Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Syria
Syria: Internally displaced persons was 5.96 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Internally displaced persons in Syria, 2009–2025
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
Syria recorded 5.96 million for internally displaced persons in 2025.
The figure is down 19.5% on the previous year and down 9.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, internally displaced persons in Syria peaked at 7.60 million in 2014 and was at its lowest, 433,000, in 2009.
Syria ranks 4th of 104 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.
Internally displaced persons in Syria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 433,000 | — |
| 2010 | 433,000 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 600,000 | +38.6% |
| 2012 | 3.00 million | +400.0% |
| 2013 | 6.50 million | +116.7% |
| 2014 | 7.60 million | +16.9% |
| 2015 | 6.60 million | -13.2% |
| 2016 | 6.33 million | -4.2% |
| 2017 | 6.78 million | +7.2% |
| 2018 | 6.12 million | -9.8% |
| 2019 | 6.62 million | +8.1% |
| 2020 | 6.57 million | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 6.66 million | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 6.87 million | +3.1% |
| 2023 | 7.25 million | +5.6% |
| 2024 | 7.41 million | +2.2% |
| 2025 | 5.96 million | -19.5% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 5.96 million is above the median for low income countries, which is 518,555, 11.5× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Syria's 5.96 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 389,474, 15.3× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Internally displaced persons in Syria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | +400.0% | 600,000 | 3.00 million |
| 2013 | +116.7% | 3.00 million | 6.50 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 433,000 | 433,000 | 433,000 | 1 |
| 2010s | 5.06 million | 433,000 | 7.60 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.79 million | 5.96 million | 7.41 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Syria
- 1 Sudan 9.12 million compare
- 2 Colombia 7.21 million compare
- 3 Afghanistan 6.95 million compare
- 5 Bangladesh 5.54 million compare
- 6 Democratic Republic of Congo 4.91 million compare
- 7 Yemen 4.80 million compare
More population data for Syria
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1293 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1531 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -3.59 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1531 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.1% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.22 million people (2100)
- Population density 237.91 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.1% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -1.1 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, per capita 0.2792 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is internally displaced persons in Syria?
- Internally displaced persons in Syria was 5.96 million in 2025, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest internally displaced persons recorded in Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 7.60 million in 2014.
- What is the lowest internally displaced persons recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 433,000 in 2009.
- How does Syria rank for internally displaced persons?
- Syria ranks 4th out of 104 countries with data for 2025.
- Is internally displaced persons rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Syria data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Internally displaced persons (IDPs). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 17 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).