The reliability of population figures after the begin of the civil war in 2011 is limited.
Governorates
The population of the governorates of Syria according to census results and official estimates.
| Name | Abbr. | Status | Native | Capital | Area A (km²) | Population Census (C) 1981-09-08 | Population Census (C) 2004-09-22 | Population Estimate (E) 2011-12-31 | Population Estimate (E) 2021-07-01 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syria | SYR | سوريا | Dimashq | 185,180 | 9,052,628 | 17,920,844 | 21,377,000 | 22,923,000 | ||||
| Al-Ḥasakah | HAS | Gov | الحسكة | Al-Ḥasakah | 23,334 | 669,756 | 1,275,118 | 1,512,000 | 1,865,000 | 2333400 | ||
| Al-Lādhiqiyah [Latakia] | LAT | Gov | اللاذقية | Al-Lādhiqiyah | 2,297 | 554,384 | 879,551 | 1,008,000 | 1,346,000 | 229700 | ||
| Al-Qunayṭirah [Quneitra] | QUN | Gov | القنيطرة | Al-Qunayṭirah | 685 | 26,258 | 66,627 | 90,000 | 124,000 | 68500 | ||
| Ar-Raqqah | RAQ | Gov | الرقة | Ar-Raqqah | 19,616 | 348,383 | 793,514 | 944,000 | 940,000 | 1961600 | ||
| As-Suwaydā' | SUW | Gov | السويداء | As-Suwaydā' | 5,550 | 199,114 | 313,231 | 370,000 | 540,000 | 555000 | ||
| Dar'ā [Daraa] | DAR | Gov | درعا | Dar'ā | 3,730 | 362,969 | 843,478 | 1,027,000 | 966,000 | 373000 | ||
| Dayr az-Zawr [Deir ez-Zor] | DAY | Gov | دير الزور | Dayr az-Zawr | 33,060 | 409,130 | 1,004,747 | 1,239,000 | 1,267,000 | 3306000 | ||
| Dimashq [Damascus] | DIM | Cap | دمشق | Dimashq | 105 | 1,112,214 | 1,552,161 | 1,754,000 | 2,103,000 | 10500 | ||
| Ḥalab [Aleppo] | HAL | Gov | حلب | Ḥalab | 18,500 | 1,878,701 | 4,045,166 | 4,868,000 | 4,118,000 | 1850000 | ||
| Ḥamāh [Hama] | HAM | Gov | حماة | Ḥamāh | 8,883 | 736,452 | 1,384,953 | 1,628,000 | 2,147,000 | 888300 | ||
| Ḥimṣ [Homs] | HIM | Gov | حمص | Ḥimṣ | 42,223 | 815,103 | 1,529,402 | 1,803,000 | 1,790,000 | 4222300 | ||
| Idlib | IDL | Gov | ادلب | Idlib | 6,097 | 579,510 | 1,258,427 | 1,501,000 | 1,172,000 | 609700 | ||
| Rīf Dimashq [Damascus Rural] | RDM | Gov | ريف دمشق | Dimashq | 18,032 | 917,364 | 2,273,074 | 2,836,000 | 3,372,000 | 1803200 | ||
| Ṭarṭūs | TAR | Gov | طرطوس | Ṭarṭūs | 1,892 | 443,290 | 701,395 | 797,000 | 1,172,000 | 189200 | ||
| Haḍbat al-Jawlān [Golan Heights - annexed by Israel] | - | هضبة الجولان | 1,176 | ... | ... | ... | ... | 117600 | → |
- The tabulated mid-2021 population of Syria is 3.98 million less than the original projection for 2021. However, this difference is less than the number of refugees abroad given by the UNHCR (6.85 million in 2021).
- (1981) UN Demographic Yearbook 1988.
(2004) (2011) (2021) Central Bureau of Statistics, Syrian Arab Republic (web).
Major Cities
| Name | Adm. | Population Census (C) 2004-09-22 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ḥalab | HAL | 2,132,100 |
| 2 | Dimashq | DIM | 1,414,913 |
| 3 | Ḥimṣ | HIM | 652,609 |
| 4 | Al-Lādhiqiyah | LAT | 383,786 |
| 5 | Ḥamāh | HAM | 312,994 |
| 6 | Ar-Raqqah | RAQ | 220,488 |
| 7 | Dayr az-Zawr | DAY | 211,857 |
| 8 | Al-Ḥasakah | HAS | 188,160 |
| 9 | Al-Qāmishlī | HAS | 184,231 |
Contents: Cities & Localities
The population of Syrian cities and localities with more than 20,000 inhabitants by census years.
