★64 species

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization2.35 %5.23 %★
Agricultural land387,372 sq. km★243,086.8 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km652,230★510,890
Coastline Length (km)0 km3,219 km★
Dam capacity per capita43.87 cubic meters per inhabitant1,098 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land24,93064,150★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Rule of Law Index by Country6.1 %56.88 %★
Administrative Divisions3476★
Corruption Perception Index17 index★34 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score17 index34 index★
Independence19123★
LGBT Rights Index Score-2.216.07★
Prison Population Rate54 per 100,000★395 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception17★34
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Average BMI for Adults22.6 kg/m²23.9 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate55 %93 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)11.7★10.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.29 years76.56 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends2.8 per 1,000 births0.39 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita404.26 USD1,465.74 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score42 score82 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)21.8 % of GDP★5.2 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.29 years76.56 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate(2021 est.) <0.1%1 %
Hospital Bed Density0.4 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita0.35 beds per 1,0002.39 beds per 1,000★
Malaria Incidence Rate17.76 cases per 1,0000.58 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)521 %34 %★
Mean Age at First Birth19.923.3★
Nurses and Midwives Density0.55 per 1,000 people3.57 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)5.5 %★10 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending77.14 %9.93 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS12,000★500,000
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People0 per 100,000 people1 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors0.250.51★
Underweight Children Under 518.46.7★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Active Military Personnel100,000 personnel361,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.83 %1.42 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)165,000455,000★

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Currently married (Percent)65.73 %★50.17 %
Human Capital Index0.420.63★
Life expectancy at birth69.52 years80.78 years★
Median age of population17.46 years41.03 years★
Population Change1.50M persons★-87,807.2 persons
Population density68.74 per sq. km★140.16 per sq. km
Total population45.04M persons71.57M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.090.38★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAAA★
Beer Consumption per Capita0 liters2.01 liters★
Birth Rate (%)35.99 %★9.82 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate18.9 %73 %★
Crude Birth Rate35.01 per 1,000 people★8.12 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)5.79 %★8.08 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.3 % of GDP★2.5 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age10.79M persons16.94M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)5.94 %49.25 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate0.08 %14.51 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.53 male/female106.24 male/female★
Human Development Index0.180.4★
Labor Force Participation Rate9.1340.62★
Learning-adjusted years of school5.41 years8.95 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population4.59 people11.07 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)165.26169.16★
Mean Years of Schooling5.69 years9.32 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age22★18
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 searches18
Old-Age Dependency Ratio4.37 %★20.94 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization82.81 %★62.64 %
Physician Density0.32 people/sq km0.54 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate2.86 %★0.13 %
Population living in slums74.25 %★2 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio48.7916.64★
Total deaths213,986.9 persons★685,767.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)36.45 %44.11 %★
Total fertility rate4.57 per woman★1.18 per woman
Total net-migration192,894.5 persons★36,266.2 persons
Under-five mortality rate50.42 per live births10.25 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate3.69 %★1.43 %
Voting Age Population9.63 millions69.75 millions★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.041.01★
Airports68105★
Civil Air Travel241★
Heliports8★5

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita74.83M USD14.57B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Current Bank Rate7.5 %★1.5 %

Frequently Asked Questions About Afghanistan vs Thailand

Which has a larger population, Afghanistan or Thailand?▾

Thailand. Thailand has 59% more people than Afghanistan (71.57 million vs 45.04 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Afghanistan or Thailand?▾

Thailand. Thailand's economy is 42.5 times the size of Afghanistan's ($533.67 billion vs $12.56 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Afghanistan or Thailand?▾

Thailand is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $7,456 in Thailand vs $278.78 in Afghanistan (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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