2020 Edition

Background

After World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French administered the area until granting it independence in 1946. The new country lacked political stability and experienced a series of military coups. Syria united with Egypt in 1958 to form the United Arab Republic. In 1961, the two entities separated, and the Syrian Arab Republic was reestablished. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost control of the Golan Heights region to Israel. During the 1990s, Syria and Israel held occasional, albeit unsuccessful, peace talks over its return. In 1970, Hafiz al-ASAD, a member of the socialist Ba'ath Party and the minority Alawi sect, seized power in a bloodless coup and brought political stability to the country. Following the death of al-ASAD, his son, Bashar al-ASAD, was approved as president by popular referendum in 2000. Syrian troops that were stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role were withdrawn in 2005. During the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hizballah, Syria placed its military forces on alert but did not intervene directly on behalf of its ally Hizballah. In 2007, Bashar al-ASAD's second term as president was again approved in a referendum. In the wake of major uprisings elsewhere in the region, antigovernment protests broke out in the southern province of Dar'a in 2011. Protesters called for the legalization of political parties, the removal of corrupt local officials, and the repeal of the restrictive Emergency Law allowing arrests without charge. Demonstrations and violent unrest spread across Syria, and the government responded with concessions, but also with military force and detentions that led to extended clashes and eventually civil war. International pressure on the Syrian Government intensified after 2011, as the Arab League, the EU, Turkey, and the US expanded economic sanctions against the ASAD regime and those entities that supported it. In 2012, more than 130 countries recognized the Syrian National Coalition as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people. In 2015, Russia launched a military intervention on behalf of the ASAD regime, and domestic and foreign-government-aligned forces recaptured swaths of territory from opposition forces. With foreign support, the regime continued to periodically regain opposition-held territory until 2020, when Turkish firepower halted a regime advance and forced a stalemate between regime and opposition forces. The government lacks territorial control over much of the northeastern part of the country, which the predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) hold, and a smaller area dominated by Turkey. Since 2016, Turkey has conducted three large-scale military operations to capture territory along Syria's northern border. Some opposition forces organized under the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army and Turkish forces have maintained control of northwestern Syria along the Turkish border with the Afrin area of Aleppo Province since 2018. The violent extremist organization Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (formerly the Nusrah Front) emerged in 2017 as the predominant opposition force in Idlib Province, and still dominates an area also hosting Turkish forces. Negotiations have failed to produce a resolution to the conflict, and the UN estimated in 2022 that at least 306,000 people have died during the civil war. Approximately 6.7 million Syrians were internally displaced as of 2022, and 14.6 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance across the country. An additional 5.6 million Syrians were registered refugees in Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and North Africa. The conflict in Syria remains one of the two largest displacement crises worldwide (the other is the full-scale invasion of Ukraine). On 8 December 2024, Syrian Islamist rebels captured the capital city of Damascus and overthrew President Bashar al-ASAD. The former president and his family fled to Moscow, where they were granted political asylum. The al-ASAD regime had ruled Syria for over 50 years.

Area

land

185,887 sq km

total

187,437 sq km

water

1,550 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Pennsylvania

Climate

mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

Coastline

193 km

Elevation

highest point

Mount Hermon (Jabal a-Shayk) 2,814 m

lowest point

Yarmuk River -66 m

mean elevation

514 m

Geographic coordinates

35 00 N, 38 00 E

Geography - note

the capital of Damascus is located at an oasis fed by the Barada River and is thought to be one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities; there are Israeli settlements and civilian land-use sites in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights (2017)

Irrigated land

9,820 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

border countries

Iraq 599 km; Israel 83 km; Jordan 379 km; Lebanon 403 km; Turkey 899 km

total

2,363 km

Land use

agricultural land

74.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 24% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 5.7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 44.5% (2023 est.)

forest

2.9% (2023 est.)

other

23% (2023 est.)

