Ethnic People Groups of Afghanistan

Afghanistan – People Groups

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:

People Groups (click people name for profile)	Population	Indig	% Evangel	% Adherent	Least Reached	Progress Scale	Primary Religion	Primary Language	Pho	Map	Txt
Afshari	13,000		0.04 %	0.04 %	Y	1.2	Islam	Azerbaijani, South	0P Afshari	1	0T
Aimaq, Char	299,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Aimaq	0P Aimaq, Char	0M Aimaq, Char of Afghanistan	0T
Aimaq, Firozkohi	296,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Aimaq	0P Aimaq, Firozkohi	0M Aimaq, Firozkohi of Afghanistan	0T
Aimaq, Hazara	231,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Aimaq	0P Aimaq, Hazara	0M Aimaq, Hazara of Afghanistan	0T
Aimaq, Jamshidi	131,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Aimaq	0P Aimaq, Jamshidi	0M Aimaq, Jamshidi of Afghanistan	0T
Aimaq, Taimani	592,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Aimaq	0P Aimaq, Taimani	0M Aimaq, Taimani of Afghanistan	0T
Aimaq, Timuri	148,000	Y	0.00 %	0.02 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Aimaq	0P Aimaq, Timuri	0M Aimaq, Timuri of Afghanistan	0T
Americans, U.S.	67,000		30.00 %	84.50 %		3.2	Christianity	English	0P Americans, U.S.	1	0T
Ansari	2,100		0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Urdu	0P Ansari	0M Ansari of Afghanistan	0T
Arab, Tajiki	7,100	Y	0.20 %	0.20 %	Y	1.2	Islam	Arabic, Tajiki Spoken	0P Arab, Tajiki	0M Arab, Tajiki of Afghanistan	0T
Arora, Hindu	1,400	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Hinduism	Seraiki	0P Arora, Hindu	0M Arora, Hindu of Afghanistan	0T
Baloch, Western	413,000	Y	0.01 %	0.01 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Balochi, Western	0P Baloch, Western	0M Baloch, Western of Afghanistan	0T
Bania, Muslim	5,700		0.20 %	0.23 %	Y	1.2	Islam	Urdu	1	1	1
Brahman	3,300		0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Hinduism	Urdu	0P Brahman	0M Brahman of Afghanistan	0T
Brahui, Kur Galli	285,000	Y	0.10 %	0.10 %	Y	1.2	Islam	Brahui	0P Brahui, Kur Galli	0M Brahui, Kur Galli of Afghanistan	0T
Changar	2,700		0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Urdu	0P Changar	1	0T
Darwazi, Badakhshani	14,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Dari	0P Darwazi, Badakhshani	0M Darwazi, Badakhshani of Afghanistan	0T
Deaf		Y	0.00 %	0.05 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Language Unknown	1	1	0T
Garwi, Bashkarik	1,700		0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Kalami	0P Garwi, Bashkarik	0M Garwi, Bashkarik of Afghanistan	0T
German	2,600		5.00 %	78.00 %		3.1	Christianity	German, Standard	0P German	1	1
Guhjali, Wakhi	14,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Wakhi	0P Guhjali, Wakhi	1	0T
Gujur Rajasthani	24,000	Y	0.03 %	0.03 %	Y	1.2	Islam	Gujari	0P Gujur Rajasthani	0M Gujur Rajasthani of Afghanistan	0T
Gypsy, Domari	9,800	Y	0.00 %	0.02 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Domari	0P Gypsy, Domari	1	0T
Hazara	2,932,000	Y	0.03 %	0.03 %	Y	1.2	Islam	Hazaragi	0P Hazara	0M Hazara of Afghanistan	0T
Indus Kohistani	41,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Kohistani, Indus	0P Indus Kohistani	0M Indus Kohistani of Afghanistan	0T
Ishkashimi	2,800	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Ishkashimi	1	1	1
Italian	1,700		0.20 %	77.00 %		2.2	Christianity	Italian	0P Italian	1	1
Jakata, Jati	1,400	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Jakati	1	1	0T
Karakalpak	2,900		0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Karakalpak	0P Karakalpak	0M Karakalpak of Afghanistan	0T
Kazakh	2,900	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Kazakh	0P Kazakh	1	0T
Khatri, Sikh	2,400		0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Other / Small	Panjabi, Eastern	0P Khatri, Sikh	0M Khatri, Sikh of Afghanistan	0T
Kurd, Sorani	238,000		0.01 %	0.01 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Kurdish, Central	0P Kurd, Sorani	0M Kurd, Sorani of Afghanistan	0T
Kyrgyz	1,100	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Kyrgyz	0P Kyrgyz	0M Kyrgyz of Afghanistan	0T
Moghal	300	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Mogholi	0P Moghal	0M Moghal of Afghanistan	0T
Mongolian	300		0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Buddhism	Mongolian, Peripheral	0P Mongolian	1	0T
Munji	14,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Munji	1	1	0T
Mussali	2,900		0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Panjabi, Eastern	0P Mussali	1	1
Narisati, Arandui	14,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Gawar-Bati	1	1	0T
