GeoRealityMatch
A beautiful historic building with a striped facade in Damascus, Syria, surrounded by lush greenery.Beautiful historic courtyard with traditional architecture in Damascus, Syria.

Syria

Asia · Western Asia

Medium development

The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to the whole country. It is among the least peaceful countries.

Source: FCDO travel advice, read 29 October 2026.

Safety

153rd most peaceful of 161

Global Peace Index
3.067lower is more peacefulVery low safety
#153 of 161
IEP GPI · 2026
Safety index
32.5Numbeo's safety index, higher is saferLowNumbeo · 2026
Money

Incomes below the median country

GNI per person
$720national income per person, US dollarsVery low
World Bank · 2022
Rent index
5.1New York = 100Very affordableNumbeo · 2026

Income and inflation over time

Income per person fell 39% in current dollars from 2006 to 2022, and fell 50% after inflation.

GDP per person, current US$At purchasing power parityInflation

$0$2.5K$5.0K$4,905 PPP$1,057Inflation, % a year50%0200620102015202020222006, $1,719 a person, inflation 10%2007, $1,938 a person, inflation 3.9%2008, $2,429 a person, inflation 15.7%2009, $2,462 a person, inflation 2.9%2010, $2,731 a person, inflation 4.4%2011, $2,952 a person, inflation 4.8%2012, $1,898 a person, inflation 36.7%2013, $986 a person, inflation 40%2014, $1,061 a person, inflation 10.9%2015, $848 a person, inflation 38.5%2016, $656 a person, inflation 47.7%2017, $852 a person, $3,265 at PPP, inflation 18.1%2018, $1,098 a person, $3,456 at PPP, inflation 0.9%2019, $1,110 a person, $3,502 at PPP, inflation 13.4%2020, $594 a person, $3,878 at PPP2021, $689 a person, $4,766 at PPP2022, $1,057 a person, $4,905 at PPP$0$2.5K$5.0KInflation, % a year50%0200620102015202020222006, $1,719 a person, inflation 10%2007, $1,938 a person, inflation 3.9%2008, $2,429 a person, inflation 15.7%2009, $2,462 a person, inflation 2.9%2010, $2,731 a person, inflation 4.4%2011, $2,952 a person, inflation 4.8%2012, $1,898 a person, inflation 36.7%2013, $986 a person, inflation 40%2014, $1,061 a person, inflation 10.9%2015, $848 a person, inflation 38.5%2016, $656 a person, inflation 47.7%2017, $852 a person, $3,265 at PPP, inflation 18.1%2018, $1,098 a person, $3,456 at PPP, inflation 0.9%2019, $1,110 a person, $3,502 at PPP, inflation 13.4%2020, $594 a person, $3,878 at PPP2021, $689 a person, $4,766 at PPP2022, $1,057 a person, $4,905 at PPP

World Bank: GDP per person in current US dollars and at PPP, real GDP per person, consumer price inflation. Observed years only.

Health

Around the middle for life expectancy

Life expectancy
72.6years, at birthModerate
#110 of 195
World Bank · 2024
Health coverage
70WHO universal health coverage index, 0 to 100ModerateWHO · 2023
Air pollution
27.8PM2.5, micrograms per cubic metre, national averageHighWHO · 2023
Work and internet

Very slow home internet

Unemployment rate
13.6%share of the labour force without a jobWorld Bank · 2025
Home internet
4 Mbpsmedian download speedVery slowOokla Speedtest · 2025
English proficiency
456EF English Proficiency Index scoreLowEF EPI · 2025

Internet speeds

Home internet4 MbpsVery slow
Mobile28 MbpsVery slow

Ookla Speedtest Global Index, median download speed, ranked among the countries Ookla lists.

Beautiful historic courtyard with traditional architecture in Damascus, Syria.
How it changed

Syria's Human Development Index

0.564Medium human development

162nd of 193 in UNDP's 2023 ranking, 40th of 43 in Asia.

UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita. UNDP Human Development Report 2025.

Nearest countries by HDI

  1. #160Papua New Guinea0.576
  2. #161Togo0.571
  3. #162Syria0.564
  4. #163Mauritania0.563
  5. #164Nigeria0.560
Full HDI ranking, all 193 countries

HDI since 1990

Year by year

Human development fell from 0.572 in 1990 to 0.564 in 2023.

0.500.600.700.56419902000201020231990: 0.5721991: 0.5771992: 0.5821993: 0.5831994: 0.5871995: 0.5871996: 0.5901997: 0.5931998: 0.5951999: 0.5952000: 0.5942001: 0.6022002: 0.6102003: 0.6212004: 0.6352005: 0.6462006: 0.6582007: 0.6652008: 0.6602009: 0.6682010: 0.6692011: 0.6642012: 0.6262013: 0.5672014: 0.5612015: 0.5492016: 0.5522017: 0.5512018: 0.5572019: 0.5692020: 0.5702021: 0.5712022: 0.5712023: 0.5640.500.600.7019902000201020231990: 0.5721991: 0.5771992: 0.5821993: 0.5831994: 0.5871995: 0.5871996: 0.5901997: 0.5931998: 0.5951999: 0.5952000: 0.5942001: 0.6022002: 0.6102003: 0.6212004: 0.6352005: 0.6462006: 0.6582007: 0.6652008: 0.6602009: 0.6682010: 0.6692011: 0.6642012: 0.6262013: 0.5672014: 0.5612015: 0.5492016: 0.5522017: 0.5512018: 0.5572019: 0.5692020: 0.5702021: 0.5712022: 0.5712023: 0.564

UNDP Human Development Report, 2025 edition. 34 annual values, none interpolated.

Twenty years here

Year by yearThe world report
Life expectancy at birth
72.6 years2024at birthDown 0.2 years from 72.8 years in 2005
Urban population
72%2025of people in towns and citiesUp 18 points from 54% in 2006
Births per woman
2.702024births per womanDown 0.91 from 3.61 in 2005
Renewable share of energy
1%2021of energy usedDown 2 points from 3% in 2004
Access to electricity
89%2024of people with electricityDown 3 points from 92% in 2005
Infant mortality
182024deaths before age one, per 1,000 birthsLevel with 2005
CO2 emissions per person
1.3 t2024of CO2 per person a yearDown 1.9 t from 3.1 t in 2005
Forest area
3%2023of land under forestLevel with 2004

World Bank, from the first to the last observed year of each indicator; each has its own window.

Our take

War-torn, with a post-Assad transition underway; ancient heritage, extreme caution needed. The case against is the UK's advice against travel, a low peace ranking and low incomes.

About Syria

Syria is a country of extraordinary ancient heritage, with some of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, including Damascus and Aleppo, and the desert ruins of Palmyra, whose scale and romance have few equals anywhere in the Middle East. The culture carries a depth of Arab and Levantine tradition expressed in its food, music, and craftsmanship. The country remains inaccessible for most travellers at this time, but its history and culture are among the most significant in the world.

Practical facts

  • CapitalDamascus
  • LanguagesArabic
  • CurrencySyrian pound (SYP)
  • Area183,630 km²
  • Plug typeType C/E/F/L
  • Drives on theright
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Quick answers

What is Syria's Human Development Index?

Syria's Human Development Index is 0.564 for 2023 (UNDP Human Development Report 2025), ranked #162 of 193 by UNDP.

Is Syria safe?

Syria scores 3.07 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #153 of 161 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.

How expensive is Syria?

Numbeo's cost-of-living index puts Syria at 25.0 (New York = 100); that is #11 cheapest of 143 countries with data.

What is life expectancy in Syria?

Life expectancy at birth in Syria is 72.6 yrs (World Bank), ranked #110 of 195 countries.