World 8.2bn peopleGDP $118tnLife expectancy 73.5 yrsOnline 73.6%
NotesAdvertise
World Report nowcountries in numbers
World Report now
  1. Home
  2. Countries
  3. Syria
  4. Labour
SY
Labour · Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · Low income

Syria: the labour market

Labour force is 6.8m (2025), 72nd of 187 in the world and 11th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Participation rate is 36.9% (2025), 183rd of 187 in the world and 21st of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Women's participation is 12.7% (2025), 184th of 187 in the world and 20th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa.

Labour force6.8m2025 · world 72/187 · region 11/23Participation rate36.9%2025 · world 183/187 · region 21/23Women's participation12.7%2025 · world 184/187 · region 20/23Employment rate31.9%2025 · world 183/187 · region 21/23
Labour force
Syria
02.0m4.0m6.0m8.0m1995200020052010201520202025Syria6.8m
Participation rate
SyriaMiddle East, North Africa, A…Low incomeWorld
0%20%40%60%80%1995200020052010201520202025Syria36.9%Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & PakistanLow incomeWorld
12 indicators

Labour: Syria in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total6.8m202572/18711/234.9m6.1m4.9m+55%since 2015264m267m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+36.9%2025183/18721/2350.9%42.7%35.9%−0.8 ppsince 201547.4%64.4%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+12.7%2025184/18720/2320.9%13.0%12.7%±0.0 ppsince 201519.7%54.7%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)31.9%2025183/18721/2346.0%39.0%30.5%−0.4 ppsince 201543.7%61.2%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)13.6%202520/1878/239.6%8.6%15.2%−0.7 ppsince 20157.8%4.9%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)26.1%20259/1875/2319.9%22.0%27.2%−0.3 ppsince 201512.1%4.7%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)33.1%202517/1876/2318.2%20.5%36.3%−1.7 ppsince 201518.7%10.1%13.4%
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment57.6%2025117/18718/2349.1%63.2%56.7%−0.2 ppsince 201561.0%21.1%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)38.9%202569/1875/2342.5%32.6%39.5%+0.8 ppsince 201536.1%76.1%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment16.3%202587/1876/2332.9%13.9%16.9%+0.6 ppsince 201521.7%59.4%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment25.2%202544/18712/2326.1%32.5%26.1%−1.3 ppsince 201526.6%10.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment58.5%202597/18714/2341.0%53.6%57.0%+0.8 ppsince 201551.7%30.4%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Syria and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Syria. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorSyriaTürkiyeIraqJordanIsraelLebanon
Labour force6.8m202536.9m202512.5m20253.2m20254.8m20251.8m2023
Participation rate36.9%202554.4%202541.5%202540.1%202565.5%202543.4%2023
Women's participation12.7%202537.1%202510.9%202516.0%202562.3%202522.2%2023
Employment rate31.9%202549.7%202535.1%202533.4%202563.2%202538.7%2023
Unemployment13.6%20258.5%202515.5%202516.5%20253.5%202511.0%2023
Female unemployment26.1%202511.6%202530.1%202523.3%20253.4%202514.5%2023
Youth unemployment33.1%202516.0%202532.0%202538.9%20256.0%202522.7%2023
Wage workers57.6%202571.5%202568.3%202588.8%202588.7%202571.6%2023
Vulnerable employment38.9%202523.9%202527.1%20257.9%20257.7%202519.4%2023
Türkiye: labourIraq: labourJordan: labourIsrael: labourLebanon: labour
Labour in Middle East & North Africaall 23 economies rankedLabour: low-income countries25 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesSyria: all key statisticscountry profile