Iran vs Syria
Iran vs Syria: Government debt
Government debt: 31.2% of GDP in Iran in 2024 and 31.2% of GDP in Syria in 2009, by IMF estimates. In 2009 the value was higher in Syria, by 19.7 percentage points, or 2.72 times that in Iran.
% of GDP · IMF
What the numbers say
- Syria has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1996.
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts Iran at 43.4% of GDP in 2031.
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts Syria at 30% of GDP in 2010.
Every year
% of GDP · IMF
| Year | Iran | Syria |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 31.2 | – |
| 2023 | 29.6 | – |
| 2022 | 34.5 | – |
| 2021 | 39.9 | – |
| 2020 | 47.1 | – |
| 2019 | 44.6 | – |
| 2018 | 41.6 | – |
| 2017 | 43.2 | – |
| 2016 | 46 | – |
| 2015 | 32.1 | – |
| 2014 | 10.9 | – |
| 2013 | 10.2 | – |
| 2012 | 11.8 | – |
| 2011 | 10.6 | – |
| 2010 | 12.8 | 30 |
| 2009 | 11.5 | 31.2 |
| 2008 | 10.6 | 37.3 |
| 2007 | 13.5 | 42.7 |
| 2006 | 15.2 | 45 |
| 2005 | 18.3 | 50.7 |
| 2004 | 21.1 | 113 |
| 2003 | 22 | 133.4 |
| 2002 | 23.4 | 132.4 |
| 2001 | 21 | 144.5 |
| 2000 | 18.2 | 152.1 |
| 1999 | 22.2 | 147.7 |
| 1998 | 29.6 | 151.2 |
| 1997 | 30.9 | 147.6 |
| 1996 | 29.3 | 141.5 |
| 1995 | – | 152.6 |
| 1994 | – | 163 |
| 1993 | – | 171.9 |
| 1992 | – | 173.6 |
| 1991 | – | 182.4 |
| 1990 | – | 189.8 |
- 12.3Projected
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2025–2031
| Year | Iran | Syria |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 35.6 | – |
| 2026 | 39.1 | – |
| 2027 | 40.2 | – |
| 2028 | 40.8 | – |
| 2029 | 41.7 | – |
| 2030 | 42.7 | – |
| 2031 | 43.4 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the government owes, as a share of the economy’s yearly output.
- Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2026.
- The dashed line is the IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026), a scenario rather than a forecast.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Iran vs Syria
Health
- Life expectancyIran: 77.7 years in 2023Syria: 72.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityIran: 1.1 per 100 live births in 2024Syria: 1.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityIran: 9.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023Syria: 16.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionIran: 5.12% in 2017Syria: 3.58% in 2017
- Suicide rateIran: 5.4 per 100,000 people in 2017Syria: 3.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationIran: 90.6 million people in 2023Syria: 23.6 million people in 2023
- Population growthIran: 1.12% a year in 2023Syria: 4.92% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateIran: 1.7 births per woman in 2023Syria: 2.71 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationIran: 77.4% in 2025Syria: 72.1% in 2025
- Median ageIran: 32.9 years in 2023Syria: 22.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overIran: 7.9% in 2023Syria: 4.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateIran: 2.9 per 1,000 people in 2023Syria: 32.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingIran: 2.09% of GDP in 2025Syria: 4.06% of GDP in 2010
- Military spending per personIran: $80 in 2025Syria: $110 in 2011
- Military share of state spendingIran: 11.2% of government spending in 2025Syria: 13.6% of government spending in 2010
- Armed forces personnelIran: 650,000 people in 2020Syria: 269,000 people in 2020
- National powerIran: 1.64% of world capability in 2022Syria: 0.29% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersIran: 2.35% of the labour force in 2020Syria: 5.44% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsIran: 42 million TIV in 2024Syria: 2 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsIran: 80 million TIV in 2025Syria: 30 million TIV in 2010