Syria Demographics: Median age, Gender, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Syria vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	Syria	World
1960	17.6	22.5
1961	17.3	22.5
1962	17.1	22.4
1963	16.9	22.2
1964	16.7	22
1965	16.5	21.8
1966	16.4	21.7
1967	16.2	21.6
1968	16.1	21.5
1969	16	21.5
1970	15.9	21.4
1971	15.8	21.4
1972	15.8	21.5
1973	15.7	21.5
1974	15.7	21.6
1975	15.7	21.7
1976	15.6	21.9
1977	15.6	22
1978	15.6	22.2
1979	15.6	22.3
1980	15.6	22.5
1981	15.6	22.6
1982	15.7	22.7
1983	15.8	22.9
1984	15.8	23
1985	15.9	23.2
1986	16	23.3
1987	16.1	23.4
1988	16.2	23.6
1989	16.4	23.8
1990	16.5	23.9
1991	16.7	24.1
1992	16.9	24.3
1993	17.1	24.5
1994	17.3	24.7
1995	17.5	25
1996	17.7	25.2
1997	17.9	25.4
1998	18.1	25.7
1999	18.3	25.9
2000	18.5	26.1
2001	18.8	26.3
2002	19	26.5
2003	19.2	26.7
2004	19.5	27
2005	19.7	27.2
2006	20.3	27.4
2007	21	27.6
2008	21.3	27.8
2009	21.5	28
2010	21.7	28.2
2011	21.9	28.4
2012	21.8	28.6
2013	21.2	28.9
2014	20.1	29.1
2015	19.5	29.3
2016	19.5	29.5
2017	19.6	29.8
2018	20.1	30
2019	20.9	30.3
2020	21.6	30.6
2021	22.2	30.8
2022	22.7	31
2023	23.3	31.3
2024	23.9	31.6
2025	24.3	31.9
2026	24.8	32.1
2027	25.3	32.3
2028	25.7	32.6
2029	26.1	32.8
2030	26.5	33
2031	26.8	33.2
2032	27.2	33.4
2033	27.6	33.6
2034	27.9	33.8
2035	28.3	34
2036	28.7	34.2
2037	29.1	34.4
2038	29.5	34.6
2039	29.9	34.8
2040	30.3	35
2041	30.7	35.2
2042	31.1	35.4
2043	31.5	35.6
2044	31.8	35.8
2045	32.2	36
2046	32.5	36.2
2047	32.7	36.4
2048	32.9	36.6
2049	33	36.8
2050	33.1	37.1

In 1960, the median age in Syria was 17.6 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 23.9 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 157th for median age 64 years ago (old to young), Syria ranks 138th currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in Syria is expected to increase to around 33.1 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

Syria demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Syria
	Male	Female
0-4	5.09%	4.86%
5-9	4.17%	3.99%
10-14	5.67%	5.39%
15-19	6.04%	5.81%
20-24	5.89%	5.76%
25-29	4.81%	4.67%
30-34	3.37%	3.23%
35-39	2.98%	2.97%
40-44	2.68%	2.78%
45-49	2.38%	2.51%
50-54	1.99%	2.15%
55-59	1.62%	1.8%
60-64	1.23%	1.42%
65-69	0.9%	1.07%
70-74	0.59%	0.74%
75-79	0.37%	0.46%
80+	0.24%	0.38%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. Syria has average demographic potential with 68.8% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 57/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Syria			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	101.3%	91.1%	10.1%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	102.3%	92.5%	9.83%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	103%	93.5%	9.53%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	103.3%	94.1%	9.21%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	103.9%	94.9%	8.91%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	104.7%	96.1%	8.64%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	105.5%	97.1%	8.36%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	106%	97.9%	8.09%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	106.5%	98.6%	7.83%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	106.8%	99.2%	7.57%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	107%	99.7%	7.32%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	107%	99.9%	7.06%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	106.9%	100.1%	6.82%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	106.8%	100.2%	6.62%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	106.9%	100.4%	6.47%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	107%	100.6%	6.41%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	107.1%	100.7%	6.38%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	107.1%	100.8%	6.31%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	107%	100.9%	6.19%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	106.9%	100.8%	6.08%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	106.7%	100.7%	5.99%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	106.3%	100.4%	5.93%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	105.7%	