Location

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey

Major rivers (by length in km)

Euphrates (shared with Turkey [s], Iran, and Iraq [m]) - 3,596 km; Tigris (shared with Turkey, Iran, and Iraq [m]) - 1,950 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage

(Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

dust storms, sandstorms volcanism: Syria's two historically active volcanoes, Es Safa and an unnamed volcano near the Turkish border, have not erupted in centuries

Natural resources

petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

Population distribution

significant population density along the Mediterranean coast; larger concentrations found in the major cities of Damascus, Aleppo (the country's largest city), and Hims (Homs); more than half of the population lives in the coastal plain, the province of Halab, and the Euphrates River valley

Terrain

primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west

Age structure

0-14 years

33% (male 4,037,493/female 3,828,777)

15-64 years

62.8% (male 7,475,355/female 7,522,797)

65 years and over

4.2% (2024 est.) (male 468,730/female 532,271)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

21.26 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

3.97 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

6.9 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

14.5 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

58.1 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

51.2 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 92.1% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 94.1% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 95.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 7.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 5.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 4.4% of population (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

Arab ~50%, Alawite ~15%, Kurd ~10%, Levantine ~10%, other ~15% (includes Druze, Ismaili, Imami, Nusairi, Assyrian, Turkoman, Armenian)

Gross reproduction rate

1.28 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

7.8% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

13.5 deaths/1,000 live births

male

16.6 deaths/1,000 live births

total

14.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian, French, English

major-language sample(s)

كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) ڕاستییەکانی جیهان، باشترین سەرچاوەیە بۆ زانیارییە بنەڕەتییەکان (Kurdish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.4 years

male

73.4 years

total population

74.8 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

91.8% (2021 est.)

male

97.2% (2021 est.)

total population

94.4% (2021 est.)

Major urban areas - population

2.585 million DAMASCUS (capital), 2.203 million Aleppo, 1.443 million Hims (Homs), 996,000 Hamah (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

20 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

24.7 years

male

23.6 years

total

24.5 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Syrian

noun

Syrian(s)

Net migration rate

-1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

27.8% (2016)

Physician density

1.52 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Population

female

12,078,754

male

12,183,128

total

24,261,882 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

1.63% (2025 est.)

Religions

Muslim 87% (official; includes Sunni 74% and Alawi, Ismaili, and Shia 13%), Christian 10% (includes Orthodox, Uniate, and Nestorian), Druze 3%

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 99.3% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.88 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.64 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

5.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

57.4% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah (Latakia), Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq (Damascus), Halab (Aleppo), Hamah, Hims (Homs), Idlib, Rif Dimashq (Damascus Countryside), Tartus

Capital

etymology

the city has an ancient, pre-Semitic name of unknown origin

geographic coordinates

33 30 N, 36 18 E

name

Damascus

time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of Syria; if the father is unknown or stateless, the mother must be a citizen of Syria

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

10 years

Constitution

history

Syria's 2012 constitution was rescinded by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham-led government in January 2025; in March 2025, interim authorities announced a transitional constitution to remain in effect for up to five years

Country name

conventional long form

Syrian Arab Republic

conventional short form

Syria

etymology

the source of the name is uncertain; the name appears as "Suri" in Babylonian cuneiform writings dating from about 4000 B.C.

former

United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

local long form

Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

local short form

Suriyah

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); note - on 6 February 2012, the US suspended operations at its embassy in Damascus; Czechia serves as a protecting power for US interests in Syria

email address and website

USIS_damascus@embassy.mzv.cz https://sy.usembassy.gov/

mailing address

6110 Damascus Place, Washington DC 20521-6110

Diplomatic representation in the US

none note: operations at the embassy were suspended on 18 March 2014

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

Ahmad al-Shara'; former President Bashar al-ASAD was overthrown by Islamist rebels on 8 December 2024

election results

2021: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD (Ba'th Party) 95.2%, Mahmoud Ahmad MAREI (Democratic Arab Socialist Union) 3.3%, other 1.5% 2014: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD (Ba'th Party) 88.7%, Hassan al-NOURI (independent) 4.3%, Maher HAJJER (independent) 3.2%, other/invalid 3.8%

election/appointment process

president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); the president appoints the vice president and prime minister

expected date of next election

2028

head of government

Prime Minister Muhammad al-BASHIR (since 8 December 2024)

most recent election date

26 May 2021

Flag

description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black; three five-pointed red stars in a horizontal line, centered on the white band meaning: the design is the same as a previous Syrian national flag (in use 1932-58 and 1961-63), but it is still unclear if the elements will retain the same meanings; the bands formerly represented Syria’s past rulers: white (Umayyad Caliphate), black (Abbasid Caliphate), and green (Rashidun Caliphate); the first star represented Damascus, Aleppo, and Deir ez-Zor, the three administrative subdivisions in Syria in the 1930s; the second star stood for Jabal Druze (the Mountain of the Druze), and the third star for the Alawite Mountains history: in 2011, opponents to the Asad regime adopted the flag; in 2025, it became the new national flag, replacing the two-star design

