Asia · capital city
What Is the Capital of Afghanistan?
Kabul
The capital of Afghanistan is Kabul. About 4.6 million people live in the Kabul urban area — 10.5% of the country's population.
4.6 million
Urban area population
UTC+4.5
Time zone (+ daylight saving)
34.52°N
Latitude · 69.18°E
Yes
Largest city
Kabul at a glance
Name origin
Named for the Kabul River, but the river's name is of unknown origin.
Time zone
UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). Daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time.
Coordinates
34 31 N, 69 11 E · IANA time zone Asia/Kabul
Location of Afghanistan
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Capitals of neighbouring countries
Beijing, China — 4,174 kmCapitals closest to Kabul
Islamabad, Pakistan — 368 km
Dushanbe, Tajikistan — 450 km
Tashkent, Uzbekistan — 756 km
New Delhi, India — 1,004 km
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan — 1,040 km
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan — 1,040 km
Muscat, Oman — 1,589 km
Tehran, Iran — 1,619 km
Straight-line distance between capitals.
Frequently asked questions about Kabul
What is the capital of Afghanistan?
The capital of Afghanistan is Kabul. About 4.6 million people live in the Kabul urban area — 10.5% of the country's population.
Is Kabul the largest city in Afghanistan?
Yes — Kabul is also the largest urban area of Afghanistan (4.6 million).
What time zone is Kabul in?
Kabul is on UTC+4.5 — UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). Daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time.
Where does the name Kabul come from?
Named for the Kabul River, but the river's name is of unknown origin.
Which capital is closest to Kabul?
Among the capitals of neighbouring countries, Islamabad (Pakistan) is the closest, 368 km away in a straight line.
Data: CIA World Factbook (public domain); population: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).