Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Syria
Syria: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) was 13.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Syria, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Syria stood at 13.6%.
That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and down 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Syria peaked at 15.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 6.8%, in 1991.
Syria ranks 20th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Syria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 6.8% | — |
| 1992 | 6.9% | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 7.4% | +6.5% |
| 1994 | 7.5% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 7.2% | -4.0% |
| 1996 | 7.2% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 7.3% | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 7.4% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 7.6% | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 9.6% | +26.1% |
| 2001 | 11.6% | +21.3% |
| 2002 | 10.9% | -5.9% |
| 2003 | 10.3% | -6.0% |
| 2004 | 9.5% | -7.5% |
| 2005 | 8.8% | -7.4% |
| 2006 | 8.2% | -7.3% |
| 2007 | 8.4% | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 10.9% | +29.9% |
| 2009 | 8.1% | -25.6% |
| 2010 | 8.6% | +5.8% |
| 2011 | 8.6% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 13.8% | +60.0% |
| 2013 | 14.5% | +5.1% |
| 2014 | 14.8% | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 14.2% | -3.6% |
| 2016 | 13.8% | -3.1% |
| 2017 | 13.6% | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 13.5% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 13.4% | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 15.2% | +13.5% |
| 2021 | 14.9% | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 13.2% | -11.0% |
| 2023 | 13.3% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 13.4% | +0.7% |
| 2025 | 13.6% | +1.6% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 13.6% is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.4%, 3.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Syria's 13.6% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 9.0%, 1.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) 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 | +60.0% | 8.6% | 13.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.3% | 6.8% | 7.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 9.6% | 8.1% | 11.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.9% | 8.6% | 14.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.9% | 13.2% | 15.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Syria
- 17 Haiti 14.9% compare
- 18 Angola 14.1% compare
- 19 Montenegro 13.6% compare
- 21 Afghanistan 13.4% compare
- 22 Armenia 12.9% compare
- 23 South Sudan 12.4% compare
More education data for Syria
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 54,596 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 90,421 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 75,782 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 72,747 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.36 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.17 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.0055 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.088 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Syria?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Syria was 13.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 15.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.8% in 1991.
- How does Syria rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Syria ranks 20th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.7%. 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, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.