99.8%	5.84%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	104.9%	99.1%	5.77%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	104%	98.3%	5.74%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	103.2%	97.4%	5.73%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	102.3%	96.6%	5.74%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	101.5%	95.7%	5.75%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	100.5%	94.7%	5.78%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	99.4%	93.6%	5.81%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	98.1%	92.2%	5.84%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	96.6%	90.7%	5.89%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	95%	89.1%	5.93%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	93.3%	87.3%	5.96%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	91.6%	85.7%	5.98%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	90.1%	84.1%	6.01%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	88.7%	82.6%	6.03%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	87.2%	81.1%	6.05%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	85.7%	79.6%	6.07%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	84%	78%	6.07%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	82.4%	76.3%	6.05%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	80.7%	74.6%	6.03%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	79%	73%	6.02%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	77.3%	71.3%	6.02%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	75.6%	69.6%	6%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	73.9%	67.9%	5.97%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	70.9%	65%	5.84%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	66.9%	61.3%	5.63%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	65.6%	60.1%	5.58%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	65.9%	60.2%	5.65%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	65.5%	59.8%	5.68%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	65.4%	59.7%	5.75%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	66.9%	61%	5.95%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	71.7%	65.3%	6.45%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	77.8%	70.7%	7.09%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	80.9%	73.4%	7.54%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	80.1%	72.4%	7.73%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	77.6%	69.8%	7.81%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	73.6%	65.9%	7.75%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	68.3%	60.8%	7.57%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	64.3%	56.8%	7.47%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	61.2%	53.8%	7.45%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	57.7%	50.4%	7.36%	54%	39%	15%
2023	53.9%	46.7%	7.21%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	51.3%	44.1%	7.17%	53.7%	38%	15.7%

Age dependency is the ratio of people not in the labor force (children under 15 and adults 64+) to people aged 15 to 64. Age dependency in Syria decreased from 75.6% to 51.3% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

Syria working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Syria	World
1960	49.7%	57.6%
1961	49.4%	57.5%
1962	49.2%	57.4%
1963	49.2%	57.2%
1964	49.1%	57%
1965	48.8%	56.9%
1966	48.7%	56.8%
1967	48.5%	56.9%
1968	48.4%	56.9%
1969	48.4%	56.9%
1970	48.3%	57%
1971	48.3%	57.1%
1972	48.3%	57.2%
1973	48.3%	57.3%
1974	48.3%	57.3%
1975	48.3%	57.4%
1976	48.3%	57.5%
1977	48.3%	57.7%
1978	48.3%	58%
1979	48.3%	58.4%
1980	48.4%	58.7%
1981	48.5%	59%
1982	48.6%	59.3%
1983	48.8%	59.6%
1984	49%	59.9%
1985	49.2%	60.1%
1986	49.4%	60.4%
1987	49.6%	60.5%
1988	49.9%	60.7%
1989	50.2%	60.8%
1990	50.5%	60.9%
1991	50.9%	61%
1992	51.3%	61.1%
1993	51.7%	61.2%
1994	52.2%	61.3%
1995	52.6%	61.5%
1996	53%	61.7%
1997	53.4%	61.9%
1998	53.9%	62.2%
1999	54.3%	62.5%
2000	54.8%	62.8%
2001	55.3%	63.1%
2002	55.9%	63.4%
2003	56.4%	63.7%
2004	57%	64%
2005	57.5%	64.3%
2006	58.5%	64.5%
2007	59.9%	64.7%
2008	60.4%	64.9%
2009	60.3%	65%
2010	60.4%	65.1%
2011	60.4%	65.2%
