Here is the exact estimated figures by the CSO Central Statistics Office of Afghanistan about the Urban and Metropolitan area s populations as of 1387 2008 2009 taken from CSO Statistical Yearbook 2008 2009 Kabul Rural 599 800 Urban 2 850 000 Total 3 449 800 So the Urban population is the same Kabul city s population and the Total population is the Metropolitan area s population Britannica has also considered the Urban population figure as Kabul city s population and that was based on 2006 1385 population estimates of the CSO To obtain the copy of the CSO Statistical Yearbook 2008 2009 go the CSO s website ttp and on the left bar there is a link to the Statistical Yearbook Or let me give you the direct link to the zip downloadable folder Here You will see the PDF copy image of the Population chapter in the sub folders