Number of people without access to electricity in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Number of people without access to electricity was 5.20 million people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Number of people without access to electricity in Afghanistan, 2000–2024
Source: Data compiled from multiple sources by the World Bank – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, number of people without access to electricity in Afghanistan stood at 5.20 million people.
The figure is down 14.6% on the previous year and up 51.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people without access to electricity in Afghanistan peaked at 19.24 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 798,115 people, in 2016.
Afghanistan ranks 34th of 214 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people without access to electricity in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 19.24 million people | — |
| 2001 | 18.40 million people | -4.4% |
| 2002 | 18.36 million people | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 18.41 million people | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 17.95 million people | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 17.40 million people | -3.1% |
| 2006 | 16.91 million people | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 15.96 million people | -5.6% |
| 2008 | 15.25 million people | -4.4% |
| 2009 | 14.20 million people | -6.9% |
| 2010 | 16.21 million people | +14.1% |
| 2011 | 16.67 million people | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 9.44 million people | -43.4% |
| 2013 | 10.12 million people | +7.2% |
| 2014 | 3.44 million people | -66.0% |
| 2015 | 9.64 million people | +180.0% |
| 2016 | 798,115 people | -91.7% |
| 2017 | 820,847 people | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 2.43 million people | +195.4% |
| 2019 | 870,692 people | -64.1% |
| 2020 | 898,588 people | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 920,011 people | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 5.97 million people | +548.4% |
| 2023 | 6.09 million people | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 5.20 million people | -14.6% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 5.20 million people is below the median for low income countries, which is 11.22 million people, 46% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of people without access to electricity 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +548.4% | 920,011 people | 5.97 million people |
| 2018 | +195.4% | 820,847 people | 2.43 million people |
| 2015 | +180.0% | 3.44 million people | 9.64 million people |
| 2016 | -91.7% | 9.64 million people | 798,115 people |
| 2014 | -66.0% | 10.12 million people | 3.44 million people |
| 2019 | -64.1% | 2.43 million people | 870,692 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17.21 million people | 14.20 million people | 19.24 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.04 million people | 798,115 people | 16.67 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.82 million people | 898,588 people | 6.09 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More energy & mining data for Afghanistan
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2020)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -2.06 % change on previous year (2024)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel imports 22.7% (2019)
- Ores and metals imports 1.7% (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people without access to electricity in Afghanistan?
- Number of people without access to electricity in Afghanistan was 5.20 million people in 2024, according to Data compiled from multiple sources by the World Bank – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people without access to electricity recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 19.24 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest number of people without access to electricity recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 798,115 people in 2016.
- How does Afghanistan rank for number of people without access to electricity?
- Afghanistan ranks 34th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of people without access to electricity rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 51.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Data compiled from multiple sources by the World Bank – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people without access to electricity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Access to electricity means having an electricity source that can provide very basic lighting, and charge a phone or power a radio for 4 hours per day.