Government type

transitional presidential republic

Independence

17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICC

International organization participation

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, ICSID, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WBG, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Court of Cassation (organized into civil, criminal, religious, and military divisions, each with 3 judges); Supreme Constitutional Court (consists of 7 members)

judge selection and term of office

Court of Cassation judges appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), a judicial management body headed by the minister of justice with 7 members, including the national president; judge tenure NA; Supreme Constitutional Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the SJC; judges serve 4-year renewable terms

subordinate courts

courts of first instance; magistrates' courts; religious and military courts; Economic Security Court; Counterterrorism Court

Legal system

mixed system of civil and Islamic (sharia) law (for family courts)

Legislative branch

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

March 2030

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

People's Assembly (Majlis Al-Chaab)

most recent election date

10/5/2025

number of seats

210 (140 indirectly elected; 70 appointed)

percentage of women in chamber

9.6%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1936, restored 1961; the country had a different anthem between 1958 and 1961, when Syria was part of the United Arab Republic

lyrics/music

Khalil Mardam BEY/Mohammad Salim FLAYFEL and Ahmad Salim FLAYFEL

title

“Ħumāt ad-Diyār (Guardians of the Homeland)

National color(s)

red, white, black, green

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Ancient City of Damascus; Ancient City of Bosra; Site of Palmyra; Ancient City of Aleppo; Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din; Ancient Villages of Northern Syria

total World Heritage Sites

6 (all cultural)

National holiday

Independence Day (Evacuation Day), 17 April (1946)

National symbol(s)

northern bald ibis

Political parties

legal parties/alliances: Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party Arab Socialist (Ba'ath) Party – Syrian Regional Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syrian Regional Branch, Socialist Unionist Democratic Party Arab Socialist Union of Syria or ASU Democratic Arab Socialist Union National Progressive Front or NPF Socialist Unionist Democratic Party Socialist Unionist Party Syrian Communist Party (two branches) Syrian Social Nationalist Party or SSNP Unionist Socialist Party major political organizations: Kurdish Democratic Union Party or PYD Kurdish National Council or KNC Syriac Union Party Syrian Democratic Council or SDC Syrian Democratic Party Syrian Opposition Coalition de facto governance entities: Democratic Autonomous Administration of Northeast Syria or DAANES Syrian Interim Government or SIG Syrian Salvation Government or SSG

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

wheat, barley, milk, sheep milk, tomatoes, olives, potatoes, maize, oranges, grapes (2023)

Budget

expenditures

$3.211 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

$1.162 billion (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$4.573 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview

low-income Middle Eastern economy; prior infrastructure and economy devastated by 11-year civil war; ongoing US sanctions; sporadic trans-migration during conflict; currently being supported by World Bank trust fund; ongoing hyperinflation

Exchange rates

Currency

Syrian pounds (SYP) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2018

436.5 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

436.5 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

877.945 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1,256 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

2,505.747 (2022 est.)

Exports

Exports 2020

$1.649 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$2.227 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$1.609 billion (2022 est.)

Exports - commodities

olive oil, phosphates, spice seeds, cotton, tomatoes (2023)

Exports - partners

Turkey 29%, Saudi Arabia 16%, Lebanon 10%, India 10%, UAE 5% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

6.8% (2022 est.)

government consumption

2.7% (2022 est.)

household consumption

114.8% (2022 est.)

imports of goods and services

-28.8% (2022 est.)

investment in fixed capital

4.5% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

43.1% (2022 est.)

industry

12% (2022 est.)

services

44.9% (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$19.993 billion (2023 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

26.6 (2022 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

21.1% (2022 est.)

lowest 10%

3.8% (2022 est.)

Imports

Imports 2020

$3.751 billion (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$6.56 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$6.803 billion (2022 est.)

Imports - commodities

tobacco, plastics, wheat flours, plastic products, seed oils (2023)

Imports - partners

Turkey 49%, UAE 11%, China 8%, Egypt 7%, Lebanon 3% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

-13.4% (2022 est.)

