Afghanistan Economy - 2024

Economic overview

extremely low-income South Asian economy; import drops, currency depreciation, disappearing central bank reserves, and increasing inflation after Taliban takeover; increasing Chinese trade; hit hard by COVID; ongoing sanctions

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$60.803 billion (2021 est.)
$76.711 billion (2020 est.)
$78.558 billion (2019 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

-20.74% (2021 est.)
-2.35% (2020 est.)
3.91% (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita

$1,500 (2021 est.)
$2,000 (2020 est.)
$2,100 (2019 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$20.24 billion (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.3% (2019 est.)
0.63% (2018 est.)
4.98% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 23% (2016 est.)

industry: 21.1% (2016 est.)

services: 55.9% (2016 est.)

note: data exclude opium production

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 81.6% (2016 est.)

government consumption: 12% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 17.2% (2016 est.)

investment in inventories: 30% (2016 est.)

exports of goods and services: 6.7% (2016 est.)

imports of goods and services: -47.6% (2016 est.)

Agricultural products

wheat, milk, grapes, vegetables, potatoes, watermelons, melons, rice, onions, apples

Industries

small-scale production of bricks, textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, apparel, food products, non-alcoholic beverages, mineral water, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper

Industrial production growth rate

-14.19% (2021 est.)

Labor force

9.39 million (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate

13.28% (2021 est.)
11.71% (2020 est.)
11.22% (2019 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 20.2% (2021 est.)

male: 18.6%

female: 26.4%

Population below poverty line

54.5% (2016 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

29.4 (2008)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.8%

highest 10%: 24% (2008)

Remittances

3.92% of GDP (2020 est.)
4.38% of GDP (2019 est.)
4.36% of GDP (2018 est.)

Budget

revenues: $5.093 billion (2019 est.)

expenditures: $5.293 billion (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-15.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt

7% of GDP (2017 est.)
7.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

9.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Fiscal year

21 March - 20 March

Current account balance

-$3.137 billion (2020 est.)
-$3.792 billion (2019 est.)
-$3.897 billion (2018 est.)

Exports

$1.476 billion (2020 est.)
$1.516 billion (2019 est.)
$1.609 billion (2018 est.)

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - partners

United Arab Emirates 45%, Pakistan 24%, India 22%, China 1% (2019)

Exports - commodities

gold, figs, grapes, cotton, fruits and nuts, coal (2021)

note: Afghan opium production remains a significant illicit trade export

Imports

$6.983 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$7.371 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$7.988 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - partners

United Arab Emirates 23%, Pakistan 17%, India 13%, Uzbekistan 7%, China 9% (2021)

Imports - commodities

wheat flours, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, rolled tobacco, aircraft parts, synthetic fabrics (2019)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$9.749 billion (31 December 2020 est.)
$8.498 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
$8.207 billion (31 December 2018 est.)

Debt - external

$284 million (FY10/11)

Exchange rates

afghanis (AFA) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
76.814 (2020 est.)
77.738 (2019 est.)
72.083 (2018 est.)
68.027 (2017 est.)
67.866 (2016 est.)