| Name | Native | Adm. | Population Census (Cf) 1981-09-08 | Population Census (C) 1994-09-03 | Population Census (C) 2004-09-22 | Area | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abū Ḥammām | أبو حمام | DAY | ... | ... | 21,947 | 0 | |
| Abū Kamāl | البوكمال | DAY | 17,507 | ... | 42,510 | 0 | |
| Aḍ-Ḍumayr [Dumeir] | الضمير | RDM | ... | ... | 24,223 | 0 | |
| 'Adrā | عدرا | RDM | ... | ... | 20,559 | 0 | |
| 'Afrīn (Efrîn) | عفرين | HAL | 11,914 | ... | 36,562 | 0 | |
| 'Aīn al-'Arab (Kobanî, Kobanê) | عين العرب | HAL | 12,393 | ... | 44,821 | 0 | |
| 'Aīn Tarmā | عين ترما | RDM | ... | ... | 35,722 | 0 | |
| Al-Bāb | الباب | HAL | 30,008 | ... | 63,069 | 0 | |
| Al-Ḥajar al-Aswad | الحجر الأسود | RDM | 23,563 | ... | 84,948 | 0 | |
| Al-Ḥarāk | الحراك | DAR | ... | ... | 20,760 | 0 | |
| Al-Ḥasakah (Hesîçe) | الحسكة | HAS | 73,426 | 119,798 | 188,160 | 0 | |
| Al-Kiswah | الكسوة | RDM | ... | ... | 43,456 | 0 | |
| Al-Lādhiqiyah [Latakia] | اللاذقية | LAT | 196,791 | 311,784 | 383,786 | 0 | |
| Al-Malīḥah (Dêrika Hemko) | المليحة | RDM | ... | ... | 23,034 | 0 | |
| Al-Mālikiyah | المالكية | HAS | 13,225 | ... | 26,311 | 0 | |
| Al-Mayādīn | الميادين | DAY | 14,966 | ... | 44,028 | 0 | |
| Al-Qāmishlī (Qamişlo) | القامشلي | HAS | 92,990 | 144,286 | 184,231 | 0 | |
| Al-Qunayṭirah [Quneitra] | القنيطرة | QUN | ... | ... | 153 | 0 | |
| Al-Qūriyah | القورية | DAY | ... | ... | 28,172 | 0 | |
| Al-Quṣayr | القصير | HIM | 14,801 | ... | 29,818 | 0 | |
| Al-Quṭayfah | القطيفة | RDM | 12,259 | ... | 26,671 | 0 | |
| Al-Yarmūk [Yarmouk] | اليرموك | DIM | ... | ... | 137,248 | 0 | |
| 'Amūdā | عامودا | HAS | ... | ... | 26,821 | 0 | |
| An-Nabk | النبك | RDM | 19,521 | ... | 32,548 | 0 | |
| 'Arbīn | عربين | RDM | ... | ... | 44,934 | 0 | |
| Arīḥā | أريحا | IDL | 17,805 | ... | 39,501 | 0 | |
| Ar-Raqqah [Ar-Rakka] | الرقة | RAQ | 87,138 | 165,195 | 220,488 | 0 | |
| Ar-Rastan | الرستن | HIM | 15,091 | ... | 39,834 | 0 | |
| Ar-Ruḥaybah | الرحيبة | RDM | ... | ... | 30,450 | 0 | |
| Ashrafiyat Ṣaḥnāyā | أشرفية صحنايا | RDM | ... | ... | 30,519 | 0 | |
| Ash-Shaykh Maskīn | الشيخ مسكين | DAR | ... | ... | 24,057 | 0 | |
| As-Sabīnah | السبينة | RDM | ... | ... | 62,509 | 0 | |
| As-Safīrah | السفيرة | HAL | 21,197 | ... | 63,708 | 0 | |
| As-Salamiyah | السلمية | HAM | 35,909 | ... | 66,724 | 0 | |
| Aṣ-Ṣanamayn | الصنمين | DAR | ... | ... | 26,268 | 0 | |
| As-Sayyidah Zaynab | السيدة زينب | RDM | ... | ... | 136,427 | 0 | |
| As-Suwaydā' | السويداء | SUW | 43,414 | ... | 73,641 | 0 | |
| Ath-Thawrah | الثورة | RAQ | 44,782 | ... | 69,425 | 0 | |
| At-Tall | التل | RDM | 18,198 | ... | 44,597 | 0 | |
| A'zāz | أعزاز | HAL | 16,557 | ... | 31,623 | 0 | |
| Az-Zabadānī | الزبداني | RDM | 16,464 | ... | 26,285 | 0 | |
| Babīlā | ببيلا | RDM | ... | ... | 50,880 | 0 | |
| Bāniyās | بانياس | TAR | 19,506 | ... | 41,632 | 0 | |
| Binnish | بنش | IDL | ... | ... | 21,848 | 0 | |
| Buṣra āsh-Shām [Bosra] | بصرى الشام | DAR | ... | ... | 19,683 | 0 | |
| Dā'il | داعل | DAR | ... | ... | 29,408 | 0 | |