Nuristani, Ashkuni	14,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Ashkun	1	1	0T
Nuristani, Bashgali, Kati	30,000	Y	0.00 %	0.10 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Kati	0P Nuristani, Bashgali, Kati	0M Nuristani, Bashgali, Kati of Afghanistan	0T
Nuristani, Grangali	10,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Grangali	0P Nuristani, Grangali	0M Nuristani, Grangali of Afghanistan	0T
Nuristani, Kamviri	5,700	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Kamviri	1	1	0T
Nuristani, Malakhel	2,900	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Dari	1	1	0T
Nuristani, Prasuni	2,900	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Prasuni	1	1	0T
Nuristani, Tregami	1,400	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Tregami	1	1	0T
Nuristani, Urmuri	2,900	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Pashto, Southern	0P Nuristani, Urmuri	1	0T
Nuristani, Waigeli	14,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Waigali	0P Nuristani, Waigeli	0M Nuristani, Waigeli of Afghanistan	0T
Pahlavani	3,300	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Pahlavani	1	1	0T
Parachi	7,100	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Parachi	1	1	0T
Parsee	2,000		0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Other / Small	Dari	0P Parsee	1	0T
Parya, Laghmani	300	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Parya	0P Parya, Laghmani	1	0T
Pashayi, Northeast	81,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Pashayi, Northeast	1	1	0T
Pashayi, Northwest	14,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Pashayi, Northwest	1	1	0T
Pashayi, Southeast	168,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Pashayi, Southeast	0P Pashayi, Southeast	0M Pashayi, Southeast of Afghanistan	0T
Pashayi, Southwest	154,000	Y	0.00 %	0.01 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Pashayi, Southwest	0P Pashayi, Southwest	0M Pashayi, Southwest of Afghanistan	0T
Pashtun, Northern	12,719,000		0.01 %	0.01 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Pashto, Northern	0P Pashtun, Northern	0M Pashtun, Northern of Afghanistan	0T
Pashtun, Southern	1,700,000	Y	0.02 %	0.02 %	Y	1.2	Islam	Pashto, Southern	0P Pashtun, Southern	0M Pashtun, Southern of Afghanistan	0T
Persian	585,000		0.10 %	0.12 %	Y	1.2	Islam	Persian, Iranian	0P Persian	1	0T
Punjabi	5,300		0.30 %	1.00 %	Y	1.2	Islam	Panjabi, Eastern	0P Punjabi	1	0T
Punjabi, Western	33,000		0.10 %	0.20 %	Y	1.2	Islam	Panjabi, Western	0P Punjabi, Western	0M Punjabi, Western of Afghanistan	0T
Qizilbash	264,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Dari	0P Qizilbash	1	0T
Romani, Balkan, Zargari	15,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Romani, Balkan	0P Romani, Balkan, Zargari	0M Romani, Balkan, Zargari of Afghanistan	0T
Russian	2,000		0.30 %	31.00 %		2.2	Non-Religious	Russian	0P Russian	1	1
Sanglechi	2,500	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Sanglechi	0P Sanglechi	1	0T
Sau	4,300	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Savi	1	1	1
Shughni	29,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Shughni	0P Shughni	0M Shughni of Afghanistan	0T
Shumashti	1,400	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Shumashti	1	0M Shumashti of Afghanistan	0T
Sindhi	21,000		0.08 %	0.08 %	Y	1.2	Islam	Sindhi	0P Sindhi	0M Sindhi of Afghanistan	0T
Tajik, Afghan	8,250,000	Y	0.01 %	0.01 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Dari	0P Tajik, Afghan	0M Tajik, Afghan of Afghanistan	0T
Tangshuri	14,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Dari	1	1	0T
Tatar	500		0.00 %	0.47 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Tatar	0P Tatar	1	0T
Tirahi	11,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Pashto, Southern	1	1	0T
Turkmen, Turkomani	712,000	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Turkmen	0P Turkmen, Turkomani	0M Turkmen, Turkomani of Afghanistan	0T
Turks	9,500		0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Turkish	0P Turks	1	1
Uyghur, Kashgar	4,300		0.05 %	0.05 %	Y	1.2	Islam	Uyghur	0P Uyghur, Kashgar	1	0T
Uzbek, Southern	2,753,000	Y	0.01 %	0.01 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Uzbek, Southern	0P Uzbek, Southern	0M Uzbek, Southern of Afghanistan	0T
Warduji	7,100	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Warduji	1	1	1
Wotapuri-Katarqalai	2,900	Y	0.00 %	0.00 %	Y	1.1	Islam	Language Unknown	1	1	1
Total People Groups: 78	33,482,000	54			74	1.2			57	37	68
Unclassified / Other Individuals	539,000
UN Country Population (2013)	34,021,000