Industries

petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining, cement, oil seeds crushing, automobile assembly

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

114.2% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

98.3% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

94.1% (2022 est.)

Labor force

6.617 million (2024 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

91.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$99.338 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$100.066 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$98.858 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2021

1.9% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

0.7% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

-1.2% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2021

$4,600 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$4,500 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$4,200 (2023 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

0% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0% of GDP (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

13.3% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

13.2% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

13% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

47.9% (2024 est.)

male

27.8% (2024 est.)

total

31.5% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

15,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

15,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

15.522 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

358.723 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

9.636 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

4.214 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

75%

electrification - total population

89% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

100%

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

95.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

3.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

13.569 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

2.763 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

production

2.763 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

240.693 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

2.5 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

102,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

65,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

7 (2023 est.)

total

1.62 million (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

state-run TV has 2 networks and 5 satellite channels; roughly two-thirds of homes have a satellite dish with access to foreign TV; 3 state-run radio channels; first private radio station launched in 2005; private radio broadcasters prohibited from transmitting news or political content (2018)

Internet country code

.sy

Internet users

percent of population

35% (2019 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

12 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

2.816 million (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

71 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

17.6 million (2024 est.)

Airports

42 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

YK

Heliports

13 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 1, container ship 1, general cargo 8, oil tanker 1, other 13

total

24 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Al Ladhiqiyah, Baniyas, Tartus

large

1

medium

1

ports with oil terminals

3

small

1

total ports

3 (2024)

very small

0

Railways

narrow gauge

251 km (2014) 1.050-m gauge

standard gauge

1,801 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

total

2,052 km (2014)

Military - note

as of September 2025, the government did not exercise control over all of Syria; areas of the northeast were under the control of ethnic Kurdish-led forces and areas south of the capital Damascus were controlled by members of the Druze religious minority; Turkish forces remained in parts of the north, while Israeli forces had moved into formerly demilitarized areas between Syria and Israel and into some Syrian territory near the frontier the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has operated in the Golan between Israel and Syria since 1974 to monitor the ceasefire following the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and supervise the areas of separation between the two countries; UNDOF has about 1,300 personnel (2025)

Military and security forces

the interim government authorities in Syria have established a Ministry of Defense and are attempting to unify the dozens of armed factions operating in Syria under a single, state-linked army; it has also established a Ministry of Interior to manage police and other security forces (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

not available

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military forces of Syria are equipped with Russian and Soviet-era armaments (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2015

7.2% of GDP (2015 est.)

Military Expenditures 2016

6.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

Military Expenditures 2017

6.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Military Expenditures 2018

6.7% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

6.5% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military service age and obligation

under Bashar al-ASAD, Syrian men aged 18-38 were required to serve 18-21 months in the military; conscription continued until ASAD's fall when the interim government announced that mandatory conscription to Syria’s armed forces would be abolished and only be reinstated in extreme cases, such as national emergencies relating to war (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

7,408,809 (2024 est.)

refugees

16,402 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

160,000 (2024 est.)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 3 — Syria does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Syria remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/syria/

Key space-program milestones

1987 - first and only Syrian astronaut into space as part of a Soviet-crewed mission to the Mir Space Station under the Intercosmos program 2016 - signed a scientific cooperation agreement in the field of space technology and remote sensing with Russia 2018 - announced that developing a satellite would be a primary goal of the space program

Space agency/agencies

Syrian Space Agency (created in 2014); status is unclear since the fall of the ASAD Government (2025)

Space program overview

status unclear; has been handicapped by the impact of the civil war, including the loss of students and scientists who fled the country; had previously focused on satellite development and related space technologies, as well as scientific research; has relations with the space agency and space industries of Russia (2024)

Terrorist group(s)

Abdallah Azzam Brigades; Ansar al-Islam; Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq; Hizballah; Hurras al-Din; Islamic Jihad Union; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Kata'ib Hizballah; Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK); al-Qa'ida; Palestine Liberation Front (PLF); Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); PFLP-General Command (PLFP-GC)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

33,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

5.42 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

14.79 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

20.243 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; depletion of water resources; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Environmental Modification

Methane emissions

agriculture

144.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

519.8 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

1.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

138 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

25.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

16.802 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

14.67 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

615.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

1.475 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

4.5 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

2.5% (2010 est.)