World Factbook

Syria

Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)

Budget

note

note: government projections for FY2016

revenues

$1.162 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures

$3.211 billion (2017 est.)

Exports

note

note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports 2020

$1.649 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$2.227 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$1.609 billion (2022 est.)

Imports

note

note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports 2020

$3.751 billion (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$6.56 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$6.803 billion (2022 est.)

Industries

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

Labor force

6.617 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt

Public debt 2016

91.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

0% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0% of GDP (2023 est.)

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.)

Debt - external

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

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

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

13.3% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

13.2% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

13% (2024 est.)

Exports - partners

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

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Imports - partners

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

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

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.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

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.)

Agricultural products

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

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Exports - commodities

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

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - commodities

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

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$19.993 billion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

household consumption

114.8% (2022 est.)

government consumption

2.7% (2022 est.)

investment in fixed capital

4.5% (2022 est.)

exports of goods and services

6.8% (2022 est.)

imports of goods and services

-28.8% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

note

note: annual % change based on 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.)

Industrial production growth rate

-13.4% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

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.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

male

27.8% (2024 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

31.5% (2024 est.)

female

47.9% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

industry

12% (2022 est.)

services

44.9% (2022 est.)

agriculture

43.1% (2022 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

lowest 10%

3.8% (2022 est.)

highest 10%

21.1% (2022 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

26.6 (2022 est.)