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Syria GDP and Economic Data

Includes Syria real Gross Domestic Product growth rate, with latest forecasts and historical data, GDP per capita, GDP composition and breakdown by sector.

Browse additional economic indicators and data sets, selected by Global Finance editors, to learn more about Syria economic outlook, debt to GDP ratio, international trade performance and population trends. Rankings of Syria best banks and safest banks are also available.

Rebuilding Syria

Rebuilding Syria

Putting the war-ravaged country back together will cost $400 billion. With Assad still in power and US sanctions still in place, who will foot the bill—and reap the benefit? 

 
 
Source
Central bank

Central Bank of Syria

Source
International Reserves

N/A

Source
Gross Domestic Product - GDP

USD 60.0 billion (2010, estimate)

Source
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Intl$ 136.3 billion (2018, estimate)

Source
Real GDP growth
2007 2008 2009 2010* 2011 2012 2013
5.7% 4.5% 5.9% 3.4% N/A N/A N/A
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018    
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A    

*Estimate

Source
GDP per capita - current prices

USD 2,806.7 (2018, estimate)

Source
GDP per capita - PPP

Intl$ 6,373.4 (2010, estimate)

Source
GDP (PPP) - share of world total
1980 1990 2000 2010 2019
0.15% 0.14% 0.15% 0.16% N/A

*Estimate

Source
 
 
Source
GDP - composition by sector
  • agriculture: 20% 
  • industry: 19.5% 
  • services: 60.8%

(2017 estimate)

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Gross domestic expenditure on R&D; (% of GDP)

N/A

 

Source
Inflation
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

*Estimate

Source
Unemployment rate
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

*Estimate

Source
Household saving rates

N/A

 

Source
Public debt (General government gross debt as a % of GDP)
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

*Estimate

Source
Public deficit (General government net lending/borrowing as a % of GDP)
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
-7.8 % N/A N/A N/A N/A

*Estimate 

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Government bond ratings

Standard & Poor's: N/A

Moody's: N/A

Standard & Poor's / Moody's 

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Market value of publicly traded shares
2016 2017 2018
N/A N/A N/A
Source
Largest companies

N/A

Source
 
 
Source
Current account balance

N/A

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Current account balance by percentage of GDP

N/A

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Exports as percent of GDP (Exports of goods and services)

N/A

Source
Shares in world total merchandising export

0.01% (2018)

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Shares in world total commercial services export

0.06% (2011)

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Total exports

USD 15.3 billion (2011 estimate)

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Export commodities

Crude oil, minerals, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, textiles, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat

Source
Total imports

USD 22.5 billion (2011 estimate)

Source
 
 
Source
Import commodities

Machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical products, plastics, yarn, paper

Source
Exports - major partners

Lebanon 31.5%, Iraq 10.3%, Jordan 8.8%, China 7.8%, Turkey 7.5%, Spain 7.3% (2017)

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Imports - major partners

Russia 32.4%, Turkey 16.7%, China 9.5% (2017)

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FDI inflows
2016 2017 2018
N/A N/A N/A
Source
FDI outflows
2016 2017 2018
N/A N/A N/A
Source
Value of cross-border M&A, by country of purchaser
2015 2016 2017 2018
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Source
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2014

N/A

(for a monthly update on M&A; click here )

Source
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2015

N/A

(for a monthly update on M&A; click here )

Source
Best countries for doing business

Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm.

Overall ranking:

176 out of 190 countries

Subcategories:
Starting a Business: 143 out of 190 countries
Dealing with Construction Permits: 186 out of 190 countries
Getting Electricity: 160 out of 190 countries
Registering Property: 162 out of 190 countries
Getting Credit: 176 out of 190 countries
Protecting Minority Investors: 97 out of 190 countries
Paying Taxes: 91 out of 190 countries
Trading across Borders: 178 out of 190 countries
Enforcing Contracts: 160 out of 190 countries
Resolving Insolvency: 158 out of 190 countries

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Global competitiveness ranking

N/A

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Index of Economic Freedom

N/A

Source
 
 
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Time zone

UTC+2

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Total area

185,180 sq km

Source
Capital

Damascus

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Currency

Syrian pounds (SYP)

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Government type

Presidential republic; highly authoritarian regime

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Languages

Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian, French, English

Source
Religions

Muslim 87% (official; includes Sunni 74% and Alawi, Ismaili, and Shia 13%), Christian 10% (includes Orthodox, Uniate, and Nestorian), Druze 3%, Jewish (few remaining in Damascus and Aleppo) - Note:  the Christian population may be considerably smaller 

Source
Total population
1990 2000 2010 2015 2020
12.72 million 16.51 million 21.39 million N/A N/A

*Estimate 

Source
 
 
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Urban population as % of total population
1960 1980 2000 2018
36.8% 46.7% 51.9% 54.2%
Source
Population median age

24.5 years 

Source
Population growth rate

7.37% (2018 estimate)

Source
Life expectancy

75.2 years (2018 estimate)

Source
Literacy

Total population: 86.4% 
Male: 91.7% 
Female: 81%
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

Source
% of population living on less than $3.10 a day

N/A

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Inequality of wealth distribution (Gini index)

N/A

Source
Freedom House rating

Not Free
Political Rights: 7
Civil Liberties: 7 (2019)
(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating)

Source
Total telephone subscribers as % of population

Fixed: 16.2% Mobile: 98.4% (2018)

(fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)

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Internet users as % of total population

34.25 % (2017)

Source
Mercer Cost of living index

N/A

Source
CO2 emissions

1.64 metric tons per capita (2014)

Source

World's Best Developed & Emerging Markets Banks

2011
2010
2009

World's Best Islamic Financial Institutions

2013
2009

World’s Best Investment Banks

2014

World’s Best Foreign Exchange Providers

2013
2012
2011
2010
2009

World's Best Banks By Region

2013
2012
2011
2003

Best of…

2012
2009

World's Biggest Banks

2010
2009

Additional Awards

2014
2008
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