Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Syria
Syria: Population density (people per sq. km of land area) was 134.36 people per sq. km of land area in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
134.36 people per sq. km of land area
Change on year
up 4.6%
World rank
84th
of 216 countries
All-time high
134.36 people per sq. km of land area
in 2024
All-time low
26.2 people per sq. km of land area
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Population density in Syria, 1961–2024
Source: FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in people per sq. km of land area.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population density in Syria is 134.36 people per sq. km of land area, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.6% on the previous year and up 21.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in Syria peaked at 134.36 people per sq. km of land area in 2024 and was at its lowest, 26.2 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
That places Syria 84th out of 216 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Syria, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 26.2 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 26.99 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 27.81 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1964 | 28.67 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1965 | 29.57 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1966 | 30.52 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1967 | 31.51 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1968 | 32.53 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1969 | 33.6 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 34.72 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1971 | 35.9 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1972 | 37.14 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1973 | 38.42 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1974 | 39.73 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1975 | 41.11 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1976 | 42.54 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1977 | 44.02 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1978 | 45.56 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1979 | 47.13 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1980 | 48.74 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1981 | 50.39 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1982 | 52.09 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1983 | 53.89 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1984 | 55.82 people per sq. km of land area | +3.6% |
| 1985 | 57.82 people per sq. km of land area | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 59.87 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1987 | 61.97 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1988 | 64.11 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1989 | 66.27 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 68.45 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1991 | 70.63 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 72.83 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 75.07 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 77.31 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 79.53 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 81.72 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 83.89 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 86.08 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 88.3 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 90.53 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 92.78 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 95.05 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 97.44 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 99.89 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 102.49 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 106.94 people per sq. km of land area | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 113.72 people per sq. km of land area | +6.3% |
| 2008 | 117.82 people per sq. km of land area | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 119.67 people per sq. km of land area | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 122.43 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 124.59 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 123.94 people per sq. km of land area | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 117.99 people per sq. km of land area | -4.8% |
| 2014 | 110.41 people per sq. km of land area | -6.4% |
| 2015 | 105.78 people per sq. km of land area | -4.2% |
| 2016 | 104.52 people per sq. km of land area | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 104.69 people per sq. km of land area | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 106.62 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 110.84 people per sq. km of land area | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 114.63 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 117.78 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 122.32 people per sq. km of land area | +3.9% |
| 2023 | 128.49 people per sq. km of land area | +5.0% |
| 2024 | 134.36 people per sq. km of land area | +4.6% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 134.36 people per sq. km of land area is above the median for low income countries, which is 65.39 people per sq. km of land area, 2.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Syria's 134.36 people per sq. km of land area is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 117.07 people per sq. km of land area, 1.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 29.71 people per sq. km of land area | 26.2 people per sq. km of land area | 33.6 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 40.63 people per sq. km of land area | 34.72 people per sq. km of land area | 47.13 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 57.1 people per sq. km of land area | 48.74 people per sq. km of land area | 66.27 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 78.38 people per sq. km of land area | 68.45 people per sq. km of land area | 88.3 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 103.63 people per sq. km of land area | 90.53 people per sq. km of land area | 119.67 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 113.18 people per sq. km of land area | 104.52 people per sq. km of land area | 124.59 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 123.52 people per sq. km of land area | 114.63 people per sq. km of land area | 134.36 people per sq. km of land area | 5 |
Countries ranked near Syria
- 81 Tonga 144.69 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 82 Czechia 141.34 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 83 Thailand 140.28 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 85 Cape Verde 130.24 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 86 Jordan 130.11 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 87 Benin 128.26 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for Syria
- Population in the largest city 15.2% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 32.06 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.2655 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 6.80 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 4.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 33.93 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 2.80 million (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
- Dollar value of all resources made available to strengthen 13,770 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in Syria?
- Population density in Syria was 134.36 people per sq. km of land area in 2024, according to FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest population density recorded in Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 134.36 people per sq. km of land area in 2024.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.2 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does Syria rank for population density?
- Syria ranks 84th out of 216 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population density rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Syria data come from?
- The figures come from FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Population density (people per sq. km of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.