Quick facts
Kabul overview
Kabul (orange) and the other large cities of Afghanistan
Kabul lies in Afghanistan at 34.53°N, 69.17°E, about 1,798 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Kabul (UTC+4:30); GeoNames classifies it as a national capital.
It is the biggest urban centre of Afghanistan: the next largest cities are Herāt (574,300), Mazār-e Sharīf (523,300), Kandahār (523,300). Together, the three largest cities hold 12.2% of the national population.
The nearest large city is Bagrām, about 50 km away, followed by Charikar (54 km).
Afghanistan as a whole has a live population of 45,402,655 (+2.7% a year) and ranks #36 of 238 countries — see the Afghanistan population page for the full statistics and the Afghanistan atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Kabul
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Bagrām Parwan | 50 km | 113,173 |
| Charikar Parwan | 54 km | 53,676 |
| Bāzārak Panjshir | 93 km | 65,000 |
| Gardez Paktia | 104 km | 103,601 |
| Jalālābād Nangarhar | 118 km | 271,900 |
| Bāmyān Bamyan | 127 km | 61,863 |
| Ghazni Ghazni | 129 km | 141,000 |
| Khōst Khowst | 149 km | 96,123 |
Largest cities in Afghanistan
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KabulCapital | Kabul | 4,434,550 |
| 2 | Herāt | Herat | 574,300 |
| 3 | Mazār-e Sharīf | Balkh | 523,300 |
| 4 | Kandahār | Kandahar | 523,300 |
| 5 | Jalālābād | Nangarhar | 271,900 |
| 6 | Kunduz | Kunduz | 161,902 |
| 7 | Ghazni | Ghazni | 141,000 |
| 8 | Balkh | Balkh | 114,883 |
| 9 | Bagrām | Parwan | 113,173 |
| 10 | Baghlān | Baghlan | 108,449 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kabul?
Kabul has about 4,434,550 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Kabul the capital of Afghanistan?
Yes — Kabul is the national capital of Afghanistan.
How big is Kabul compared with the rest of Afghanistan?
Its 4,434,550 residents are 9.8% of the 45,402,655 people living in Afghanistan today. It is the largest city in the country.
Where is Kabul?
In Afghanistan, at latitude 34.53 and longitude 69.17, 1,798 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Bagrām (50 km), Charikar (54 km), Bāzārak (93 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Kabul Population 2026 — Afghanistan. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/afghanistan/kabul/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/afghanistan/kabul/">Kabul Population 2026 — Afghanistan</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.