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Afghanistan vs Syria
Side-by-side comparison of Afghanistan and Syria from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Afghanistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · nation age 279 years
Syria
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · nation age 106 years
In short
Syria scores 24.9 in the NationsTree Index (177th in the world) and Afghanistan scores 21.5 (185th), a gap of 3.4 points. Their trees are 5.0 m and 5.7 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Afghanistan has 71% more people than Syria. Afghanistan is 3.5 times larger than Syria by land area. The economy of Syria is 16% larger than that of Afghanistan (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Afghanistan 43.8 million and Syria 25.6 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $4,905 in Syria and $2,236 in Afghanistan (2024, international dollars). People in Syria live on average 6.3 years longer (72.6 vs 66.3 years).
Of 26 indicators reported by both countries, Afghanistan ranks higher in the world on 9 and Syria on 17. Afghanistan is clearly stronger in economy, environment & energy and trade. Syria is clearly stronger in tourism, society & health and infrastructure & digital.
As a nation, Afghanistan is the older of the two (statehood since 1747, 279 years), compared with Syria (since 1920). Over the last five years Afghanistan improved faster (direction score 36 vs 33 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Afghanistan and Syria.
Afghanistan
37.3%
96th of 98
Syriabetter
94.4%
41st of 98
Renewable energyEnvironment & energy
Afghanistanbetter
20.0%
107th of 212
Syria
1.1%
187th of 212
Fixed broadbandInfrastructure & digital
Afghanistan
0.1
197th of 208
Syriabetter
6.9
134th of 208
Hospital bedsSociety & health
Afghanistan
0.4
141st of 145
Syriabetter
1.4
102nd of 145
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Syria overtook Afghanistan in the NationsTree Index in 2020 and has stayed ahead since.
Afghanistan overtook Syria in population in 1993 and has stayed ahead since.
Syria has been ahead of Afghanistan in life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
AfghanistanSyria All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Afghanistan | Syria |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 652,87040th/216 · 2024 | 185,18088th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 652,23040th/216 · 2024 | 183,63088th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 43.8 m36th/217 · 2025 | 25.6 m57th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 2.77%20th/217 · 2025 | 3.77%5th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 65.4140th/216 · 2024 | 134.484th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 25.9%204th/217 · 2025 | 72.1%81st/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 42.6%11th/217 · 2025 | 28.4%78th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 2.4%210th/217 · 2025 | 4.8%151st/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $17.78 bn138th/210 · 2024 | $23.74 bn125th/210 · 2022 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $95.37 bn104th/199 · 2024 | $110.18 bn99th/199 · 2022 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $83.78 bn103rd/199 · 2024 | $102.86 bn96th/199 · 2022 |
| GDP per person USD | $417209th/210 · 2024 | $1,057196th/210 · 2022 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $2,236189th/199 · 2024 | $4,905167th/199 · 2022 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $390200th/201 · 2024 | $720193rd/201 · 2022 |
| GDP growth % | 1.9%149th/210 · 2024 | -0.2%195th/210 · 2022 |
| Inflation % | -6.6%1st/180 · 2024 | 13.4%2019 |
| Unemployment % | 13.4%167th/187 · 2025 | 13.6%168th/187 · 2025 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 7.6%6th/189 · 2025 | 30.0%2010 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -0.5%48th/192 · 2025 | -7.8%2010 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 34.3%6th/197 · 2024 | 42.9%2nd/197 · 2022 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 14.5%163rd/200 · 2024 | 11.9%175th/200 · 2022 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 8.4%117th/192 · 2024 | — |
| Services % of GDP | 45.2%169th/200 · 2024 | 44.7%170th/200 · 2022 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $2.79 bn146th/182 · 2024 | $1.61 bn153rd/182 · 2022 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $12.10 bn116th/182 · 2024 | $6.80 bn131st/182 · 2022 |
| Exports % of GDP | 15.7%159th/183 · 2024 | 6.8%180th/183 · 2022 |
| Imports % of GDP | 68.1%39th/183 · 2024 | 28.7%139th/183 · 2022 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 83.8%87th/183 · 2024 | 35.4%168th/183 · 2022 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 8.1%2019 | 49.9%2010 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 4.8%2019 | 24.7%2010 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 63.9%2019 | 21.0%2010 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 2.2%2019 | 2.7%2010 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 0.0%2019 | 1.4%2010 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -37.9%189th/191 · 2025 | -2.8%2010 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.1%170th/196 · 2021 | 1.2%2011 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.4%136th/209 · 2021 | 6.4%65th/209 · 2020 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.02%98th/197 · 2021 | 4.02%29th/197 · 2020 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/197 · 2021 | 2.33%20th/197 · 2020 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.02%44th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2020 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2020 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.39%75th/209 · 2021 | 0.03%137th/209 · 2020 |