2012	59.9%	65.2%
2013	58.2%	65.2%
2014	56.3%	65.2%
2015	55.3%	65.1%
2016	55.5%	65.1%
2017	56.3%	65%
2018	57.6%	64.9%
2019	59.4%	64.9%
2020	60.9%	64.8%
2021	62%	64.9%
2022	63.4%	64.9%
2023	65%	65%
2024	66.1%	65.1%
2025	66.7%	65.2%
2026	67.1%	65.3%
2027	67.4%	65.4%
2028	67.5%	65.4%
2029	67.3%	65.4%
2030	67%	65.4%
2031	66.5%	65.4%
2032	65.9%	65.4%
2033	65.5%	65.4%
2034	65.1%	65.3%
2035	64.8%	65.2%
2036	64.6%	65%
2037	64.5%	64.9%
2038	64.5%	64.7%
2039	64.6%	64.6%
2040	64.9%	64.5%
2041	65.2%	64.4%
2042	65.5%	64.3%
2043	65.8%	64.2%
2044	66.2%	64.1%
2045	66.6%	63.9%
2046	67.1%	63.8%
2047	67.5%	63.7%
2048	67.8%	63.6%
2049	68.2%	63.4%
2050	68.5%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in Syria changed from 57% to 66.1% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Syria	World
1960	45.3%	37.4%
1961	45.7%	37.5%
1962	46.1%	37.6%
1963	46.3%	37.8%
1964	46.6%	38%
1965	46.9%	38%
1966	47.3%	38%
1967	47.5%	38%
1968	47.8%	37.9%
1969	48%	37.8%
1970	48.2%	37.7%
1971	48.3%	37.6%
1972	48.4%	37.5%
1973	48.5%	37.3%
1974	48.5%	37.2%
1975	48.6%	37.1%
1976	48.6%	36.9%
1977	48.7%	36.7%
1978	48.7%	36.3%
1979	48.7%	35.9%
1980	48.7%	35.5%
1981	48.7%	35.2%
1982	48.5%	34.9%
1983	48.4%	34.6%
1984	48.2%	34.3%
1985	48%	34%
1986	47.7%	33.8%
1987	47.5%	33.6%
1988	47.2%	33.4%
1989	46.9%	33.2%
1990	46.6%	33%
1991	46.1%	32.9%
1992	45.7%	32.7%
1993	45.2%	32.5%
1994	44.7%	32.3%
1995	44.2%	32.1%
1996	43.8%	31.8%
1997	43.3%	31.5%
1998	42.9%	31.1%
1999	42.4%	30.8%
2000	41.9%	30.4%
2001	41.3%	30%
2002	40.8%	29.6%
2003	40.2%	29.2%
2004	39.6%	28.8%
2005	39.1%	28.5%
2006	38.1%	28.1%
2007	36.7%	27.9%
2008	36.3%	27.6%
2009	36.3%	27.5%
2010	36.1%	27.3%
2011	36.1%	27.1%
2012	36.5%	27%
2013	38%	26.9%
2014	39.8%	26.8%
2015	40.6%	26.6%
2016	40.2%	26.5%
2017	39.3%	26.4%
2018	37.9%	26.2%
2019	36.1%	26%
2020	34.6%	25.8%
2021	33.4%	25.6%
2022	31.9%	25.3%
2023	30.3%	25%
2024	29.2%	24.7%
2025	28.4%	24.4%
2026	27.9%	24.1%
2027	27.5%	23.8%
2028	27.3%	23.4%
2029	27.3%	23.1%
2030	27.6%	22.8%
2031	27.9%	22.6%
2032	28.3%	22.3%
2033	28.6%	22.1%
2034	28.8%	21.9%
2035	29%	21.7%
2036	29%	21.6%
2037	28.9%	21.5%
2038	28.7%	21.4%
2039	28.4%	21.3%
2040	28%	21.2%
2041	27.5%	21.1%
2042	27%	21%
2043	26.4%	21%
2044	25.8%	20.9%
2045	25.1%	20.8%
2046	24.5%	20.7%
2047	23.9%	20.7%
2048	23.3%	20.6%
2049	22.8%	20.5%
2050	22.3%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in Syria decreased from 39.6% to 29.2% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Syria	World
1960	5.04%	4.97%
1961	4.86%	4.99%
1962	4.69%	5.01%
1963	4.53%	5.02%
1964	4.37%	5.04%
1965	4.22%	5.08%
1966	4.07%	5.12%
1967	3.93%	5.16%
1968	3.79%	5.2%
1969	3.66%	5.24%
1970	3.54%	5.28%
1971	3.41%	5.32%
1972	3.3%	5.37%
1973	3.2%	5.42%
1974	3.13%	5.47%
1975	3.1%	5.53%
1976	3.08%	5.59%
1977	3.04%	5.65%
1978	2.99%	5.71%
1979	2.94%	5.77%
1980	2.9%	5.81%
1981	2.87%	5.81%
1982	2.84%	5.8%
1983	2.82%	5.79%
1984	2.81%	5.8%
1985	2.82%	5.82%
1986	2.84%	5.86%
1987	2.86%	5.91%
1988	2.88%	5.95%
1989	2.91%	6.01%
1990	2.95%	6.07%
1991	2.99%	6.14%
1992	3.04%	6.21%
1993	3.08%	6.29%
1994	3.12%	6.37%
1995	3.16%	6.45%
1996	3.2%	6.53%
1997	3.23%	6.61%
1998	3.27%	6.68%
1999	3.3%	6.76%
2000	3.32%	6.84%
2001	3.34%	6.92%
2002	3.36%	7.01%
2003	3.39%	7.1%
2004	3.42%	7.18%
2005	3.43%	7.26%
2006	3.42%	7.34%
2007	3.37%	7.41%
2008	3.37%	7.47%
2009	3.41%	7.52%
2010	3.43%	7.58%
2011	3.47%	7.66%
2012	3.56%	7.78%
2013	3.75%	7.92%
2014	3.99%	8.08%
2015	4.17%	8.26%
2016	4.29%	8.45%
2017	4.4%	8.65%
2018	4.47%	8.88%
2019	4.49%	9.1%
2020	4.55%	9.33%
2021	4.62%	9.53%
2022	4.67%	9.74%
2023	4.69%	9.98%
2024	4.74%	10.2%
2025	4.84%	10.4%
2026	4.95%	10.6%
2027	5.07%	10.8%
2028	5.2%	11.1%
2029	5.33%	11.5%
2030	5.47%	11.7%
2031	5.62%	12%
2032	5.77%	12.3%
2033	5.93%	12.6%
2034	6.09%	12.8%
2035	6.26%	13.1%
2036	6.43%	13.4%
2037	6.6%	13.7%
2038	6.78%	13.9%
2039	6.97%	14.1%
2040	7.16%	14.3%
2041	7.36%	14.5%
2042	7.56%	14.7%
2043	7.78%	14.9%
2044	8%	15%
2045	8.21%	15.2%
2046	8.42%	15.4%
2047	8.63%	15.7%
2048	8.84%	15.9%
2049	9.05%	16.1%
2050	9.26%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in Syria increased from 3.42% to 4.74% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.