Number of people using the Internet in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Number of people using the Internet was 6.86 million people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Number of people using the Internet in Afghanistan, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, vi. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people using the internet in Afghanistan is 6.86 million people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.0% on the previous year and up 199.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people using the internet in Afghanistan peaked at 6.86 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 1990.
That places Afghanistan 80th out of 208 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people using the Internet in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0 people | — |
| 2001 | 957.94 people | — |
| 2002 | 975.14 people | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 19,980 people | +1949.0% |
| 2004 | 24,929 people | +24.8% |
| 2005 | 298,748 people | +1098.4% |
| 2006 | 535,717 people | +79.3% |
| 2007 | 492,287 people | -8.1% |
| 2008 | 487,280 people | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 975,047 people | +100.1% |
| 2010 | 1.13 million people | +16.0% |
| 2011 | 1.47 million people | +29.7% |
| 2012 | 1.67 million people | +13.6% |
| 2013 | 1.87 million people | +11.9% |
| 2014 | 2.30 million people | +23.0% |
| 2015 | 2.79 million people | +21.7% |
| 2016 | 3.82 million people | +36.6% |
| 2017 | 4.82 million people | +26.2% |
| 2018 | 6.17 million people | +28.1% |
| 2019 | 6.66 million people | +7.9% |
| 2020 | 6.66 million people | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 6.61 million people | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 6.44 million people | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 6.60 million people | +2.6% |
| 2024 | 6.86 million people | +4.0% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 6.86 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.48 million people, 1.5× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 6.86 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 6.86 million people, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of people using the Internet in Afghanistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +1949.0% | 975.14 people | 19,980 people |
| 2005 | +1098.4% | 24,929 people | 298,748 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0 people | 0 people | 0 people | 1 |
| 2000s | 315,102 people | 957.94 people | 975,047 people | 9 |
| 2010s | 3.27 million people | 1.13 million people | 6.66 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.63 million people | 6.44 million people | 6.86 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 77 Hong Kong 7.20 million people compare
- 78 Mozambique 7.11 million people compare
- 79 Zimbabwe 6.93 million people compare
- 81 Burkina Faso 6.65 million people compare
- 82 Kyrgyzstan 6.65 million people compare
- 83 Syria 6.61 million people compare
More science & technology data for Afghanistan
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 60.1 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 0.601 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0014 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 25.63 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 35.31 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 8.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 11.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 168.85 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people using the internet in Afghanistan?
- Number of people using the internet in Afghanistan was 6.86 million people in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, vi.
- What is the highest number of people using the internet recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 6.86 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest number of people using the internet recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 1990.
- How does Afghanistan rank for number of people using the internet?
- Afghanistan ranks 80th out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of people using the internet rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 199.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, vi, published as part of Number of people using the Internet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people who used the Internet in the last three months.