| Dar'ā [Daraa] | درعا | DAR | 49,534 | ... | 97,969 | 0 | |
| Dārayyā | داريا | RDM | 34,048 | ... | 78,763 | 0 | |
| Dayr az-Zawr [Deir ez-Zor] | دير الزور | DAY | 92,091 | 140,459 | 211,857 | 0 | |
| Dimashq [Damascus] | دمشق | DIM | 1,112,214 | 1,394,322 | 1,414,913 | 0 | |
| Dūmā [Douma] | دوما | RDM | 51,337 | ... | 110,893 | 0 | |
| Gharānīj | غرانيج | DAY | ... | ... | 23,009 | 0 | |
| Hajīn | هجين | DAY | ... | ... | 37,935 | 0 | |
| Ḥalab [Aleppo] | حلب | HAL | 985,413 | 1,582,930 | 2,132,100 | 0 | |
| Ḥalfāyā | حلفايا | HAM | ... | ... | 21,180 | 0 | |
| Ḥamāh [Hama] | حماة | HAM | 177,208 | 264,348 | 312,994 | 0 | |
| Ḥarastā al-Baṣal | حرستا | RDM | 25,657 | ... | 68,708 | 0 | |
| Ḥimṣ [Homs] | حمص | HIM | 346,871 | 540,133 | 652,609 | 0 | |
| Idlib | إدلب | IDL | 51,682 | ... | 98,791 | 0 | |
| Inkhil | أنخل | DAR | ... | ... | 31,258 | 0 | |
| Izra' | ازرع | DAR | ... | ... | 19,158 | 0 | |
| Jablah | جبلة | LAT | 24,784 | ... | 53,989 | 0 | |
| Jaramānā | جرمانا | RDM | 64,305 | ... | 114,363 | 0 | |
| Jāsim | جاسم | DAR | ... | ... | 31,683 | 0 | |
| Jayrūd | جيرود | RDM | ... | ... | 24,219 | 0 | |
| Jisr ash-Shughūr | جسر الشغور | IDL | 21,461 | ... | 39,917 | 0 | |
| Judaydat 'Arṭūz | جديدة عرطوز | RDM | ... | ... | 45,000 | 0 | |
| Kafr Baṭnā | كفر بطنا | RDM | ... | ... | 22,535 | 0 | |
| Kafr Lāhā | كفر لاها | HIM | ... | ... | 20,041 | 0 | |
| Khan Shaykhūn | خان شيخون | IDL | ... | ... | 34,371 | 0 | |
| Ma'arrat an-Nu'mān | معرة النعمان | IDL | 25,579 | ... | 58,008 | 0 | |
| Manbij | منبج | HAL | 30,812 | ... | 99,497 | 0 | |
| Maṣyāf | مصياف | HAM | 12,977 | ... | 22,508 | 0 | |
| Mu'aḍamiyat ash-Shām | معضمیه الشام | RDM | ... | ... | 52,738 | 0 | |
| Nawā | نوى | DAR | 20,309 | ... | 47,066 | 0 | |
| Nubl | نبل | HAL | ... | ... | 21,039 | 0 | |
| Qaṭanā | قطنا | RDM | 17,928 | ... | 33,996 | 0 | |
| Qudsayā | قدسيا | RDM | ... | ... | 33,571 | 0 | |
| Ra's al-'Aīn (Serê Kanîyê) | رأس العين | HAS | 14,278 | ... | 29,347 | 0 | |
| Ṣāfītā | صافيتا | TAR | 10,016 | ... | 20,301 | 0 | |
| Salqīn | سلقين | IDL | ... | ... | 23,700 | 0 | |
| Saqbā | سقبا | RDM | ... | ... | 25,696 | 0 | |
| Sarāqib | سراقب | IDL | ... | ... | 32,495 | 0 | |
| Ṣubaykhān | صبيخان | DAY | ... | ... | 23,867 | 0 | |
| Ṣūrān | صوران | HAM | ... | ... | 29,100 | 0 | |
| Tadmur [Palmyra] | تدمر | HIM | 18,122 | ... | 51,323 | 0 | |
| Ṭafas | طفس | DAR | ... | ... | 32,236 | 0 | |
| Tallbīsah | تلبيسة | HIM | ... | ... | 30,796 | 0 | |
| Tall Rif'at | تل رفعت | HAL | ... | ... | 20,514 | 0 | |
| Ṭarṭūs [Tartous] | طرطوس | TAR | 52,589 | ... | 115,769 | 0 | |
| Ṭaybat al-Imām | طيبة الإمام | HAM | ... | ... | 24,105 | 0 | |
| Yabrūd | يبرود | RDM | 17,064 | ... | 25,891 | 0 | |
| Yaldā | يلدا | RDM | ... | ... | 28,384 | 0 | |
| Zamalkā | زملكا | RDM | ... | ... | 44,661 | 0 |
- (1981) Population Census Report 1981, Central Bureau of Statistics (provided by Clive Thornton).
(1994) UN Demographic Yearbook 1999.
(2004) Central Bureau of Statistics, Syrian Arab Republic (provided by Dariusz Gierczak).