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.

Key information about Syria population

• The Syria population reached 27.6 million people in Dec 2022, compared with the previously reported figure of 26.9 million people in Dec 2021
• The data reached an all-time high of 27.6 million people in Dec 2022 and a record low of 3.5 million people in Dec 1950

• In the latest reports, Syria Unemployment Rate increased to 21.9 % in Dec 2021
• Monthly earnings of the Syria population was 81.1 USD in Dec 2020
• Syria Labour Force Participation Rate increased to 44.3 % in Dec 2022

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.

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.

La population totale en Syrie était estimée à 23,2 millions de personnes en 2023, selon les dernières données du recensement et les projections de Trading Economics. Les valeurs actuelles, des données historiques, des prévisions, des statistiques, des tableaux et le calendrier économique - Syrie - Population.

Syria SY: Population: Total data was reported at 18,269,868.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 18,430,453.000 Person for 2016. Syria SY: Population: Total data is updated yearly, averaging 11,899,757.500 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21,018,834.000 Person in 2010 and a record low of 4,573,512.000 Person in 1960. Syria SY: Population: Total 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. Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.; ; (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.; Sum; Relevance to gender indicator: disaggregating the population composition by gender will help a country in projecting its demand for social services on a gender basis.

UNICEF's country profile for Syrian Arab Republic, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.

Graph and download economic data for Population, Total for Syrian Arab Republic (POPTOTSYA647NWDB) from 1960 to 2024 about Syria and population.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for the Syrian Arab Republic (SPPOPGROWSYR) from 1961 to 2024 about Syria, population, and rate.

Syria SY: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data was reported at 7.353 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 7.149 % for 2016. Syria SY: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data is updated yearly, averaging 6.073 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.069 % in 1960 and a record low of 5.766 % in 2010. Syria SY: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old 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. Age dependency ratio, old, is the ratio of older dependents--people older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

Historical chart and dataset showing total population for Syrian Arab Republic by year from 1960 to 2023.

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 July of 2025.

Syrian Arab Republic population growth rate for 2023 was 4.92%, a 1.14% increase from 2022.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Syrian Arab Republic population growth rate for 2022 was <strong>3.78%</strong>, a <strong>1.07% increase</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>Syrian Arab Republic population growth rate for 2021 was <strong>2.72%</strong>, a <strong>0.65% decline</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>Syrian Arab Republic population growth rate for 2020 was <strong>3.36%</strong>, a <strong>0.52% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
</ul>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.

This statistic shows the median age of the population in Syria from 1950 to 2100. The median age is the age that divides a population into two numerically equal groups; that is, half the people are younger than this age and half are older. It is a single index that summarizes the age distribution of a population. In 2020, the median age of the Syrian population was 20.4 years.

Population for Syrian Arab Republic was 17.07014 Mil. of Persons in January of 2019, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Population for Syrian Arab Republic reached a record high of 21.36253 in January of 2010 and a record low of 4.59954 in January of 1960. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Population for Syrian Arab Republic - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on May of 2025.

Total Population by Governorate 2011 according to civil affairs records, and Estimates of population by governorate 12/2011 according to Central Bureau Of Statistics, distribution of Palestinian refugees by governorate and the Rate of unemployment by governorates. Data sourced from the Central Bureau Of Statistics http://www.cbssyr.org.

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.

Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Syria was reported at 121 sq. Km in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Syria - Population density (people per sq. km) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.