Population and Demographics of Syria
Fast population growth · +4.57% in 2024
Syria has 24.67 million residents in the 2024 estimate, with the 2050 medium scenario above the 2024 total. The 24.42-point difference between the under-15 and 65-plus shares shows how strongly the age balance leans younger. Under the UN medium scenario, the 2050 total is 37.79 million, a 53.2% increase from 2024.
Population Over Time in Syria
The 2000 to 2024 record shows Syria moving from 16.638M people to 24.673M, a 48.3% increase. For 2050, the medium projection is 37.793M. That is a difference of about 13.12 million people from the 2024 estimate. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
Syria's demographic structure is young when the 2024 population is divided into the three broad age groups. Under-15s account for 29.16% of residents and people 65+ for 4.74%, leaving 66.10% in the broad 15 to 64 range. The age balance is weighted toward younger residents.
Population by broad age group
The 2024 World Bank sex-share indicator gives Syria a female share of 50.0% and a male share of 50.0%. The split is close to even.
Female and male population share
The World Bank's 2024 series shows a nearly even sex balance: 50% female and 50% male.
What Is Shaping Population Change
Syria's +4.57% annual change in 2024 sits beside fertility of 2.7 children per woman, while the 15-to-64 share is 66.10% and the under-15 share is 29.16%.
From 2000 to 2024, Syria's population moved +48.3%, with the projection period then moving +53.2% from 2024 to 2050; the aggregate numbers are not used to manufacture a causal explanation.
2024 estimate for Syria. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
Syria vs. World
Three same-year indicators show where Syria differs from the world in 2024: population change is higher than the global rate, fertility is above the global figure, and median age is younger than the world benchmark.
| Indicator | Syria | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +4.57% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 2.7 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 23 | 30.6 | 2024 |
The comparison is intentionally narrow: each row uses the 2024 country table and its matching world value rather than mixing sources or observation years.
Key Takeaways
Syria has 24,672,760 people in the 2024 estimate, with the population changing +4.57% over the year.
The 2024 age structure is 29.16% under 15, 66.10% aged 15 to 64 and 4.74% aged 65 or older.
The 2024 female and male shares are 50.0% and 50.0% respectively.
On the medium path, 2050 reaches 37.793M, a +53.2% shift from the 2024 level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Syria?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for Syria is 24,672,760 people.
Is the population of Syria growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, Syria's population is growing, with annual change of +4.57%.
What percentage of the population of Syria is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 4.74% of Syria's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of Syria in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts Syria's 2050 population at 37,793,372.
What is the fertility rate in Syria?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for Syria is 2.7 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.