UN: Kabul Now Home to Over 40% of Afghanistan’s Urban Population

The UN warns that most Kabul residents live in unsafe, informal settlements vulnerable to climate change and lacking essential services.

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Rapid Urban Growth, Deepening Inequality

Kabul now houses more than 40% of Afghanistan’s urban population, according to a new report by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). The figure highlights both the capital’s rapid growth and the increasingly unequal living conditions faced by its residents.

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Informal Settlements and Climate Risk

The report reveals that 4 out of every 5 residents in Kabul live in informal settlements — neighborhoods without proper infrastructure, legal status, or reliable access to water, electricity, sanitation, and healthcare.

These communities are particularly vulnerable to:

• Flooding

• Landslides

• Extreme heat

• Other climate-related disasters

“Climate change is amplifying the risks faced by Kabul’s most vulnerable citizens,” the report warns.

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A Dual Humanitarian and Environmental Crisis

UN-Habitat underscores that Kabul’s housing crisis is not just a development issue, but a humanitarian and environmental emergency. The agency stressed that millions of people are at risk due to deteriorating housing conditions and increasing exposure to natural hazards.

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Returnees Face Displacement Again

Most Afghan returnees and internally displaced people (IDPs) settle in these fragile urban zones. Lacking land rights or access to services, they remain trapped in cycles of poverty and insecurity.

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Call to Action

UN-Habitat calls for urgent investment in:

• Urban infrastructure

• Climate adaptation

• Access to healthcare, water, and sanitation

• Legal recognition of informal settlements

Without decisive action, Kabul’s vulnerable communities risk further marginalization, as environmental and socio-economic pressures mount.

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Broader Implications

Kabul’s situation reflects a broader trend in fragile states where rapid urbanization, conflict, and climate change intersect — creating urban hotspots of vulnerability that require global attention and coordinated response.

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