Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) in Syria
Syria: Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) was 31.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Syria, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Syria is 31.9%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and down 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Syria peaked at 47.5% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 30.5%, in 2020.
That places Syria 183rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) in Syria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 47.5% | — |
| 1992 | 47.3% | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 47.0% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 46.2% | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 45.7% | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 45.8% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 45.9% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 46.1% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 46.5% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 46.0% | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 44.1% | -4.1% |
| 2002 | 43.7% | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 43.1% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 42.8% | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 42.5% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 42.1% | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 40.5% | -3.7% |
| 2008 | 38.8% | -4.2% |
| 2009 | 39.4% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 39.0% | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 39.7% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 33.8% | -14.8% |
| 2013 | 32.3% | -4.4% |
| 2014 | 32.2% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 32.3% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 32.5% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 32.6% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 32.7% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 32.8% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 30.5% | -7.1% |
| 2021 | 30.9% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 32.4% | +4.7% |
| 2023 | 32.2% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 32.0% | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 31.9% | -0.5% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 31.9% is below the median for low income countries, which is 64.3%, 50% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Syria's 31.9% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 39.0%, 82% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 46.4% | 45.7% | 47.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 42.3% | 38.8% | 46.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.0% | 32.2% | 39.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.7% | 30.5% | 32.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Syria
More work & labour data for Syria
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 12,499 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 36.74 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 7,259 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 13.9 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 3.36 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 14,788 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 2,364 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 31.63 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 3.65 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 3.31 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Syria?
- Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Syria was 31.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 47.5% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.5% in 2020.
- How does Syria rank for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%)?
- Syria ranks 183rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Syria data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.