Life was already extremely difficult in Afghanistan before the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Most Afghans were struggling to afford food and shelter, few felt safe, and they saw their lives getting worse with every passing year.
But as bleak as this picture is, Gallup surveys conducted in August and September -- as the U.S. withdrew and the Taliban took control -- revealed unprecedented suffering among these already vulnerable people.
In the stories linked below, Gallup researchers share insights on what we learned from that survey; how life in Afghanistan looks today compared with what we've been measuring in Afghanistan since 2008; and how it looks compared with the rest of the world.
