Israel vs Syria
Israel vs Syria: Government debt
Government debt: 67.9% of GDP in Israel in 2025 and 31.2% of GDP in Syria in 2009, by IMF estimates. In 2009 the value was higher in Israel, by 41.8 percentage points, or 2.34 times that in Syria.
% of GDP · IMF
What the numbers say
- Israel has been higher since 2005, when it overtook Syria.
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts Israel at 72.7% 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 | Israel | Syria |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 67.9 | – |
| 2024 | 67.7 | – |
| 2023 | 61.9 | – |
| 2022 | 60.9 | – |
| 2021 | 68.2 | – |
| 2020 | 71.4 | – |
| 2019 | 59.5 | – |
| 2018 | 60.3 | – |
| 2017 | 60.1 | – |
| 2016 | 62 | – |
| 2015 | 63.2 | – |
| 2014 | 66.1 | – |
| 2013 | 66.4 | – |
| 2012 | 67.2 | – |
| 2011 | 67.5 | – |
| 2010 | 69.4 | 30 |
| 2009 | 73 | 31.2 |
| 2008 | 70.6 | 37.3 |
| 2007 | 71.2 | 42.7 |
| 2006 | 78.1 | 45 |
| 2005 | 85.7 | 50.7 |
| 2004 | 88.7 | 113 |
| 2003 | 90.1 | 133.4 |
| 2002 | 87.6 | 132.4 |
| 2001 | 81.4 | 144.5 |
| 2000 | 77.5 | 152.1 |
| 1999 | – | 147.7 |
| 1998 | – | 151.2 |
| 1997 | – | 147.6 |
| 1996 | – | 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) · 2026–2031
| Year | Israel | Syria |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 68.8 | – |
| 2027 | 69.5 | – |
| 2028 | 70.5 | – |
| 2029 | 71.2 | – |
| 2030 | 71.9 | – |
| 2031 | 72.7 | – |
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.
- Ranks count the 149 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Israel vs Syria
Health
- Life expectancyIsrael: 82.4 years in 2023Syria: 72.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityIsrael: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024Syria: 1.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityIsrael: 2.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023Syria: 16.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionIsrael: 3.83% in 2017Syria: 3.58% in 2017
- Suicide rateIsrael: 5.7 per 100,000 people in 2017Syria: 3.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationIsrael: 9.26 million people in 2023Syria: 23.6 million people in 2023
- Population growthIsrael: 1.42% a year in 2023Syria: 4.92% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateIsrael: 2.83 births per woman in 2023Syria: 2.71 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationIsrael: 91.6% in 2025Syria: 72.1% in 2025
- Median ageIsrael: 29.2 years in 2023Syria: 22.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overIsrael: 12.4% in 2023Syria: 4.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateIsrael: 1.1 per 1,000 people in 2023Syria: 32.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingIsrael: 7.81% of GDP in 2025Syria: 4.06% of GDP in 2010
- Military spending per personIsrael: $5,108 in 2025Syria: $110 in 2011
- Military share of state spendingIsrael: 17.8% of government spending in 2025Syria: 13.6% of government spending in 2010
- Armed forces personnelIsrael: 178,000 people in 2020Syria: 269,000 people in 2020
- National powerIsrael: 0.38% of world capability in 2022Syria: 0.29% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersIsrael: 4.23% of the labour force in 2020Syria: 5.44% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsIsrael: 537 million TIV in 2025Syria: 2 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsIsrael: 2.62 billion TIV in 2025Syria: 30 million TIV in 2010