Population in the largest city (% of urban population) in Syria
Syria: Population in the largest city (% of urban population) was 15.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Population in the largest city in Syria, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in the largest city in Syria is 15.2%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in Syria peaked at 33.0% in 1971 and was at its lowest, 14.2%, in 2013.
That places Syria 134th out of 153 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Population in the largest city (% of urban population) in Syria, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 31.1% | — |
| 1961 | 31.2% | +0.4% |
| 1962 | 31.4% | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 31.6% | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 31.9% | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 32.1% | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 32.3% | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 32.5% | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 32.7% | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 32.8% | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 33.0% | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 33.0% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 33.0% | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 32.9% | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 32.9% | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 32.9% | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 32.9% | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 32.8% | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 32.8% | -0.0% |
| 1979 | 32.8% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 32.9% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 32.9% | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 32.4% | -1.6% |
| 1983 | 31.7% | -2.1% |
| 1984 | 31.0% | -2.1% |
| 1985 | 30.4% | -2.1% |
| 1986 | 29.7% | -2.1% |
| 1987 | 29.1% | -2.0% |
| 1988 | 28.6% | -2.0% |
| 1989 | 28.0% | -1.9% |
| 1990 | 27.5% | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 27.0% | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 26.6% | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 26.1% | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 25.7% | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 25.5% | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 25.5% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 25.5% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 25.5% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 25.5% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 25.5% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 25.6% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 25.6% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 25.6% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 25.7% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 25.7% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 25.4% | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 24.6% | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 24.4% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 24.6% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 24.6% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 17.5% | -28.7% |
| 2012 | 15.5% | -11.7% |
| 2013 | 14.2% | -8.5% |
| 2014 | 14.2% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 15.1% | +6.2% |
| 2016 | 15.6% | +3.5% |
| 2017 | 16.0% | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 16.0% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 15.7% | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 15.5% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 15.4% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 15.3% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 15.2% | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 15.1% | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 15.2% | +0.4% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 15.2% is below the median for low income countries, which is 34.3%, 44% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Syria's 15.2% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 26.8%, 57% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population in the largest city (% of urban population) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | -28.7% | 24.6% | 17.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 31.9% | 31.1% | 32.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 32.9% | 32.8% | 33.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 30.7% | 28.0% | 32.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.0% | 25.5% | 27.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.3% | 24.4% | 25.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.4% | 14.2% | 24.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.3% | 15.1% | 15.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Syria
- 131 Kazakhstan 15.7% compare
- 132 South Africa 15.6% compare
- 133 Slovakia 15.4% compare
- 135 Mozambique 15.0% compare
- 136 Sri Lanka 14.6% compare
- 137 Uzbekistan 14.1% compare
More urban development data for Syria
- Population density 134.36 people per sq. km of land area (2024)
- 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 current US$ (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in Syria?
- Population in the largest city in Syria was 15.2% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 33.0% in 1971.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.2% in 2013.
- How does Syria rank for population in the largest city?
- Syria ranks 134th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Syria data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in the largest city (% of urban population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.