Share of women who are married or in a union in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Share of women who are married or in a union was 16.4% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of women who are married or in a union in Afghanistan, 1970–2023
Source: United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 16.4% for share of women who are married or in a union in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 54 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and down 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are married or in a union in Afghanistan peaked at 49.7% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 16.4%, in 2023.
Afghanistan ranks 38th of 221 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Share of women who are married or in a union in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 49.7% | — |
| 1971 | 49.7% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 49.7% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 49.7% | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 48.8% | -1.8% |
| 1975 | 47.9% | -1.8% |
| 1976 | 47.1% | -1.8% |
| 1977 | 46.2% | -1.9% |
| 1978 | 45.3% | -1.9% |
| 1979 | 44.4% | -1.9% |
| 1980 | 43.6% | -2.0% |
| 1981 | 42.7% | -2.0% |
| 1982 | 41.8% | -2.1% |
| 1983 | 40.9% | -2.1% |
| 1984 | 40.1% | -2.1% |
| 1985 | 39.2% | -2.2% |
| 1986 | 38.3% | -2.2% |
| 1987 | 37.4% | -2.3% |
| 1988 | 36.6% | -2.3% |
| 1989 | 35.7% | -2.4% |
| 1990 | 34.8% | -2.5% |
| 1991 | 33.9% | -2.5% |
| 1992 | 33.1% | -2.6% |
| 1993 | 32.2% | -2.6% |
| 1994 | 31.3% | -2.7% |
| 1995 | 30.4% | -2.8% |
| 1996 | 29.6% | -2.9% |
| 1997 | 28.7% | -3.0% |
| 1998 | 27.8% | -3.1% |
| 1999 | 26.9% | -3.1% |
| 2000 | 26.1% | -3.3% |
| 2001 | 25.2% | -3.4% |
| 2002 | 24.3% | -3.5% |
| 2003 | 23.4% | -3.6% |
| 2004 | 22.6% | -3.7% |
| 2005 | 21.7% | -3.9% |
| 2006 | 20.8% | -4.0% |
| 2007 | 19.9% | -4.2% |
| 2008 | 19.1% | -4.4% |
| 2009 | 18.2% | -4.6% |
| 2010 | 17.3% | -4.8% |
| 2011 | 17.2% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 17.2% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 17.1% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 17.0% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 16.9% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 16.9% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 16.8% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 16.7% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 16.7% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 16.6% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 16.5% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 16.4% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 16.4% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 47.9% | 44.4% | 49.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 39.6% | 35.7% | 43.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 30.9% | 26.9% | 34.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.1% | 18.2% | 26.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.0% | 16.7% | 17.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.5% | 16.4% | 16.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More gender data for Afghanistan
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 20,358 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.64 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 707,563 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 739,025 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 690,872 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 720,642 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 674,248 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 703,775 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 657,754 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 686,729 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are married or in a union in Afghanistan?
- Share of women who are married or in a union in Afghanistan was 16.4% in 2023, according to United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 49.7% in 1970.
- What is the lowest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.4% in 2023.
- How does Afghanistan rank for share of women who are married or in a union?
- Afghanistan ranks 38th out of 221 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of women who are married or in a union rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women who are married or in a union. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Percentage of women aged 15-19 sharing a household with their partner, whether married, cohabiting, in consensual partnerships, or in other non-marital unions.