Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Syria
Syria: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 72.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
72.1%
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
97th
of 238 countries
All-time high
76.0%
in 2014
All-time low
0.7%
in 1700
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Syria, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Syria stood at 72.1%.
That represents a change of down 4.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Syria peaked at 76.0% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 1700.
Syria ranks 97th of 238 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Syria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.8% | — |
| 1100 | 0.8% | -2.1% |
| 1200 | 0.8% | -2.2% |
| 1300 | 0.8% | -2.2% |
| 1400 | 0.8% | -2.3% |
| 1500 | 0.7% | -2.3% |
| 1600 | 0.7% | -2.4% |
| 1700 | 0.7% | -2.5% |
| 1710 | 0.8% | +12.1% |
| 1720 | 0.9% | +16.7% |
| 1730 | 1.1% | +16.7% |
| 1740 | 1.2% | +16.7% |
| 1750 | 1.5% | +16.7% |
| 1760 | 1.7% | +16.7% |
| 1770 | 2.0% | +16.7% |
| 1780 | 2.3% | +16.7% |
| 1790 | 2.7% | +16.7% |
| 1800 | 3.1% | +16.7% |
| 1810 | 3.7% | +16.7% |
| 1820 | 4.3% | +16.7% |
| 1830 | 5.0% | +16.7% |
| 1840 | 5.8% | +16.7% |
| 1850 | 6.8% | +16.7% |
| 1860 | 7.9% | +16.7% |
| 1870 | 9.2% | +16.7% |
| 1880 | 10.8% | +16.7% |
| 1890 | 12.6% | +16.7% |
| 1900 | 14.7% | +16.7% |
| 1910 | 17.1% | +16.7% |
| 1920 | 20.0% | +16.7% |
| 1930 | 23.3% | +16.7% |
| 1940 | 27.2% | +16.7% |
| 1950 | 35.3% | +29.9% |
| 1951 | 35.9% | +1.7% |
| 1952 | 36.5% | +1.6% |
| 1953 | 37.0% | +1.4% |
| 1954 | 37.5% | +1.3% |
| 1955 | 38.0% | +1.3% |
| 1956 | 38.4% | +1.2% |
| 1957 | 38.8% | +1.1% |
| 1958 | 39.2% | +1.0% |
| 1959 | 39.6% | +1.0% |
| 1960 | 40.0% | +0.9% |
| 1961 | 40.4% | +0.9% |
| 1962 | 40.7% | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 41.0% | +0.8% |
| 1964 | 41.4% | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 41.7% | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 42.0% | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 42.4% | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 42.7% | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 43.0% | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 43.4% | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 43.8% | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 44.1% | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 44.5% | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 44.8% | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 45.2% | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 45.5% | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 45.8% | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 46.1% | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 46.4% | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 46.7% | +0.6% |
| 1981 | 47.0% | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 47.3% | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 47.5% | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 47.7% | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 47.9% | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 48.1% | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 48.3% | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 48.5% | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 48.6% | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 48.8% | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 49.0% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 49.3% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 49.5% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 49.8% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 50.0% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 50.4% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 50.7% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 51.1% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 51.5% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 51.9% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 52.3% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 52.7% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 53.1% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 53.5% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 53.8% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 54.1% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 54.3% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 54.6% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 55.0% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 55.7% | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 58.5% | +5.0% |
| 2012 | 65.1% | +11.3% |
| 2013 | 73.1% | +12.2% |
| 2014 | 76.0% | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 75.8% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 75.2% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 74.5% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 74.1% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 73.8% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 73.4% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 73.0% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 72.6% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 72.2% | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 72.1% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 72.1% | +0.0% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 72.1% is above the median for low income countries, which is 34.5%, 2.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Syria's 72.1% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 79.5%, 91% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Do more people live in urban or rural areas? 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | +29.9% | 27.2% | 35.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1700s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1710s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1720s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1730s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1740s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1750s | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1 |
| 1760s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1 |
| 1770s | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1 |
| 1780s | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1 |
| 1790s | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 1 |
| 1800s | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 1 |
| 1810s | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 1 |
| 1820s | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 1 |
| 1830s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1840s | 5.8% | 5.8% | 5.8% | 1 |
| 1850s | 6.8% | 6.8% | 6.8% | 1 |
| 1860s | 7.9% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 1 |
| 1870s | 9.2% | 9.2% | 9.2% | 1 |
| 1880s | 10.8% | 10.8% | 10.8% | 1 |
| 1890s | 12.6% | 12.6% | 12.6% | 1 |
| 1900s | 14.7% | 14.7% | 14.7% | 1 |
| 1910s | 17.1% | 17.1% | 17.1% | 1 |
| 1920s | 20.0% | 20.0% | 20.0% | 1 |
| 1930s | 23.3% | 23.3% | 23.3% | 1 |
| 1940s | 27.2% | 27.2% | 27.2% | 1 |
| 1950s | 37.6% | 35.3% | 39.6% | 10 |
| 1960s | 41.5% | 40.0% | 43.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 45.0% | 43.4% | 46.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 47.8% | 46.7% | 48.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.0% | 48.8% | 51.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 53.5% | 51.9% | 55.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 70.2% | 55.7% | 76.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 72.6% | 72.1% | 73.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Syria
More reference data data for Syria
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 7.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.5377 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 7.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1191 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CH4) - Enteric Fermentation 276.84 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Burning - Crop 23.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Agricultural 7,688 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Crop Residues 775.73 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.91 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Syria?
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Syria was 72.1% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 76.0% in 2014.
- What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 1700.
- How does Syria rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
- Syria ranks 97th out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Syria data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Do more people live in urban or rural areas?. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modeled historical data.