Syria Demographics

Population of Syria (2026)

View live population, charts & trends: Population of Syria

Syria Population
26,472,497
see live
Yearly Change
+3.33%
Global Share
0.32%
Global Rank
57

Median Age

The median age in Syria is 23.8 years (2026).

Fertility in Syria

A Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1 represents the Replacement-Level Fertility : the average number of children per woman needed for each generation to exactly replace itself without needing international immigration. A value below 2.1 will cause the native population to decline


Total Fertility Rate (TFR)
2.62
(Live Births per Woman, 2026)

Life Expectancy in Syria

See also: Countries in the world ranked by Life Expectancy

Both Sexes
73.4
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes combined)
Females
75.9
(life expectancy at birth, females)
Males
71.0
(life expectancy at birth, males)


Infant Mortality Rate and Deaths of Children under 5 Years Old in Syria


Infant Mortality
13.3
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
Deaths under age 5
18.4
(per 1,000 live births)


Syria Urban Population

Currently, 72.1% of the population of Syria is urban (19,087,033 people in 2026)


Population Density

The 2026 population density in Syria is 142 people per km² (369 people per mi2), calculated on a total land area of 185,887 km² (71,771 sq. miles).

Largest Urban Areas in Syria

The 30 largest of 37 urban areas, ranked by the UN's population estimates for 2026.

RankUrban AreaPopulation
1Dimashq (Damascus)4,426,767
2Aleppo3,010,846
3Homs963,315
4Latakia604,430
5Hama384,139
6Qamishli295,314
7Deir Ez Zor272,847
8Raqqa244,110
9Al-Hasakah241,758
10Manbij182,251
11Daraa136,135
12As Suwayda131,403
13Idlib125,356
14Tartus125,207
15Jablah99,221
16Al-Tabqah96,229
17Baniyas89,727
18Al-Bab86,223
19Haylan83,635
20Abu Kamal83,366
21As Safirah82,687
22Al Mayadin81,862
23Halfaya77,653
24Al-Zabadani75,929
25Nawa72,887
26Kobani70,941
27Salamiyah66,440
28Maarrat al-Nu'man65,709
29Al Kiswah64,611
30Al-Tal64,192
Unlike official city figures, UN urban areas cover the entire built-up area, which can include multiple cities and towns.
See all 37 urban areas in Syria

See also

Sources

Definitions

Population Pyramid

A Population pyramid (also called "Age-Sex Pyramid") is a graphical representation of the age and sex of a population.

Types:

  • Expansive - pyramid with a wide base (larger percentage of people in younger age groups, indicating high birth rates and high fertility rates) and narrow top (high death rate and lower life expectancies). It suggests a growing population. Example: Nigeria Population Pyramid
  • Constrictive - pyramid with a narrow base (lower percentage of younger people, indicating declining birth rates with each succeeding age group getting smaller than the previous one). Example: United States
  • Stationary - with a somewhat equal proportion of the population in each age group. The population is stable, neither increasing nor decreasing.

Stages:

Population pyramid stages

Dependency Ratio

There are three types of age dependency ratio: Youth, Elderly, and Total. All three ratios are commonly multiplied by 100.

Youth Dependency Ratio

Definition: population ages 0-15 divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 0-15] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Elderly dependency ratio

Definition: population ages 65-plus divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 65-plus] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Total dependency ratio

Definition: sum of the youth and old-age ratios.

Formula: (([Population ages 0-15] + [Population ages 65-plus]) ÷ [Population ages 16-64] ) × 100

NOTE: Dependency Ratio does not take into account labor force participation rates by age group. Some portion of the population counted as "working age" may actually be unemployed or not in the labor force whereas some portion of the "dependent" population may be employed and not necessarily economically dependent.