Quick facts
Mazār-e Sharīf overview
Mazār-e Sharīf (orange) and the other large cities of Afghanistan
Mazār-e Sharīf lies in Balkh in Afghanistan at 36.71°N, 67.11°E, about 361 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Kabul (UTC+4:30); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Herāt (574,300) and larger than Jalālābād (271,900). The largest city in Afghanistan is Kabul with 4,434,550 people; the capital, Kabul, has 4,434,550.
The national capital, Kabul, is about 306 km away; the nearest large city is Balkh, 20 km from Mazār-e Sharīf.
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 Mazār-e Sharīf
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Balkh Balkh | 20 km | 114,883 |
| Khulm Balkh | 52 km | 64,933 |
| Aībak Samangan | 95 km | 47,823 |
| Sar-e Pul Sar-e Pol Province | 119 km | 52,121 |
| Shibirghān Jowzjan | 121 km | 55,641 |
| Kunduz Kunduz | 156 km | 161,902 |
| Baghlān Baghlan | 157 km | 108,449 |
| Andkhoy Faryab | 179 km | 37,900 |
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 Mazār-e Sharīf?
Mazār-e Sharīf has about 523,300 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Mazār-e Sharīf the capital of Afghanistan?
No. The capital of Afghanistan is Kabul (4,434,550 people), about 306 km away. Mazār-e Sharīf is the 3rd largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Mazār-e Sharīf compared with the rest of Afghanistan?
Its 523,300 residents are 1.2% of the 45,402,655 people living in Afghanistan today. Kabul is larger with 4,434,550 people.
Where is Mazār-e Sharīf?
In Balkh, Afghanistan, at latitude 36.71 and longitude 67.11, 361 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Balkh (20 km), Khulm (52 km), Aībak (95 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Mazār-e Sharīf Population 2026 — Afghanistan. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/afghanistan/mazar-e-sharif/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/afghanistan/mazar-e-sharif/">Mazār-e Sharīf 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.