The United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) in Afghanistan says that by 2060, about half of the country’s population will live in cities.

In a post on X, the agency wrote: “In 1950, only 5% of Afghanistan’s population lived in cities. By 2022, that figure reached 25%, and by 2060, it is expected to rise to 50%.”

UN-Habitat warned that Afghan cities are unprepared for such rapid growth, stressing: “We must act now to use urbanization as a positive driver for change.”

According to the 1403 annual report of the National Statistics and Information Authority, Afghanistan’s population is estimated at 35.7 million, with only about 9 million currently living in urban areas.

50pc of Afghan population to live in cities by 2060: UN

The United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) in Afghanistan says that by 2060, about half of the country’s population will live in cities.