:

Afghanistan –

% of People Groups ^[1]

% of Population in People Group ^{[1] [2]}


Progress Level		Peoples	% of Peoples	Population	% of Population ^[2]

	Level 1 - Unreached / Least-Reached	74	94.9 %	33,409,000	99.8 %
	Level 2 - Nominal / Formative Church	2	2.6 %	3,700	0.0 %
	Level 3 - Established / Significant Church	2	2.6 %	70,000	0.2 %

Totals		78		33,482,000

NOTES:

Small Values: Values less than .3% are not shown on pie charts for labeling clarity.
% of Population in People Group: The percentage of the population that lives in a people group at each progress level. Not every person living in an unreached people group is necessarily unreached.

Afghanistan – People Photos * Note: Only people groups with photos available are displayed here.*

Afshari 13,000	Aimaq, Char 299,000	Aimaq, Firozkohi 296,000	Aimaq, Hazara 231,000	Aimaq, Jamshidi 131,000	Aimaq, Taimani 592,000
Aimaq, Timuri 148,000	Americans, U.S. 67,000	Ansari 2,100	Arab, Tajiki 7,100	Arora, Hindu 1,400	Baloch, Western 413,000
Brahman 3,300	Brahui, Kur Galli 285,000	Changar 2,700	© Copyrighted Photo Darwazi, Badakhshani 14,000	Garwi, Bashkarik 1,700	German 2,600
© Copyrighted Photo Guhjali, Wakhi 14,000	© Copyrighted Photo Gujur Rajasthani 24,000	© Copyrighted Photo Gypsy, Domari 9,800	Hazara 2,932,000	Indus Kohistani 41,000	Italian 1,700
Karakalpak 2,900	Kazakh 2,900	© Copyrighted Photo Khatri, Sikh 2,400	Kurd, Sorani 238,000	Kyrgyz 1,100	Moghal 300
© Copyrighted Photo Mongolian 300	Mussali 2,900	Nuristani, Bashgali, Kati 30,000	© Copyrighted Photo Nuristani, Grangali 10,000	Nuristani, Urmuri 2,900	Nuristani, Waigeli 14,000
© Copyrighted Photo Parsee 2,000	Parya, Laghmani 300	Pashayi, Southeast 168,000	Pashayi, Southwest 154,000	Pashtun, Northern 12,719,000	Pashtun, Southern 1,700,000
Persian 585,000	Punjabi 5,300	Punjabi, Western 33,000	Qizilbash 264,000	Romani, Balkan, Zargari 15,000	© Copyrighted Photo Russian 2,000
Sanglechi 2,500	Shughni 29,000	Sindhi 21,000	Tajik, Afghan 8,250,000	© Copyrighted Photo Tatar 500	Turkmen, Turkomani 712,000
Turks 9,500	Uyghur, Kashgar 4,300	Uzbek, Southern 2,753,000
Afghanistan People Photos * Note: Only people groups with photos available are displayed here.*

Afghanistan – Languages

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Language (click Language name for details)	Language Code	# Peoples Primary Language	# Unreached Primary Language	Bible Status	Bible Locator	Audio NT Online	Jesus Film Online	Audio Recordings Online	Gospel Tract Online
Aimaq	aiq	6	6	None	1	1	1	1	1
Arabic, Tajiki Spoken	abh	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	0
Ashkun	ask	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
