Largest Cities in Afghanistan

Top 100 cities ranked by largest cities

Largest Cities - Afghanistan

1 Kabul 13 5,333,284
2 Kandahār 23 614,254
3 Herāt 11 556,205
4 Mazār-e Sharīf 30 469,247
5 Kunduz 24 356,536
6 Jalālābād 18 263,312
7 Taloqan 26 258,758
8 Lashkar Gāh 10 201,546
9 Shibirghān 31 175,599
10 Khōst 37 160,214
11 Ghazni 08 143,379
12 Pul-e Khumrī 03 113,500
13 Maymana 07 96,000
14 Baghlān 03 83,490
15 Balkh 30 77,000
16 Khanabad 24 71,531
17 Gardez 36 70,000
18 Tarinkot 39 70,000
19 Charikar 40 69,110
20 Bāzār-e Yakāwlang 05 65,000
21 Khulm 30 64,933
22 Farah 06 54,000
23 Sar-e Pul 33 51,075
24 Zaranj 19 49,851
25 Chandal Bā’ī 13 49,157
26 Paghmān 13 49,157
27 Fayzabad 01 44,421
28 Gereshk 10 43,588
29 Istālif 13 41,413
30 Qurghān 07 39,730
31 Andkhōy 07 39,730
32 Aībak 32 35,560
33 Maydanshakhr 27 35,008
34 Bahārak 01 32,551
35 Nīlī 41 30,058
36 Ghormach 02 30,000
37 Āqchah 31 29,380
38 Shīnḏanḏ 11 29,264
39 Chāh Āb 26 27,600
40 Khān Neshīn 10 25,600
41 Bāzārak 42 24,723
42 Qarāwul 24 24,544
43 Jurm 01 23,064
44 Pul-e ‘Alam 17 22,914
45 Nahrīn 03 22,363
46 Baraki Barak 17 22,305
47 Rustāq 26 19,290
48 Ārt Khwājah 26 18,623
49 Eslam Qaleh 11 18,086
50 Karukh 11 17,484
51 Mehtar Lām 35 17,345
52 Kushk 11 16,952
53 Asadābād 34 16,700
54 Shahrak 09 15,967
55 Āsmār 34 15,708
56 Khāsh 19 15,133
58 Jabal os Saraj 40 15,032
59 Qarqīn 31 15,018
60 Barakī 17 15,000
61 Fayrōz Kōh 09 15,000
62 Bāmyān 05 14,700
63 Sang-e Chārak 33 14,700
64 Mīrābād 19 14,160
65 Zarghūn Shahr 29 13,737
66 Sangīn 10 13,579
67 Panjāb 05 13,471
68 Uruzgān 39 13,388
69 Chīras 33 12,779
70 Ḩukūmatī Azrah 17 12,526
71 Qarah Bāgh 11 12,412
72 Ghōriyān 11 12,404
73 Qalāt 28 12,191
74 Ashkāsham 01 12,120
75 Kuhsān 11 12,087
76 Tukzār 33 12,021
77 Chahār Burj 11 11,935
78 Larkird 33 11,635
79 Yangī Qal‘ah 26 11,100
80 Rūdbār 19 11,034
81 Farkhār 26 10,480
82 Zindah Jān 11 10,418
83 Anār Darah 06 10,023
84 Imām Şāḩib 24 9,659
85 Darzāb 31 9,642
87 Tagāw-Bāy 33 9,096
89 Qala i Naw 02 9,000
90 Qarchī Gak 30 8,942
91 Chīchkah 24 8,792
92 Dasht-e Archī 24 8,263
93 Qal‘ah-ye Shahr 33 7,756
94 Sidqābād 14 7,407
95 Zaṟah Sharan 29 7,366
96 Markaz-e Sayyidābād 27 7,301
97 Tīr Pul 11 6,979
98 Muhmand Dara 18 6,835
99 Tagāb 14 6,400
100 Dowlatābād 30 6,111

The largest cities in Afghanistan represent major centers of economic activity, cultural influence, and population growth. Kabul leads with a population of 5,333,284, followed by Kandahār and Herāt. These cities serve as hubs for employment, education, and innovation, attracting residents from across the country and around the world.

Population size is a key indicator of a city's economic influence and infrastructure capacity. Larger cities typically offer more diverse job markets, extensive public transit systems, and a wider range of cultural amenities. The top 10 cities span multiple states, showing that urban growth is distributed across different regions.

While large populations bring economic advantages, they also present challenges including higher costs of living, traffic congestion, and housing affordability concerns. Many of these cities have experienced significant growth over the past decade, driven by job opportunities in technology, healthcare, and professional services.

Did You Know?

  • 1. Kabul's population is larger than that of more than 30 U.S. states.
  • 2. The 50th largest city still has a population of 17,484 - larger than most cities worldwide.
  • 3. The top 5 cities combined have a population of 7,329,526.

Browse Rankings by Region

Afghanistan - By Region

Balkh Helmand Herat Kabul Kunduz Sar-e Pol Province Takhar

By Country

Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bangladesh Belarus Belgium Benin Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Estonia Ethiopia Finland France Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Guadeloupe Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Mali Malta Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Moldova Mongolia Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway Oman Pakistan Palestinian Territory Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Republic of the Congo Reunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand The Netherlands Togo Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Venezuela Vietnam Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe