Table 3.1 Population, by sex, and by age; also stating sex ratio, by age
Age Thousands
Percentages Sex
Male Female
Total Male
Female Total
Ratio 0-9
4,249 4,132
8,381 33
34 34
103 10-19
3,447 3,052
6,499 27
25 26
113 20-29
1,708 1,786
3,494 13
15 14
96 30-39
1,214 1,304
2,518 9
11 10
93 40-49
879 881
1,760 7
7 7
100 50-59
595 569
1,164 5
5 5
105 60-69
396 295
691 3
2 3
134 70-79
210 111
322 2
1 1
189 80+
89 43
132 1
1 209
Total 12,787
12,173 24,960
100 100
100 105
As is shown in Table 3.1, the age-specific sex ratios markedly deviate from the described common pattern. Especially noticeable are the high to extremely high sex ratios in the age ranges 10-19 and over-50, which suggest large male surpluses
in these age brackets. Although in-depth investigation is warranted in this matter, it is likely that a combination of female under-enumeration – related to cultural norms of female seclusion – and excess female mortality – especially related to
maternal mortality – are contributing factors. Another noticeable feature is that in the mid-age range of 20 to 39 women are reported as in the majority, which may be caused by lower survey coverage and real absence of mobile men in the working
age population see Section 3.5.1. The 2005 NRVA showed a similar pattern, but with consistently higher sex ratio levels.
3.2.2 Geographic distribution
The Afghan population is overwhelmingly rural: 74 percent around 18.5 million people lives in rural areas and only 20 percent 5.0 million in urban areas, whereas six percent 1.5 million is classified as nomadic Kuchi see Table 3.2.
Table 3.2: Population, by residence, sex, and by age; also stating total sex ratio
Age Residence, sex
Urban Rural
Kuchi National
Male Female
Total Male
Female Total
Male Female
Total Male
Female Total
In thousands
0-14 1,094
1,075 2,169
4,748 4,458
9,206 383
363 745
6,225 5,896
12,120 15-24
581 551
1,133 1,705
1,567 3,272
137 106
243 2,423
2,225 4,647
25-39 377
398 775
1,473 1,629
3,102 119
127 246
1,970 2,154
4,123 40-64
354 374
728 1,279
1,192 2,471
96 85
181 1,729
1,651 3,380
65+ 102
57 159
313 175
488 26
17 43
441 248
689
Total 2,510
2,454 4,964
9,517 9,021
18,538 760
698 1,458
12,787 12,173
24,960 In percentages
0-14 44
44 44
50 49
50 50
52 51
49 48
49 15-24
23 22
23 18
17 17
18 15
17 19
18 19
25-39 15
16 16
15 18
18 16
18 17
15 18
17 40-64
14 15
15 13
13 13
13 12
12 14
14 17
65+ 4
2 3
3 2
3 3
2 3
3 2
3
Total 100
100 100
100 100
100 100
100 100
100 100
100 Total Sex Ratio
102 105
109 105
Population structure and change
11
Population structure and change
12
The urban population has a significantly smaller share of under-fifteens 44 percent than the rural and Kuchi populations 50 and 51 percent, respectively, and a larger share of persons in the age range 15-24 23 percent, compared to 18 and
17 percent. This is the effect of lower urban fertility see Section 3.4.1 and probably also selective in-migration of young adults looking for jobs on the urban labour market.
On the basis of common sex-specific migration patterns one would expect relatively larger shares of males in urban areas. The NRVA data, however, indicate the opposite with an urban sex ratio of 102 males for every 100 females, compared
with 105 for the rural population. It is expected that female under-reporting in the latter populations – particularly in the age range 10-19 – can largely explain this observation. In addition, urban-rural migration is significantly more dominated
by men than migration in the reverse direction.
At provincial level, the share of children under 15 in the total population ranges from less than 44 percent Kabul, Badghis, Jawzjan and Nooristan to over 53 percent Farah, Kandahar, Nimroz and Wardak. Provincial sex ratios even
more diverge, varying from under 100 in Daykundi, Kunduz, Bamyan, Jawzjan, Panshir and Balkh to over 127 in Paktya and Helmand data not shown here. A more in-depth analysis of possible contributions of age-specific and sex-specific
under-coverage is beyond the scope of the present report.
3.3 Household structure and marriage patterns
3.3.1 Household structure
The total number of households in Afghanistan is estimated at around 3.4 million. This implies an average household size of 7.3 persons, about the same as found in the 2005 NRVA 7.4 members per household. With an average size of
7.6, Kuchi households are larger than rural and urban households see Table 3.3.
Table 3.3 Household structure indicators, by residence
Selected indicators
Residence, sex Urban
Rural Kuchi
National Thousands
Percentage Thousands
Percentage Thousands
Percentage Thousands
Percentage
Household size
1-3 persons 52
8 207
8 11
6 270
8 4-6 persons
249 37
930 36
72 37
1,251 36
7-9 persons 253
37 944
37 68
35 1,265
37 10-13 persons
103 15
379 15
31 16
513 15
14 persons or more 25
4 102
4 11
6 138
4
Total 682
100 2,563
100 193
100 3,438
100 Average
Household size 7.3
7.2 7.6
7.3 Number of children
0-14 3.2
3.6 3.6
3.5 Number of elderly
65+ 0.2
0.2 0.2
0.2
Share of
Children 0-14 44
50 51
49 Elderly 65+
3 3
3 3
