globaltraffic.earth

Trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan

In 2024, Afghanistan exported $659 million to Pakistan and imported $1.5 billion. Afghanistan ran a deficit of $854 million with Pakistan, compared with a deficit of $1.1 billion in 2019. Pakistan was Afghanistan’s largest trading partner (30% of its trade), and Afghanistan was Pakistan’s 10th (2%).

Summary

Afghanistan → Pakistan
$659million
Pakistan → Afghanistan
$1.5billion
Afghanistan’s balance
-$854million

Balance

Afghanistan’s trade balance with Pakistan

Trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan grew 4.9-fold since 2003

USD billions (current). Afghanistan’s exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).

  • Exports 0.7
  • Imports 1.5
  • Balance -0.9

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$0$0$0
1996$0$0$0
1997$0$0$0
1998$0$0$0
1999$0$0$0
2000$0$0$0
2001$0$0$0
2002$0$0$0
2003$31 million$408 million-$377 million
2004$47 million$487 million-$441 million
2005$53 million$1.1 billion-$1 billion
2006$65 million$991 million-$926 million
2007$89 million$835 million-$745 million
2008$152 million$1.5 billion-$1.3 billion
2009$215 million$1.3 billion-$1.1 billion
2010$180 million$1.6 billion-$1.5 billion
2011$255 million$2.7 billion-$2.4 billion
2012$269 million$2.3 billion-$2 billion
2013$338 million$2.5 billion-$2.1 billion
2014$436 million$2.2 billion-$1.8 billion
2015$455 million$2.2 billion-$1.7 billion
2016$460 million$1.7 billion-$1.3 billion
2017$500 million$2.1 billion-$1.6 billion
2018$531 million$1.7 billion-$1.2 billion
2019$613 million$1.8 billion-$1.1 billion
2020$518 million$870 million-$353 million
2021$639 million$833 million-$194 million
2022$945 million$975 million-$30 million
2023$691 million$969 million-$278 million
2024$659 million$1.5 billion-$854 million

What they sell each other

What Afghanistan sells to Pakistan

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Raw cotton$225 million · 34.1%
    110 thousand tonnes
  2. Onions and garlic$92 million · 13.9%
    559 thousand tonnes
  3. Coal$89 million · 13.4%
    913 thousand tonnes
  4. Dried legumes (beans, lentils, peas)$54 million · 8.2%
    100 thousand tonnes
  5. Grapes$51 million · 7.8%
    130 thousand tonnes
  6. Tomatoes$43 million · 6.5%
    321 thousand tonnes
  7. Other fresh fruit (berries, kiwi)$17 million · 2.6%
    32 thousand tonnes
  8. Anise, coriander and cumin seeds$17 million · 2.6%
    13 thousand tonnes
  9. Cucumbers and gherkins$14 million · 2.1%
    91 thousand tonnes
  10. Dried fruit and nut mixes$7 million · 1.1%
    14 thousand tonnes

What Pakistan sells to Afghanistan

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Rice$390 million · 25.8%
    611 thousand tonnes · Pakistan’s destinations
  2. Cane and beet sugar$220 million · 14.6%
    411 thousand tonnes
  3. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$171 million · 11.3%
    49 thousand tonnes
  4. Cement$80 million · 5.3%
    1.8 million tonnes
  5. Potatoes$55 million · 3.7%
    323 thousand tonnes
  6. Other food preparations$52 million · 3.4%
    23 thousand tonnes
  7. Aluminum cans, drums and containers$43 million · 2.8%
    6 thousand tonnes
  8. Citrus fruit$42 million · 2.8%
    250 thousand tonnes
  9. Fiberboard (MDF)$30 million · 2%
    27 thousand tonnes
  10. Hydrogenated fats and oils$27 million · 1.8%
    26 thousand tonnes

How it travels

Afghanistan and Pakistan traded $2.2 billion in 2024 (both directions together). They trade mostly over land: 100% of the value travels by truck, rail or pipeline.

Split by transport mode

  1. Land$2.2 billion · 100%

Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.

How much each matters to the other

Pakistan was Afghanistan’s largest trading partner (30% of its trade), and Afghanistan was Pakistan’s 10th (2%).

Pakistan in Afghanistan’s trade
29.6%
Pakistan’s rank among Afghanistan’s partners
1st
Afghanistan in Pakistan’s trade
2.2%
Afghanistan’s rank among Pakistan’s partners
10th

Compare with

Other partners of Afghanistan

Other partners of Pakistan

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. The sea route comes from our own network derived from World Bank shipping density (not from nautical charts), between one main reference port per country (World Port Index); days are the distance at 14 and 18 knots, without port calls or waiting. Data up to 2024.