Saudi Arabia vs Syria
Saudi Arabia vs Syria: Population growth
Population growth in 2023: 2.39% a year in Saudi Arabia and 4.92% a year in Syria, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in Syria, by 2.53 percentage points, or 2.06 times that in Saudi Arabia.
% a year · UN
What the numbers say
- Syria has been higher since 2017, when it overtook Saudi Arabia.
- In 2023, Saudi Arabia ranked 30 and Syria ranked 3 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts Saudi Arabia at 0.63% a year and Syria at -0.15% a year in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 0.87% a year in 2023.
Every year
% a year · UN
| Year | Saudi Arabia | Syria | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2.39 | 4.92 | 0.87 |
| 2022 | 4.3 | 4.92 | 0.88 |
| 2021 | 0.99 | 2.6 | 0.8 |
| 2020 | 1.18 | 2.84 | 0.9 |
| 2019 | 2.21 | 3.91 | 1.03 |
| 2018 | -1.51 | 3.87 | 1.07 |
| 2017 | -1.23 | -0.26 | 1.13 |
| 2016 | 1.65 | 0.58 | 1.17 |
| 2015 | 3.27 | -2.95 | 1.18 |
| 2014 | 3.36 | -5.55 | 1.22 |
| 2013 | 3.45 | -7.67 | 1.23 |
| 2012 | 3.55 | -2.3 | 1.27 |
| 2011 | 3.65 | 1.26 | 1.26 |
| 2010 | 3.75 | 2.24 | 1.27 |
| 2009 | 3.86 | 2.31 | 1.28 |
| 2008 | 3.97 | 0.81 | 1.28 |
| 2007 | 4.09 | 6.37 | 1.28 |
| 2006 | 4.21 | 5.93 | 1.28 |
| 2005 | 4.35 | 2.56 | 1.27 |
| 2004 | 4.51 | 2.58 | 1.28 |
| 2003 | 4.68 | 2.37 | 1.29 |
| 2002 | 4.87 | 2.4 | 1.3 |
| 2001 | 5.09 | 2.44 | 1.33 |
| 2000 | 5.32 | 2.48 | 1.35 |
| 1999 | 3.56 | 2.51 | 1.35 |
| 1998 | 3.68 | 2.58 | 1.37 |
| 1997 | 3.79 | 2.58 | 1.39 |
| 1996 | 3.93 | 2.67 | 1.42 |
| 1995 | 4.07 | 2.75 | 1.45 |
| 1994 | 4.22 | 2.92 | 1.47 |
| 1993 | 4.35 | 2.98 | 1.52 |
| 1992 | 4.52 | 3.05 | 1.57 |
| 1991 | 4.7 | 3.09 | 1.63 |
| 1990 | 4.85 | 3.2 | 1.76 |
| 1989 | 5.02 | 3.27 | 1.78 |
| 1988 | 5.09 | 3.36 | 1.79 |
| 1987 | 5.57 | 3.43 | 1.84 |
| 1986 | 5.74 | 3.47 | 1.83 |
| 1985 | 5.63 | 3.51 | 1.8 |
| 1984 | 5.85 | 3.53 | 1.8 |
| 1983 | 6.05 | 3.49 | 1.78 |
| 1982 | 6.13 | 3.33 | 1.86 |
| 1981 | 6.07 | 3.3 | 1.82 |
| 1980 | 5.88 | 3.34 | 1.8 |
| 1979 | 5.84 | 3.37 | 1.79 |
| 1978 | 5.77 | 3.42 | 1.74 |
| 1977 | 5.65 | 3.44 | 1.75 |
| 1976 | 5.47 | 3.43 | 1.78 |
| 1975 | 5.27 | 3.41 | 1.8 |
| 1974 | 5.21 | 3.38 | 1.88 |
| 1973 | 5.1 | 3.36 | 1.94 |
| 1972 | 4.91 | 3.39 | 1.97 |
| 1971 | 4.61 | 3.4 | 1.97 |
| 1970 | 4.25 | 3.3 | 2.06 |
| 1969 | 4.07 | 3.25 | 2.06 |
| 1968 | 3.95 | 3.22 | 2.09 |
| 1967 | 3.84 | 3.19 | 2 |
| 1966 | 3.73 | 3.17 | 2.04 |
| 1965 | 3.72 | 3.13 | 2.09 |
| 1964 | 3.71 | 3.08 | 2.16 |
| 1963 | 3.7 | 3.03 | 2.28 |
| 1962 | 3.68 | 2.98 | 2.11 |
| 1961 | 3.67 | 2.91 | 1.67 |
| 1960 | 3.66 | 3.08 | 1.58 |
| 1959 | 3.65 | 3 | 1.73 |
| 1958 | 3.63 | 2.9 | 2 |
| 1957 | 3.61 | 2.82 | 2.07 |
| 1956 | 3.6 | 2.73 | 1.98 |
| 1955 | 3.58 | 2.63 | 2.01 |
| 1954 | 3.56 | 2.5 | 1.99 |
| 1953 | 3.55 | 2.37 | 1.9 |
| 1952 | 3.52 | 2.23 | 1.94 |
| 1951 | 3.49 | 2.09 | 1.75 |
| 1950 | 3.47 | 1.9 | 1.74 |
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | Saudi Arabia | Syria | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1.78-0.13–3 | 4.041.59–6.49 | 0.86 |
