Lebanon vs Syria
Lebanon vs Syria: Armed forces, share of workers
Armed forces, share of workers in 2020: 4.1% of the labour force in Lebanon and 5.44% of the labour force in Syria, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Syria, by 1.34 percentage points, or 1.33 times that in Lebanon.
% of the labour force · IISS
What the numbers say
- Syria has been higher since 2014, when it overtook Lebanon.
- In 2020, Lebanon ranked 8 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 | Lebanon | Syria | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 4.1 | 5.44 | 0.79 |
| 2019 | 3.92 | 5.47 | 0.79 |
| 2018 | 3.81 | 5.61 | 0.8 |
| 2017 | 3.71 | 5.43 | 0.8 |
| 2016 | 3.62 | 7.1 | 0.81 |
| 2015 | 3.54 | 6.37 | 0.82 |
| 2014 | 3.63 | 6.09 | 0.82 |
| 2013 | 4.07 | 3.51 | 0.83 |
| 2012 | 4.52 | 3.14 | 0.87 |
| 2011 | 4.7 | 2.81 | 0.88 |
| 2010 | 4.76 | 6.57 | 0.89 |
| 2009 | 4.88 | 6.71 | 0.89 |
| 2008 | 4.83 | 6.67 | 0.89 |
| 2007 | 5 | 6.86 | 0.89 |
| 2006 | 5.12 | 7.2 | 0.95 |
| 2005 | 5.84 | 7.79 | 0.96 |
| 2004 | 5.96 | 7.92 | 0.94 |
| 2003 | 6.11 | 8.3 | 0.98 |
| 2002 | 6.22 | 8.42 | 1 |
| 2001 | 6.35 | 8.58 | 1.01 |
| 2000 | 5.88 | 8.63 | 1.07 |
| 1999 | 6.37 | 9.01 | 1.09 |
| 1998 | 5.52 | 9.52 | 1.13 |
| 1997 | 6.12 | 9.89 | 1.15 |
| 1996 | 5.76 | 12.69 | 1.18 |
| 1995 | 5.49 | 13.24 | 1.2 |
| 1994 | 4.48 | 8.15 | 0.94 |
| 1993 | 3.39 | 10.62 | 0.98 |
| 1992 | 3.47 | 11.04 | 1.03 |
| 1991 | 3.45 | 11.45 | 1.03 |
| 1990 | 3.53 | 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
Lebanon vs Syria
Health
- Life expectancyLebanon: 77.8 years in 2023Syria: 72.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityLebanon: 1.8 per 100 live births in 2024Syria: 1.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityLebanon: 15.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023Syria: 16.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionLebanon: 3.68% in 2017Syria: 3.58% in 2017
- Suicide rateLebanon: 4.8 per 100,000 people in 2017Syria: 3.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationLebanon: 5.77 million people in 2023Syria: 23.6 million people in 2023
- Population growthLebanon: 0.43% a year in 2023Syria: 4.92% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateLebanon: 2.24 births per woman in 2023Syria: 2.71 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationLebanon: 91% in 2025Syria: 72.1% in 2025
- Median ageLebanon: 28.3 years in 2023Syria: 22.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overLebanon: 9.8% in 2023Syria: 4.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateLebanon: -5.9 per 1,000 people in 2023Syria: 32.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingLebanon: 2.51% of GDP in 2025Syria: 4.06% of GDP in 2010
- Military spending per personLebanon: $142 in 2025Syria: $110 in 2011
- Military share of state spendingLebanon: 16.6% of government spending in 2025Syria: 13.6% of government spending in 2010
- Armed forces personnelLebanon: 80,000 people in 2020Syria: 269,000 people in 2020
- National powerLebanon: 0.08% of world capability in 2022Syria: 0.29% of world capability in 2022
- Arms importsLebanon: 9 million TIV in 2024Syria: 2 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsLebanon: 48 million TIV in 2002Syria: 30 million TIV in 2010