Sharbat Gula is 54 years old as of October 2026. She was born on 20 March 1972.
Quick facts
Date of birth20 March 1972
Age54
NationalityAfghan
BirthplaceNangarhar Province, Afghanistan
Editor's Take:
Sharbat Gula's face became a symbol of war and displacement before anyone knew her name. She had no idea the picture had travelled the world. When she was found, the story turned from art to real life: poverty, illness and life as a refugee. Her story raised hard questions about consent and fame. She found a safer home in Italy after the Taliban returned. Italy welcomed her in 2021 at her request.
Key Milestones
1984: Photographed in a refugee camp in Pakistan
1985: Appears on the National Geographic cover
2002: Identified by the photographer
2021: Granted refuge in Italy
Sharbat Gula (Pashto: شربت ګله; born c. 1972) is an Afghan woman who became internationally recognized as the subject in Afghan Girl, a 1984 portrait taken by American photojournalist Steve McCurry that was later published as the cover photograph for the June 1985 issue of National Geographic.
