Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages) … modeled in Syria
Syria: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages) … modeled was 33.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Syria, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Syria recorded 33.1% for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% on the previous year and down 4.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Syria peaked at 36.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 12.1%, in 1991.
That places Syria 17th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages) … modeled in Syria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 12.1% | — |
| 1992 | 12.7% | +4.3% |
| 1993 | 13.6% | +7.2% |
| 1994 | 13.7% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 13.1% | -4.6% |
| 1996 | 13.2% | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 13.5% | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 13.7% | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 14.3% | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 18.2% | +27.6% |
| 2001 | 22.0% | +20.5% |
| 2002 | 20.7% | -5.9% |
| 2003 | 19.4% | -6.0% |
| 2004 | 18.8% | -3.4% |
| 2005 | 18.2% | -3.2% |
| 2006 | 17.6% | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 18.9% | +7.2% |
| 2008 | 22.1% | +17.0% |
| 2009 | 16.3% | -26.3% |
| 2010 | 20.5% | +25.6% |
| 2011 | 21.1% | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 33.8% | +60.2% |
| 2013 | 35.4% | +4.9% |
| 2014 | 36.0% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 34.8% | -3.3% |
| 2016 | 33.6% | -3.4% |
| 2017 | 32.9% | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 32.4% | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 32.1% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 36.3% | +13.2% |
| 2021 | 34.6% | -4.5% |
| 2022 | 32.0% | -7.7% |
| 2023 | 32.3% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 32.8% | +1.6% |
| 2025 | 33.1% | +1.0% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 33.1% is above the median for low income countries, which is 7.8%, 4.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Syria's 33.1% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 21.9%, 1.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages) … modeled 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 | +60.2% | 21.1% | 33.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.3% | 12.1% | 14.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 19.2% | 16.3% | 22.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.3% | 20.5% | 36.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.5% | 32.0% | 36.3% | 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 total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Syria?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Syria was 33.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 36.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.1% in 1991.
- How does Syria rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Syria ranks 17th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.9%. 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 total (% of total 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.