Are 28 million people in Afghanistan unable to meet basic needs?
UNDP’s 2026 socioeconomic review estimated that around 28 million people, or three in four Afghans, could not meet basic subsistence needs in 2025.
What the figure or term means
The number is derived from the report’s 74 percent subsistence-insecurity estimate.
It refers to 2025 conditions even though the report was published in May 2026.
Returnees, rural communities, women, and drought-affected areas faced particularly severe pressure.
Preserve the distinction between reference year and publication year.
How to use this information responsibly
Economic indicators describe different things: national output, prices, household deprivation, employment, public revenue, or access to services. Reading the definition and period is essential.
Economic series are revised and are not interchangeable. Growth in total GDP can coexist with falling income per person and worsening household hardship.
Check the underlying information.
Editorial standard: This page is reviewed by a person, sourced to Famidi records or authoritative references, and revised when the program or underlying guidance changes. It does not replace legal, tax, medical, or financial advice.