Twenty-three years of conflict and chronic under-investment have had a severe impact on the urban housing stock and the physical infrastructure.

The urban physical infrastructure and basic services today remain damaged and in disrepair. The steady inflow of returnees has further exacerbated the problem, particularly in larger cities like Kabul, Jalalabad, Mazar and Kandahar. There are reasons to believe that, as peace returns to the country, its urban population will increase as a much faster rate than its rural population. According to UN estimates, from 2000 to 2015, the national population is expected to increase by 14 million to reach a total of about 37 million; more than half of this growth will be in urban areas. Given the country’s strategic location for regional trade and transit, the entrepreneurial nature of its people and the limited capacity of rural areas to absorb further population growth, Afghanistan is destined to urbanised rapidly. In fact it is one of the most rapidly urbanising countries in the sub-region. Urbanisation will pose both a challenge to, and an opportunity for the development of the country. The way the current pressures on its urban areas are managed will influence the success of its development endeavours.

The steady inflow of returnees has further exacerbated the problem of inadequate housing and infrastructure, particularly in larger cities like Kabul, Jalalabad, Mazar and Kandahar. There are reasons to believe that, as peace returns to the country, its urban population will increase as a much faster rate than its rural population. According to UN estimates, from 2000 to 2015, the national population is expected to increase by 14 million to reach a total of about 37 million; more than half of this growth will be in urban areas. Given the country’s strategic location for regional trade and transit, the entrepreneurial nature of its people and the limited capacity of rural areas to absorb further population growth, Afghanistan is destined to urbanised rapidly. In fact it is one of the most rapidly urbanising countries in the sub-region.

Urbanisation will pose both a challenge to, and an opportunity for the development of the country. The way the current pressures on its urban areas are managed will influence the success of its development endeavours.