| 2025 | 1.75-0.36–3.3 | 3.510.35–6.46 | 0.84 |
| 2026 | 1.69-0.39–3.37 | 3.04-0.51–6.47 | 0.83 |
| 2027 | 1.66-0.36–3.6 | 2.84-0.92–6.69 | 0.81 |
| 2028 | 1.59-0.26–3.75 | 2.56-1.56–6.28 | 0.8 |
| 2029 | 1.5-0.05–3.71 | 2.47-1.51–6.24 | 0.78 |
| 2030 | 1.37-0.07–3.53 | 2.19-1.78–6.01 | 0.76 |
| 2031 | 1.35-0.1–3.56 | 2.08-1.97–6.15 | 0.75 |
| 2032 | 1.33-0.16–3.41 | 1.9-2.06–6 | 0.73 |
| 2033 | 1.32-0.19–3.37 | 1.84-2.08–5.85 | 0.72 |
| 2034 | 1.3-0.32–3.3 | 1.69-2.32–5.64 | 0.7 |
| 2035 | 1.29-0.25–3.2 | 1.6-2.57–5.8 | 0.69 |
| 2036 | 1.28-0.25–3.15 | 1.43-2.63–5.66 | 0.67 |
| 2037 | 1.26-0.37–3.2 | 1.41-2.77–5.45 | 0.65 |
| 2038 | 1.24-0.4–3.2 | 1.29-2.87–5.35 | 0.64 |
| 2039 | 1.22-0.54–3.09 | 1.19-3.12–5.24 | 0.62 |
| 2040 | 1.21-0.39–3.08 | 1.15-3.22–5.18 | 0.61 |
| 2041 | 1.19-0.4–3.01 | 1.06-3.26–5.12 | 0.59 |
| 2042 | 1.18-0.52–2.97 | 1.01-3.18–5.34 | 0.57 |
| 2043 | 1.16-0.49–2.94 | 0.93-3.48–5.19 | 0.56 |
| 2044 | 1.15-0.54–2.96 | 0.86-3.52–5.04 | 0.54 |
| 2045 | 1.13-0.49–2.9 | 0.91-3.5–4.87 | 0.52 |
| 2046 | 1.12-0.49–2.9 | 0.83-3.23–4.84 | 0.5 |
| 2047 | 1.1-0.58–2.83 | 0.78-3.61–4.83 | 0.48 |
| 2048 | 1.09-0.57–2.89 | 0.8-3.55–4.8 | 0.46 |
| 2049 | 1.07-0.68–2.84 | 0.84-3.68–5.04 | 0.44 |
| 2050 | 1.06-0.62–2.88 | 0.84-3.43–4.98 | 0.42 |
| 2051 | 1.05-0.54–2.8 | 0.8-3.48–4.88 | 0.4 |
| 2052 | 1.03-0.6–2.73 | 0.77-3.77–4.96 | 0.38 |
| 2053 | 1.02-0.55–2.72 | 0.87-3.65–5.03 | 0.36 |
| 2054 | 1.01-0.55–2.78 | 0.84-3.65–5.05 | 0.34 |
| 2055 | 0.99-0.68–2.7 | 0.76-3.69–4.95 | 0.33 |
| 2056 | 0.98-0.64–2.63 | 0.77-3.87–4.7 | 0.31 |
| 2057 | 0.97-0.64–2.61 | 0.69-4.05–4.68 | 0.3 |
| 2058 | 0.96-0.68–2.59 | 0.69-3.91–4.84 | 0.28 |
| 2059 | 0.95-0.73–2.68 | 0.76-3.55–5.07 | 0.27 |
| 2060 | 0.93-0.69–2.6 | 0.69-3.72–4.71 | 0.25 |
| 2061 | 0.92-0.7–2.45 | 0.61-3.93–4.6 | 0.24 |
| 2062 | 0.91-0.72–2.47 | 0.59-3.9–4.71 | 0.23 |
| 2063 | 0.89-0.89–2.5 | 0.58-4.01–4.73 | 0.22 |
| 2064 | 0.88-0.68–2.41 | 0.59-3.9–4.73 | 0.21 |
| 2065 | 0.87-0.83–2.38 | 0.58-4–4.43 | 0.2 |
| 2066 | 0.86-0.77–2.32 | 0.49-4.1–4.67 | 0.19 |
| 2067 | 0.85-0.73–2.38 | 0.45-4.27–4.41 | 0.18 |
| 2068 | 0.83-0.83–2.34 | 0.42-4.11–4.61 | 0.17 |
| 2069 | 0.82-0.89–2.34 | 0.34-4.54–4.57 | 0.16 |
| 2070 | 0.8-0.82–2.38 | 0.33-4.92–4.57 | 0.15 |
| 2071 | 0.79-0.87–2.24 | 0.33-4.4–4.34 | 0.14 |
| 2072 | 0.78-0.87–2.23 | 0.31-4.56–4.66 | 0.13 |
| 2073 | 0.77-0.94–2.28 | 0.24-4.48–4.65 | 0.12 |
| 2074 | 0.76-0.96–2.25 | 0.22-4.78–4.25 | 0.1 |
| 2075 | 0.75-0.98–2.27 | 0.21-4.46–4.44 | 0.09 |
| 2076 | 0.74-0.9–2.22 | 0.19-4.42–4.67 | 0.08 |
| 2077 | 0.74-0.94–2.18 | 0.1-4.59–4.36 | 0.07 |
| 2078 | 0.73-1.02–2.18 | 0.08-4.75–4.24 | 0.06 |
| 2079 | 0.72-0.93–2.2 | 0.13-4.5–4.52 | 0.05 |
| 2080 | 0.72-0.96–2.26 | 0.22-4.84–4.45 | 0.04 |
| 2081 | 0.72-0.96–2.2 | 0.15-5.07–4.43 | 0.03 |
| 2082 | 0.71-0.96–2.21 | 0.14-4.85–4.46 | 0.02 |
| 2083 | 0.71-0.92–2.11 | 0.06-4.97–4.32 | 0.01 |
