Afghanistan vs Syria
Afghanistan vs Syria: Armed forces, share of workers
Armed forces, share of workers in 2020: 1.82% of the labour force in Afghanistan and 5.44% of the labour force in Syria, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Syria, by 3.62 percentage points, or 2.99 times that in Afghanistan.
% of the labour force · IISS
What the numbers say
- Syria has been higher since 2014, when it overtook Afghanistan.
- In 2020, Afghanistan ranked 32 and Syria ranked 3 of 168 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 0.79% of the labour force in 2020.
Every year
% of the labour force · IISS
| Year | Afghanistan | Syria | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1.82 | 5.44 | 0.79 |
| 2019 | 3.02 | 5.47 | 0.79 |
| 2018 | 2.96 | 5.61 | 0.8 |
| 2017 | 3.5 | 5.43 | 0.8 |
| 2016 | 3.64 | 7.1 | 0.81 |
| 2015 | 3.73 | 6.37 | 0.82 |
| 2014 | 3.75 | 6.09 | 0.82 |
| 2013 | 4.21 | 3.51 | 0.83 |
| 2012 | 4.5 | 3.14 | 0.87 |
| 2011 | 4.76 | 2.81 | 0.88 |
| 2010 | 4.5 | 6.57 | 0.89 |
| 2009 | 3.9 | 6.71 | 0.89 |
| 2008 | 1.5 | 6.67 | 0.89 |
| 2007 | 0.84 | 6.86 | 0.89 |
| 2006 | 0.86 | 7.2 | 0.95 |
| 2005 | 0.48 | 7.79 | 0.96 |
| 2004 | 0.49 | 7.92 | 0.94 |
| 2003 | 2.47 | 8.3 | 0.98 |
| 2002 | 2.43 | 8.42 | 1 |
| 2001 | – | 8.58 | 1.01 |
| 2000 | 8.54 | 8.63 | 1.07 |
| 1999 | 8.6 | 9.01 | 1.09 |
| 1998 | 8.87 | 9.52 | 1.13 |
| 1997 | 9.81 | 9.89 | 1.15 |
| 1996 | 10.12 | 12.69 | 1.18 |
| 1995 | 9.34 | 13.24 | 1.2 |
| 1994 | 1.15 | 8.15 | 0.94 |
| 1993 | 1.24 | 10.62 | 0.98 |
| 1992 | 1.39 | 11.04 | 1.03 |
| 1991 | 1.5 | 11.45 | 1.03 |
| 1990 | 1.95 | 11.9 | 1.11 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel as a share of everyone working or looking for work, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 168 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Afghanistan vs Syria
Health
- Life expectancyAfghanistan: 66 years in 2023Syria: 72.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityAfghanistan: 5.3 per 100 live births in 2024Syria: 1.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityAfghanistan: 44 per 1,000 live births in 2023Syria: 16.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionAfghanistan: 4.14% in 2017Syria: 3.58% in 2017
- Suicide rateAfghanistan: 9.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Syria: 3.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationAfghanistan: 41.5 million people in 2023Syria: 23.6 million people in 2023
- Population growthAfghanistan: 2.85% a year in 2023Syria: 4.92% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateAfghanistan: 4.84 births per woman in 2023Syria: 2.71 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationAfghanistan: 25.9% in 2025Syria: 72.1% in 2025
- Median ageAfghanistan: 16.9 years in 2023Syria: 22.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overAfghanistan: 2.4% in 2023Syria: 4.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateAfghanistan: -1.2 per 1,000 people in 2023Syria: 32.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingAfghanistan: 1.83% of GDP in 2021Syria: 4.06% of GDP in 2010
- Military spending per personAfghanistan: $7 in 2021Syria: $110 in 2011
- Military share of state spendingAfghanistan: 5% of government spending in 2020Syria: 13.6% of government spending in 2010
- Armed forces personnelAfghanistan: 165,000 people in 2020Syria: 269,000 people in 2020
- National powerAfghanistan: 0.29% of world capability in 2022Syria: 0.29% of world capability in 2022
- Arms importsAfghanistan: 65 million TIV in 2021Syria: 2 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsAfghanistan: 1 million TIV in 1992Syria: 30 million TIV in 2010