In 1800, the region of present-day Syria had a population of approximately 1.25 million people. Growth was relatively slow during the 19th century, and the population reached just over two million by the time of the First World War in 1914. However, population would begin to grow more rapidly following the beginning of French occupation in 1920, and by the time Syria achieved independence from France in 1946, the population would be just over 3.2 million. Following the country’s independence, Syria would begin experiencing exponential growth, the result of significant economic growth from the country’s growing petroleum exports.

However, the 21st century would see a sharp reversal of Syria’s exponential population growth, with the beginning of the Syrian Civil War after widespread anti-government protests in 2011. After peaking at 21.4 million people in 2010, Syria’s population would see a rapid decline during the civil war, as widespread conflict, massacres, and destruction would lead to significant fatalities and a mass exodus of refugees from the country, with several million migrating to neighboring Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan, and another several hundred thousand ultimately migrating to the European Union. As a result, the population of the country has declined greatly, falling from over 21 million in 2010 to just under 17 million by 2018. However, as the fighting has gradually decreased in intensity and refugee rates have levelled off, the population of Syria has slowly began to grow again. In 2020, Syria is estimated to have a population of 17.5 million people.

The total population in Syria was estimated at 23.2 million people in 2023, according to the latest census figures and projections from Trading Economics. This dataset provides - Syria Population - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

This statistic shows the age structure in Syria from 2013 to 2023. In 2023, about 30.34 percent of Syria's total population were aged 0 to 14 years. The shrinking population of Syria In the past, Syria’s population has been one of the fastest growing populations around the world. While the fertility rate is much lower now than it has been, in 2013, World Bank figures show a fertility rate of 3 children per woman. This rate is still relatively high, but the country’s historically expanding population has left the country with a large cohort of young people: Almost 40 percent of the Syrian population is under 14 years of age, with close to 60 percent of the population aged 15 to 64. This leaves around a meager 4 percent of Syrians who are over 65 years old. At present, the median age of the population is estimated to be around 23 years, which means half the population is under 23, leaving large numbers of young people at the mercy of the war that has plagued the country. As of October 2015, 12,517 children were reportedly killed in the fighting, with the number of unreported cases being presumably much higher than this. This dire situation has caused many people to flee the country and it is no surprise that the majority of them are young. Despite a high fertility rate, this mass emigration has significantly stalled population growth in the country, a trend which is expected to continue especially as an overwhelming majority of Syrians – 46 percent - stated they would leave the country if given the opportunity.

This statistic shows the total population of Syria from 2000 to 2010. In 2010, the total population of Syria was at approximately 21.4 million inhabitants.

The Syrian refugee crisis

The war in Syria has been escalating since 2011, which has made it difficult to estimate the current population of the country. The population of the country was last determined to be over 21 million in 2010. Previously, population growth rates had been relatively high, but since the war, Syria has been experiencing the opposite, and now claims the highest rate of population decline in the world.

Large numbers of Syrians have been fleeing the county and others have lost their lives due to the conflict within the country’s borders. As of October 2015, the total number of casualties had risen to over 250,000 - including around 116,000 civilians and about 13,000 children. This has caused more than 4 million people to flee the country, making it the worst refugee crisis of our generation. Still, millions more have also been internally displaced and the sheer scale of the crisis is evident.

Neighboring counties have received large numbers of Syrian refugees, but the crisis is now being felt across Europe as thousands of refugees are risking their lives everyday migrating to Europe in search of a brighter future. European cooperation is needed and not all countries are meeting Europe’s migrant quota.

Syria SY: Population: Growth data was reported at -0.875 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of -1.639 % for 2016. Syria SY: Population: Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 3.191 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.725 % in 2007 and a record low of -3.107 % in 2014. Syria SY: Population: Growth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Syrian Arab Republic – Table SY.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage . Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; Derived from total population. Population source: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision, (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average;

Population, female in Syria was reported at 11799042 Persons in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Syria - Population, female - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Syria SY: Urban Population Growth data was reported at 0.376 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of -0.368 % for 2016. Syria SY: Urban Population Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 3.774 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4.954 % in 1970 and a record low of -5.086 % in 2014. Syria SY: Urban Population Growth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Syrian Arab Republic – Table SY.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.; Weighted average;

The annual population growth in Syria increased by 1.1 percentage points (+29.1 percent) in 2023 in comparison to the previous year. With 4.92 percent, the population growth thereby reached its highest value in the observed period. Nevertheless, the last two years recorded a significantly lower population growth than the preceding years.Population growth refers to the annual change in population, and is based on the balance between birth and death rates, as well as migration.Find more key insights for the annual population growth in countries like Jordan and Kuwait.