| 2084 | 0.7-1.04–2.15 | 0.08-4.92–4.35 | -0 |
| 2085 | 0.7-1.07–2.13 | 0.08-4.79–4.3 | -0.01 |
| 2086 | 0.7-1.01–2.13 | -0.04-5.13–4.19 | -0.02 |
| 2087 | 0.7-1.05–2.08 | -0.02-5.08–4.18 | -0.03 |
| 2088 | 0.69-1.05–2.12 | 0.01-5.17–4.23 | -0.04 |
| 2089 | 0.69-0.97–2.09 | 0-5.1–4.26 | -0.05 |
| 2090 | 0.69-1.02–2.1 | -0.07-5.28–4.32 | -0.05 |
| 2091 | 0.68-0.96–2.1 | -0.03-5.37–4.23 | -0.06 |
| 2092 | 0.68-0.96–2.02 | -0.07-5.32–4.3 | -0.07 |
| 2093 | 0.67-0.98–2.01 | -0.07-5.43–4.1 | -0.07 |
| 2094 | 0.67-1.02–2.04 | -0.11-5.56–4.13 | -0.08 |
| 2095 | 0.66-1.02–2.04 | -0.06-5.67–4.19 | -0.09 |
| 2096 | 0.66-1.02–2.01 | -0.12-5.64–4.54 | -0.1 |
| 2097 | 0.65-1.04–2 | -0.14-5.74–4.45 | -0.11 |
| 2098 | 0.64-1.05–1.96 | -0.13-5.37–4.3 | -0.11 |
| 2099 | 0.64-1.03–1.95 | -0.16-5.71–4.21 | -0.12 |
| 2100 | 0.63-1.07–1.95 | -0.15-5.73–4.36 | -0.13 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How fast the population grew or shrank in a year: births minus deaths, plus people moving in minus people moving out.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, 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
Saudi Arabia vs Syria
Health
- Life expectancySaudi Arabia: 78.7 years in 2023Syria: 72.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySaudi Arabia: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024Syria: 1.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySaudi Arabia: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Syria: 16.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSaudi Arabia: 3.54% in 2017Syria: 3.58% in 2017
- Suicide rateSaudi Arabia: 2.9 per 100,000 people in 2017Syria: 3.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSaudi Arabia: 33.3 million people in 2023Syria: 23.6 million people in 2023
- Fertility rateSaudi Arabia: 2.28 births per woman in 2023Syria: 2.71 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSaudi Arabia: 84.6% in 2025Syria: 72.1% in 2025
- Median ageSaudi Arabia: 29.3 years in 2023Syria: 22.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSaudi Arabia: 2.8% in 2023Syria: 4.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateSaudi Arabia: 9.8 per 1,000 people in 2023Syria: 32.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSaudi Arabia: 6.48% of GDP in 2025Syria: 4.06% of GDP in 2010
- Military spending per personSaudi Arabia: $2,428 in 2025Syria: $110 in 2011
- Military share of state spendingSaudi Arabia: 23.5% of government spending in 2025Syria: 13.6% of government spending in 2010
- Armed forces personnelSaudi Arabia: 282,000 people in 2020Syria: 269,000 people in 2020
- National powerSaudi Arabia: 1.34% of world capability in 2022Syria: 0.29% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSaudi Arabia: 1.92% of the labour force in 2020Syria: 5.44% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSaudi Arabia: 3.04 billion TIV in 2025Syria: 2 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSaudi Arabia: 3 million TIV in 2023Syria: 30 million TIV in 2010