Azerbaijani, South	azb	1	1	None	1	1	0	0	1
Balochi, Western	bgn	1	1	Portions	0	1	0	0	1
Brahui	brh	1	1	NT	0	1	0	0	1
Dari	prs	6	6	Complete	0	0	0	0	0
Domari	rmt	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
English	eng	1	0	Complete	0	0	0	0	0
Gawar-Bati	gwt	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
German, Standard	deu	1	0	Complete	0	1	0	0	0
Grangali	nli	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
Gujari	gju	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
Hazaragi	haz	1	1	Portions	0	1	0	0	1
Ishkashimi	isk	1	1	None	1	1	1	1	1
Italian	ita	1	0	Complete	0	1	0	0	0
Jakati	jat	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
Kalami	gwc	1	1	None	1	1	1	1	1
Kamviri	xvi	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
Karakalpak	kaa	1	1	NT	0	0	0	0	1
Kati	bsh	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
Kazakh	kaz	1	1	Complete	0	0	0	0	0
Kohistani, Indus	mvy	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
Kurdish, Central	ckb	1	1	NT	0	1	0	0	1
Kyrgyz	kir	1	1	Complete	0	0	0	0	1
Mogholi	mhj	1	1	Need?	1	1	1	1	1
Mongolian, Peripheral	mvf	1	1	Complete	0	1	0	0	0
Munji	mnj	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
Pahlavani	phv	1	1	None	1	1	1	1	1
Panjabi, Eastern	pan	3	3	Complete	0	1	0	0	0
Panjabi, Western	pnb	1	1	NT	0	1	0	0	0
Parachi	prc	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
Parya	paq	1	1	None	1	1	1	1	1
Pashayi, Northeast	aee	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
Pashayi, Northwest	glh	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
Pashayi, Southeast	psi	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
Pashayi, Southwest	psh	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
Pashto, Northern	pbu	1	1	Complete	0	1	0	0	1
Pashto, Southern	pbt	3	3	Portions	0	1	1	0	1
Persian, Iranian	pes	1	1	Complete	0	0	0	0	0
Prasuni	prn	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
Romani, Balkan	rmn	1	1	NT	0	1	0	0	1
Russian	rus	1	0	Complete	0	0	0	0	0
Sanglechi	sgy	1	1	None	1	1	1	1	1
Savi	sdg	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
Seraiki	skr	1	1	NT	0	1	0	0	1
Shughni	sgh	1	1	Portions	0	1	1	0	1
Shumashti	sts	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
Sindhi	snd	1	1	Complete	0	0	0	0	1
Tatar	tat	1	1	NT	0	0	0	0	1
Tregami	trm	1	1	None	1	1	1	1	1
Turkish	tur	1	1	Complete	0	0	0	0	0
Turkmen	tuk	1	1	NT	0	1	0	0	1
Urdu	urd	4	4	Complete	0	0	0	0	0
Uyghur	uig	1	1	Complete	0	0	0	0	1
Uzbek, Southern	uzs	1	1	Portions	0	1	0	0	1
Waigali	wbk	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
Wakhi	wbl	1	1	Portions	0	1	1	0	1
Warduji	wrd	1	1	None	1	1	1	0	1
Totals:	59	76	72		29	12	27	51	13

