Herat: population
Herat, Afghanistan: 1.26 million people in 2025, by the UN estimate.
Rank among the cities of the country: 2 of 85.
In 1975 it had 196,000 people.
In 2000 it had 418,000 people, so it has grown by 202% since then.
For 2050 the UN projects 1.77 million people.
A city here is a dense area of at least 1,500 people per km² with at least 50,000 people, drawn on a population grid by the UN degree of urbanisation. It can differ from the city’s administrative borders and from national statistics. Years from 2026 on are projections.
Largest cities: Afghanistan
| City | 2025 | 2050, projected |
|---|---|---|
| Kābul (Kabul) | 5,635,737 | 8,003,002 |
| Herat | 1,259,425 | 1,768,419 |
| Kandahar | 799,015 | 1,150,851 |
| Mazar i sharif | 651,287 | 848,758 |
| Jalalabad | 587,508 | 910,276 |
| Taloqan | 290,028 | 478,276 |
| Kunduz | 287,295 | 456,840 |
| Maymana | 229,355 | 375,062 |
| Puli Khumri | 228,271 | 379,692 |
| Charikar | 227,054 | 395,906 |
Afghanistan: population and ages
Sources: World Urbanization Prospects 2025, UN DESA Population Division (CC BY 3.0 IGO).