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Afghanistan vs United States: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 167 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Afghanistan
afg
Leads on 48 of 167 metrics
United States
usa
Leads on 110 of 167 metrics

Summary

United States has 7.8 times as many people as Afghanistan (349.13 million vs 45.04 million). United States's economy is 2,624 times the size of Afghanistan's ($32.95 trillion vs $12.56 billion GDP).

Comparing Afghanistan and United States: Afghanistan leads on Electricity Installed Capacity (634,100) against United States (1.09); Afghanistan leads on Refined Petroleum Products Imports (34,210) against United States (2.17); United States leads on Civil Air Travel (8,252) against Afghanistan (2). Across 167 compared metrics, Afghanistan wins on 48 and United States wins on 110.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 60 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 21 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 5 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration0.08 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants38.09 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)16.09 %94.69 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)17.71 %93.14 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 18% (2023 est.)percent of population: 93% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed0.08 Mbps38.09 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score17.88 points65.49 points★
Radios167,000★575
Televisions100,000★219
Waterways1,20041,009★

Economy

60 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country5.62B $350.60B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars12.56B $32.95T $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)15.29 %21.88 %★
Apple Import Volume90,480 tonnes76.82M tonnes★
Bank Account Ownership Rate9.65 %94.95 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)NA4.83 %
Coal Revenue0.45★0.2
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)15 %★4.1 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.4 % of GDP16.9 % 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 92
Electricity Consumption5.53★3.9
Electricity Exports09.7★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels4570★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants52★7
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels09★
Electricity from Other Renewables414★
Electricity Imports4.472.72★
Electricity Installed Capacity634,100★1.09
Electricity Production1.214.1★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)3.38 USD per capita278.47 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate5.3 %68.99 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage-125.21 %13.77 %★
Gender Wage Gap-125.21 %★13.77 %
Gini Index Coefficient29.441.5★
Gross Fixed InvestmentNA%11.9
Gross National Saving22.7★18.9
High-Tech Export Percentage0.34 %59.63 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries1,964.45 USD75,698.18 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)1.8 %3.25 %★
Inflation Rate-6.6 %★2.95 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)-6.6 %★2.9 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)3.3 % of GDP★3.2 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption164.2767.6★
Natural Gas Exports089.7★
Natural Gas Imports086.15★
Natural Gas Production164.2772.8★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves49.55★0
Oil Consumption4,800★19.15
Oil Exports01.92★
Oil Imports4,512★10.27
Oil Production09.69★
Oil Proved Reserves020.68★
Population Below Poverty Line54.5 people15.1 people★
Public Debt7.8★114.8
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.3 USD2.8 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends12.14 %★2.27 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption35,000★19.96
Refined Petroleum Products Exports05.22★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports34,210★2.18
Refined Petroleum Products Production020.3★
Remittances1.9★0
Revenue from Forest Resources0.2★0.04
Tax Burden (% of GDP)9.9 %★11.5 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)9.9 % of GDP11.5 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues9.910.6★
Top Exporting Countries2.89B USD3.05T USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.14 %2.01 %★
Unemployment Rate13.3 %4.2 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate37.46 %★61.7 %
Youth Unemployment Rate16.79 %9.34 %★

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)309,679-14.29M★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate0 %★-72,000 %
Average Annual Temperature13.8 °C★10.43 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions7.764.8★
Global Precipitation Distribution266.24 mm810.4 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 populatedlarge urban clusters are spread throughout the eastern half of the US (particularly the Great Lakes area, northeast, east, and southeast) and the western-tier states; mountainous areas such as the Rocky Mountains and Appalachians, deserts in the southwest
Protected Land Area for Adaptation3.6 sq km12.85 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage3.6 %12.9 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country10.65 Cubic meters per year1,383 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources65.33★3.07
Total Threatened Mammal Species12 species★43 species

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization2.35 %★2.11 %
Agricultural land387,372 sq. km4.17M sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km652,2309.15M★
Coastline Length (km)0 km19,924 km★
Dam capacity per capita43.87 cubic meters per inhabitant2,113 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land24,930234,782★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Rule of Law Index by Country6.1 %88.3 %★
Administrative Divisions3450★
Corruption Perception Index17 index★65 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score17 index65 index★
Independence19★4
LGBT Rights Index Score-2.217.08★
Prison Population Rate62 per 100,000★505 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception17★65
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

21 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water30.55 %97.57 %★
Average BMI for Adults22.6 kg/m²28.8 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate55 %92 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)11.713.7★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.29 years78.89 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends2.8 per 1,000 births0.27 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita404.26 USD15,459.46 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score42 score88 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)21.8 % of GDP★16.6 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.29 years78.89 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate(2021 est.) <0.1%NA
Hospital Bed Density0.4 people/sq km2.7 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita0.36 beds per 1,0002.68 beds per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)521 %17 %★
Mean Age at First Birth19.927.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density0.45 per 1,000 people11.59 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)5.5 %★36.2 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending77.14 %10.93 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS12,000NA
Total Number of Doctors0.253.52★
Underweight Children Under 518.40.4★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Active Military Personnel100,000 personnel1.36M personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.83 %★3.4 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)165,0001.40M★

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Currently married (Percent)65.73 %★51.38 %
Human Capital Index0.420.72★
Life expectancy at birth69.52 years83.22 years★
Median age of population17.46 years38.79 years★
Population Change1.50M persons2.26M persons★
Population density68.74 per sq. km38.15 per sq. km★
Total population45.04M persons349.13M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.090.4★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAC★
Beer Consumption per Capita0 liters3.86 liters★
Birth Rate (%)35.99 %★10.75 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate18.9 %73.9 %★
Crude Birth Rate35.01 per 1,000 people★10.6 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)5.79 %★8.76 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.3 % of GDP5.4 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age10.79M persons78.56M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)5.94 %102.96 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate0.08 %38.09 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.53 male/female104.75 male/female★
Human Development Index0.180.75★
Labor Force Participation Rate9.13174.17★
Learning-adjusted years of school5.41 years11.07 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days183.4 days★
Major Urban Areas Population4.59 people18.94 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)165.26177.13★
Mean Years of Schooling5.69 years13.32 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 searches17
Old-Age Dependency Ratio4.37 %★26.8 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization82.81 %★74.52 %
Physician Density0.32 people/sq km3.68 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate2.86 %★0.45 %
Population living in slums74.25 %★0.05 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio47.9814.2★
Total deaths213,986.9 persons★2.87M persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)36.45 %65.73 %★
Total fertility rate4.57 per woman★1.61 per woman
Total net-migration192,894.5 persons1.49M persons★
Under-five mortality rate50.42 per live births5.52 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate3.69 %★0.61 %
Voting Age Population21.81 millions47.02 millions★

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.042.06★
Airports6816,116★
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)03★
Civil Air Travel28,252★
Heliports88,130★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita74.83M USD84.30B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Current Bank Rate7.5 %★3.75 %

Frequently Asked Questions About Afghanistan vs United States

Which has a larger population, Afghanistan or United States?▾

United States. United States has 7.8 times as many people as Afghanistan (349.13 million vs 45.04 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Afghanistan or United States?▾

United States. United States's economy is 2,624 times the size of Afghanistan's ($32.95 trillion vs $12.56 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Afghanistan or United States?▾

United States is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $94,373 in United States vs $278.78 in Afghanistan (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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