Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Syria
Syria: Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) was 29.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Syria, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Syria recorded 29.5% for unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in 2025.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and down 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Syria peaked at 32.5% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 9.7%, in 1991.
Syria ranks 18th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Syria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 9.7% | — |
| 1992 | 12.0% | +24.1% |
| 1993 | 14.7% | +22.9% |
| 1994 | 12.4% | -15.9% |
| 1995 | 10.4% | -15.8% |
| 1996 | 10.7% | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 11.1% | +3.5% |
| 1998 | 11.5% | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 11.8% | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 14.1% | +19.4% |
| 2001 | 16.4% | +16.7% |
| 2002 | 15.9% | -3.1% |
| 2003 | 15.4% | -3.0% |
| 2004 | 14.2% | -8.0% |
| 2005 | 13.1% | -7.8% |
| 2006 | 12.1% | -7.7% |
| 2007 | 12.8% | +6.4% |
| 2008 | 17.1% | +33.4% |
| 2009 | 11.7% | -31.9% |
| 2010 | 16.5% | +41.4% |
| 2011 | 16.6% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 30.3% | +82.5% |
| 2013 | 31.9% | +5.3% |
| 2014 | 32.5% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 31.4% | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 30.2% | -3.8% |
| 2017 | 29.4% | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 28.9% | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 28.5% | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 32.4% | +13.7% |
| 2021 | 31.0% | -4.2% |
| 2022 | 28.4% | -8.4% |
| 2023 | 28.7% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 29.2% | +1.8% |
| 2025 | 29.5% | +0.9% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 29.5% is above the median for low income countries, which is 7.2%, 4.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Syria's 29.5% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 19.3%, 1.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | +82.5% | 16.6% | 30.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.6% | 9.7% | 14.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 14.3% | 11.7% | 17.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.6% | 16.5% | 32.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.9% | 28.4% | 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 unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Syria?
- Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Syria was 29.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 32.5% in 2014.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.7% in 1991.
- How does Syria rank for unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24)?
- Syria ranks 18th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Syria data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.