:

Afghanistan –

Major Religions ^{[1] [3]}

Evangelicals: 0.1 %
(subset of Christianity)

Christianity Segments ^{[2] [3]}

(Evangelicals distributed across
Christianity Segments)

% Evangelical and % Christian Adherent Trends ^[4]

NOTES:

Major Religions: Each People Group's population is multiplied by the Major Religion percentages for that people group. Results are summed for each Religion for all Peoples within the country.
Christianity Segments: Each People Group's population is multiplied by the Christianity Segments percentages for that people group. Results are summed for each Christianity Segment for all peoples within the country.
Small Values: Values less than .3% are not shown on pie charts for labeling clarity.
% Evangelical and % Christian Adherent Trends: Source Operation World Editions 1986, 1993, 2001, 2010.
Zero percent data values may also mean unknown or unavailable.

Afghanistan – Possible Ministry Involvement

Below are lists of ministries that may work in Afghanistan. Ministries in the Afghanistan section probably minister in this country. Ministries in the Central Asia section only possibly minister in this country. The purpose of this information is to assist potential new missionaries connect with sending agencies and for general ministry networking. Click on the links below to visit ministry websites for further information. Visit the Power-Of-Connecting "Find a Network Tool" to find further networking information.
The lists below do not include all ministries at work in this country or region. There are likely many excellent ministries not listed here. Omissions are not intentional, but occur simply from lack of data. Please contact us to suggest other ministries to include here. Inclusion here is not an endorsement by Joshua Project.

Ministries in Afghanistan

Ministries in Central Asia

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)

Country Level Ministries	Size
Not Displayed. Contact Joshua Project	N/A

Regional Level Ministries	Size
Not Displayed. Contact Joshua Project	N/A

:

Afghanistan – Statistics, Prayer Cards, Maps and Links


Statistics

Population	33,482,000
Percent Urbanization	23 %
Total People Groups	78
Unreached People Groups	74
Region	Central Asia
10/40 Window	Yes
Official National Language	Pashto, Southern
Secondary National Language	Dari
Primary Religion	Islam
Percent Christian Adherent	0.2% ^[1]
Percent Evangelical	0.1% ^[2]
Country Progress Level	1.2
Persecution Ranking	3 (1=High to 50=Low OD)
Human Development Index	0.374 (0=Low to 1=High UN)

Links

State Department Religious Freedom Report

Library of Congress

Notes

[1] Each People Group's population is multiplied by the Major Religion percentages for that people group. The results are summed for each Religion for all Peoples within the country.

[2] Each People Group's population is multiplied by the Christianity Segments percentages for that people group. The results are summed for each Christianity Segment for all peoples within the country.


Prayer Cards

	Download Afghanistan unreached peoples prayer cards (588 KB) Download

Maps

Political Map (UN)
East Afghanistan Tribal Map (Source: NPS)
South Afghanistan Tribal Map (Source: NPS)
Ethnolinguistic Map (Univ of Texas)
Perry-Castaneda Map Collection



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