Population ages 15-19, female (% of female population) in Syria was reported at 11.77 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Syria - Population ages 15-19, female (% of female population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on May of 2025.

Population growth (annual %) in Syria was reported at 4.9186 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Syria - Population growth (annual %) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Syria SY: Population: Female: Ages 25-29: % of Female Population data was reported at 6.601 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.812 % for 2016. Syria SY: Population: Female: Ages 25-29: % of Female Population data is updated yearly, averaging 7.355 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.612 % in 2010 and a record low of 5.658 % in 1973. Syria SY: Population: Female: Ages 25-29: % of Female Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Syrian Arab Republic – Table SY.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Female population between the ages 25 to 29 as a percentage of the total female population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

Graph and download economic data for Population, Total for Syrian Arab Republic (POPTOTSY52647NWDB) from 1967 to 2012 about Syria and population.

The death rate in Syria saw no significant changes in 2022 in comparison to the previous year 2021 and remained at around 5.05 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants. With a decline of 0.1 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants (-1.95 percent), there is no significant change to 2021. The crude death rate is the annual number of deaths in a given population, expressed per 1,000 people. When looked at in unison with the crude birth rate, the rate of natural increase can be determined.Find more statistics on other topics about Syria with key insights such as crude birth rate, total life expectancy at birth, and infant mortality rate.

Syria Population: End of Period: Male data was reported at 12,787.000 Person th in 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 12,481.000 Person th for 2017. Syria Population: End of Period: Male data is updated yearly, averaging 11,749.500 Person th from Dec 2011 (Median) to 2018, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12,787.000 Person th in 2018 and a record low of 10,794.000 Person th in 2011. Syria Population: End of Period: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Central Bureau of Statistics . The data is categorized under Global Database’s Syrian Arab Republic – Table SY.G001: Population: End of Period.

School age population, last grade of primary education, male (number) in Syria was reported at 182009 Persons in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Syria - Population of the official age for the last grade of primary education, male - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

This dataset contains administrative polygons grouped by country (admin-0) with the following subdivisions according to Who's On First placetypes:
- macroregion (admin-1 including region)
- region (admin-2 including state, province, department, governorate)
- macrocounty (admin-3 including arrondissement)
- county (admin-4 including prefecture, sub-prefecture, regency, canton, commune)
- localadmin (admin-5 including municipality, local government area, unitary authority, commune, suburb)

The dataset also contains human settlement points and polygons for:
- localities (city, town, and village)
- neighbourhoods (borough, macrohood, neighbourhood, microhood)

The dataset covers activities carried out by Who's On First (WOF) since 2015. Global administrative boundaries and human settlements are aggregated and standardized from hundreds of sources and available with an open CC-BY license. Who's On First data is updated on an as-need basis for individual places with annual sprints focused on improving specific countries or placetypes. Please refer to the README.md file for complete data source metadata. Refer to our blog post for explanation of field names.

Data corrections can be proposed using Write Field, an web app for making quick data edits. You’ll need a Github.com account to login and propose edits, which are then reviewed by the Who's On First community using the Github pull request process. Approved changes are available for download within 24-hours. Please contact WOF admin about bulk edits.

SY: Population: Male: Ages 50-54: % of Male Population data was reported at 3.620 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.601 % for 2016. SY: Population: Male: Ages 50-54: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 2.667 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.620 % in 2017 and a record low of 1.984 % in 1993. SY: Population: Male: Ages 50-54: % of Male Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Syrian Arab Republic – Table SY.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Male population between the ages 50 to 54 as a percentage of the total male population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

Syria: Percent of world population: The latest value from 2023 is 0.29 percent, an increase from 0.28 percent in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 0.51 percent, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Syria from 1960 to 2023 is 0.23 percent. The minimum value, 0.15 percent, was reached in 1960 while the maximum of 0.32 percent was recorded in 2008.

Population in the largest city (% of urban population) in Syria was reported at 19.08 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Syria - Population in the largest city - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on April of 2025.

Population, female (% of total population) in Syria was reported at 50.01 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Syria - Population, female (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on May of 2025.