Military personnel as a share of total population in Syria
Syria: Military personnel as a share of total population was 0.7524 in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
0.7524
Change on year
down 3.7%
World rank
20th
of 194 countries
All-time high
4.16
in 1983
All-time low
0.2608
in 1948
Years of data
75
1946–2022
Military personnel as a share of total population in Syria, 1946–2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2022, military personnel as a share of total population in Syria stood at 0.7524.
That represents a change of down 3.7% on the previous year and down 44.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel as a share of total population in Syria peaked at 4.16 in 1983 and was at its lowest, 0.2608, in 1948.
Syria ranks 20th of 194 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel as a share of total population in Syria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 0.3358 | — |
| 1947 | 0.3306 | -1.6% |
| 1948 | 0.2608 | -21.1% |
| 1949 | 0.638 | +144.7% |
| 1950 | 0.9156 | +43.5% |
| 1951 | 0.8939 | -2.4% |
| 1952 | 0.9537 | +6.7% |
| 1953 | 0.9296 | -2.5% |
| 1954 | 0.647 | -30.4% |
| 1955 | 0.6302 | -2.6% |
| 1956 | 0.6135 | -2.7% |
| 1957 | 1.43 | +133.6% |
| 1958 | 1.44 | +0.4% |
| 1961 | 1.11 | -22.8% |
| 1962 | 1.12 | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 1.5 | +34.5% |
| 1964 | 1.55 | +3.3% |
| 1965 | 1.31 | -15.3% |
| 1966 | 1.45 | +10.7% |
| 1967 | 1.41 | -3.2% |
| 1968 | 1.11 | -21.3% |
| 1969 | 1.24 | +11.7% |
| 1970 | 1.19 | -3.9% |
| 1971 | 1.7 | +43.0% |
| 1972 | 1.72 | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 1.66 | -3.2% |
| 1974 | 1.82 | +9.4% |
| 1975 | 3.12 | +71.2% |
| 1976 | 3.15 | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 3.17 | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 2.7 | -14.9% |
| 1979 | 2.61 | -3.2% |
| 1980 | 2.87 | +9.9% |
| 1981 | 2.98 | +3.8% |
| 1982 | 3.23 | +8.2% |
| 1983 | 4.16 | +28.9% |
| 1984 | 4.05 | -2.8% |
| 1985 | 3.92 | -3.2% |
| 1986 | 3.77 | -3.7% |
| 1987 | 3.65 | -3.3% |
| 1988 | 3.53 | -3.3% |
| 1989 | 3.41 | -3.3% |
| 1990 | 3.37 | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 3.26 | -3.3% |
| 1992 | 3.15 | -3.3% |
| 1993 | 3.05 | -3.2% |
| 1994 | 2.31 | -24.1% |
| 1995 | 2.26 | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 2.19 | -3.0% |
| 1997 | 2.14 | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 2.05 | -4.0% |
| 1999 | 1.97 | -4.0% |
| 2000 | 1.96 | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 1.92 | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 1.88 | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 1.84 | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 1.77 | -4.0% |
| 2005 | 1.7 | -4.3% |
| 2006 | 1.64 | -3.4% |
| 2007 | 1.57 | -3.9% |
| 2008 | 1.44 | -8.5% |
| 2009 | 1.39 | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 1.51 | +8.3% |
| 2011 | 1.35 | -10.4% |
| 2012 | 1.35 | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 0.8986 | -33.3% |
| 2014 | 0.9269 | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 0.9501 | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 0.7108 | -25.2% |
| 2017 | 0.6658 | -6.3% |
| 2018 | 0.807 | +21.2% |
| 2019 | 0.6829 | -15.4% |
| 2020 | 0.8029 | +17.6% |
| 2021 | 0.7814 | -2.7% |
| 2022 | 0.7524 | -3.7% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 0.7524 is above the median for low income countries, which is 0.1517, 5.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Syria's 0.7524 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.5235, 1.4× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military personnel as a share of total population 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | +144.7% | 0.2608 | 0.638 |
| 1957 | +133.6% | 0.6135 | 1.43 |
| 1975 | +71.2% | 1.82 | 3.12 |
| 1950 | +43.5% | 0.638 | 0.9156 |
| 1971 | +43.0% | 1.19 | 1.7 |
| 1963 | +34.5% | 1.12 | 1.5 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 0.3913 | 0.2608 | 0.638 | 4 |
| 1950s | 0.9396 | 0.6135 | 1.44 | 9 |
| 1960s | 1.31 | 1.11 | 1.55 | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.28 | 1.19 | 3.17 | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.56 | 2.87 | 4.16 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.57 | 1.97 | 3.37 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.71 | 1.39 | 1.96 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9852 | 0.6658 | 1.51 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7789 | 0.7524 | 0.8029 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Syria
More population data for Syria
- Population regions 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 long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1531 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1293 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -1.1 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.149 (2100)
- Population density 237.91 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 2.22 million (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development -0.149 (2100)
- Urbanization vs gdp, annual growth rate 0.0104 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel as a share of total population in Syria?
- Military personnel as a share of total population in Syria was 0.7524 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 4.16 in 1983.
- What is the lowest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2608 in 1948.
- How does Syria rank for military personnel as a share of total population?
- Syria ranks 20th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 44.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Syria data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel as a share of total population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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