Total population (thousands) in Syria
Syria: Total population (thousands) was 25,171 thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
25,171 thousands
Change on year
up 4.1%
World rank
57th
of 233 countries
All-time high
25,171 thousands
in 2025
All-time low
6,275 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Total population in Syria, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
Syria recorded 25,171 thousands for total population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is up 4.1% on the previous year and up 27.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population in Syria peaked at 25,171 thousands in 2025 and was at its lowest, 6,275 thousands, in 1970.
Syria ranks 57th of 233 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Total population (thousands) in Syria, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6,275 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 6,486 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1972 | 6,710 thousands | +3.5% |
| 1973 | 6,942 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1974 | 7,179 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1975 | 7,425 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1976 | 7,683 thousands | +3.5% |
| 1977 | 7,951 thousands | +3.5% |
| 1978 | 8,230 thousands | +3.5% |
| 1979 | 8,516 thousands | +3.5% |
| 1980 | 8,808 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1981 | 9,107 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1982 | 9,413 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1983 | 9,732 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1984 | 10,078 thousands | +3.6% |
| 1985 | 10,439 thousands | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 10,812 thousands | +3.6% |
| 1987 | 11,194 thousands | +3.5% |
| 1988 | 11,584 thousands | +3.5% |
| 1989 | 11,980 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 12,378 thousands | +3.3% |
| 1991 | 12,780 thousands | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 13,181 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 13,590 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 14,001 thousands | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 14,416 thousands | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 14,818 thousands | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 15,218 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 15,617 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 16,024 thousands | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 16,432 thousands | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 16,844 thousands | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 17,259 thousands | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 17,678 thousands | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 18,101 thousands | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 18,573 thousands | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 19,055 thousands | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 20,219 thousands | +6.1% |
| 2008 | 21,550 thousands | +6.6% |
| 2009 | 21,724 thousands | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 22,230 thousands | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 22,735 thousands | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 23,022 thousands | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 22,498 thousands | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 20,836 thousands | -7.4% |
| 2015 | 19,711 thousands | -5.4% |
| 2016 | 19,138 thousands | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 19,250 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 19,200 thousands | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 19,956 thousands | +3.9% |
| 2020 | 20,751 thousands | +4.0% |
| 2021 | 21,348 thousands | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 21,910 thousands | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 23,015 thousands | +5.0% |
| 2024 | 24,175 thousands | +5.0% |
| 2025 | 25,171 thousands | +4.1% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 25,171 thousands is above the median for low income countries, which is 23,812 thousands, 1.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Syria's 25,171 thousands is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 11,575 thousands, 2.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7,340 thousands | 6,275 thousands | 8,516 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 10,315 thousands | 8,808 thousands | 11,980 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 14,202 thousands | 12,378 thousands | 16,024 thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 18,743 thousands | 16,432 thousands | 21,724 thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 20,858 thousands | 19,138 thousands | 23,022 thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 22,728 thousands | 20,751 thousands | 25,171 thousands | 6 |
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)
- World population growth -0.1% (2100)
- Population density 237.91 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.22 million people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.1% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate 3.85 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total population in Syria?
- Total population in Syria was 25,171 thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest total population recorded in Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 25,171 thousands in 2025.
- What is the lowest total population recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 6,275 thousands in 1970.
- How does Syria rank for total population?
- Syria ranks 57th out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total population rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Syria data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Total population (thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release