Data | How does conflict-ridden Afghanistan fare in key socio-economic indicators

Even though Afghanistan has one of the highest proportion of young people, over 40% of its youth are not in school or employed

Afghan security guards try and maintain order as hundreds of people gather outside the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. The Taliban declared an “amnesty” across Afghanistan and urged women to join their government Tuesday, seeking to convince a wary population that they have changed a day after deadly chaos gripped the main airport as desperate crowds tried to flee the country.

With the Taliban's rapid advances, Afghanistan's cities, previously under government rule, collapsed like a pack of cards. On August 15, Kabul also fell without a fight. The country has been fraught with political instability and violence over the past few decades and lags in key economic, political and health indicators. With the re-entry of the Taliban, there is a possibility of further deterioration in human development indicators. The last time the Taliban were in power, the political rights and civil liberties of citizens were threatened.

Even though it has the highest proportion of young people, over 40% of its youth are not in school or employed. Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world, with a per capita yearly income of $2,110.

The average number of years of education received by women is as low as 1.9.

It has the 10th highest maternal mortality ratio (638 per 1 lakh live births) and a significantly high under-5 mortality rate (60.3 per 1,000 live births).

How to read the charts

Each chart depicts Afghanistan's ranking and value/score in an indicator among other countries with relevant data. Each circle corresponds to a nation, and Afghanistan's position is highlighted in red. The total number of countries with data for an indicator is mentioned in the brackets after the indicator's name. For instance, Afghanistan has a maternal mortality ratio of 638 and ranks 173 among 182 countries. The numbers below the axis indicate the actual value/score of the indicator.

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Source: Freedom House ratings, Reporters Without Borders, World Bank, Our World In Data