Half of People in Afghanistan Expected to Live in Cities by 2060, UN Says

The United Nations says rapid urbanisation will see half of Afghanistan’s people living in cities by 2060, raising both development opportunities and serious infrastructure challenges.

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) says that by 2060, one in every two Afghans is expected to live in urban areas, marking a rapid demographic shift.

In a post on X, UN-Habitat described the trend as a “fast transformation in a short period of time,” stressing that it presents both risks and opportunities for the country’s future.

The agency said this urban growth must be turned into a driver of sustainable development, economic growth and improved well-being, rather than becoming a source of deeper inequality.

UN-Habitat has previously warned that Afghanistan’s urbanisation is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, while cities lack the infrastructure and services needed to absorb the growing population.

In its assessments, the agency noted that only one in 20 people lived in cities in 1950, rising to one in four by 2022, a shift that has outpaced urban planning and governance while UN reports warn that cities such as Kabul face severe water shortages due to overuse and weak infrastructure.

UN-Habitat cautioned that without effective planning and management, rapid urban growth could fuel the spread of informal settlements, housing shortages, limited access to basic services and rising urban poverty across Afghanistan.

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