| Arable land % of land area | 12.0%86th/206 · 2024 | 24.0%41st/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 1,162122nd/183 · 2022 | 318160th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | — | 2.4 m59th/194 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $75.0 m147th/175 · 2020 | $1.82 bn2011 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 5.1%85th/168 · 2020 | 32.2%2010 |
| Outbound trips departures | — | 6.3 m2010 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 66.3184th/217 · 2024 | 72.6130th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 53.0171st/196 · 2024 | 18.4119th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.32133rd/174 · 2023 | 1.5293rd/174 · 2021 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 0.4141st/145 · 2023 | 1.4102nd/145 · 2021 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 59%186th/193 · 2024 | 73%162nd/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 15.3%146th/153 · 2022 | 34.1%2009 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 59.6%147th/173 · 2023 | 38.7%165th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 8.8%2011 | 8.2%2003 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 4.4%209th/217 · 2025 | 7.3%158th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 15.0%4th/193 · 2023 | 2.7%184th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 37.3%96th/98 · 2021 | 94.4%41st/98 · 2021 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 10.9%2020 | 43.8%2016 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.496181st/193 · 2023 | 0.564162nd/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | — | 26.47th/108 · 2022 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | — | 18.0%89th/108 · 2022 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 87.8%166th/215 · 2024 | 89.3%162nd/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 30.6%127th/150 · 2024 | — |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 24.8%119th/144 · 2024 | — |
| Internet users % of population | 16.1%181st/186 · 2024 | 33.8%2018 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 60194th/210 · 2024 | 71175th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 0.1197th/208 · 2023 | 6.9134th/208 · 2023 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 1.70163rd/164 · 2022 | 2.20131st/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | — | 2,1392010 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 1.0 m98th/161 · 2023 | 610,745114th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.2828th/203 · 2024 | 1.2771st/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 20.0%107th/212 · 2022 | 1.1%187th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 37.9175th/200 · 2023 | 32.1159th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 1.9%189th/214 · 2024 | 2.9%187th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | — | 333137th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 12.0203rd/205 · 2025 | 19.9196th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 21.7188th/207 · 2025 | 15.4204th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 28.1202nd/207 · 2025 | 28.7201st/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 29.8200th/207 · 2025 | 25.0205th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 30.8191st/205 · 2025 | 24.3200th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 17.7204th/205 · 2025 | 28.0186th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 4.089th/145 · 2021 | 2.12010 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $278.3 m117th/156 · 2021 | $2.49 bn2011 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.8%76th/156 · 2021 | 4.1%2010 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 5.0%2020 | 13.6%2010 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 165,00037th/170 · 2020 | 269,00026th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.82%32nd/168 · 2020 | 5.44%3rd/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 65.0 m57th/163 · 2021 | 2.0 m144th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 1.0 m1992 | 30.0 m2010 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | — | 0.04%107th/110 · 2022 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | — | 10469th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 169130th/197 · 2023 | 64694th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Afghanistan or Syria?
Afghanistan has the larger population: 43.8 m (2025) compared with 25.6 m for Syria (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Afghanistan or Syria?
Afghanistan is larger: 652,870 km² (2024) compared with 185,180 km² for Syria (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Afghanistan or Syria?
Syria has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $110.18 bn intl. (2022) compared with $95.37 bn intl. for Afghanistan (2024). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Afghanistan or Syria?
Syria has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $4,905 intl. (2022) compared with $2,236 intl. for Afghanistan (2024). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Afghanistan or Syria?
Syria has the higher life expectancy at birth: 72.6 years (2024) compared with 66.3 years for Afghanistan (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Afghanistan or Syria?
Syria spends more on the military: $2.49 bn (2011) compared with $278.3 m for Afghanistan (2021). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Afghanistan or Syria?
Syria: 24.9 points (177th in the world); Afghanistan: 21.5 points (185th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Bahrain
Djibouti
Lebanon
Libya
Malta
Palestine
JordanSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Afghanistan vs Syria — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/afghanistan-vs-syria. Data as of 26 October 2026.