In 2009, Syria’s general government revenue is reported at 1,364,861 million Syrian pounds and 54.1% of GDP in IMF-based series, while the World Bank records tax revenue at 11.1% of GDP. The official source is the Central Bureau of Statistics, Statistical Yearbook 2010, Chapter 14, Table 4-14.
At a glance
For 2009, the headline general government revenue figure is 54.1% of GDP, equal to 1,364,861 million Syrian pounds in the IMF-based series used by the Global Macro Database. The official statistical reference is Chapter 14, Table 4-14 of the Central Bureau of Statistics (Syria) Statistical Yearbook 2010. The data belong to Syria’s pre-war economic structure, when the national budget was compiled on a government-controlled national basis. This page sets out the table, the tax-revenue measure and the reason databases disagree.
What the 2010 Statistical Yearbook records
The Central Bureau of Statistics (Syria) published the Statistical Yearbook 2010 in 2010. Chapter 14, Table 4-14, is the primary table for 2009 government revenue; it is the reference behind the IMF World Economic Outlook series for Syrian general government revenue. LevantStats explains what Syria’s Central Bureau of Statistics publishes and how its yearbooks fit into the broader data landscape. The yearbook table is compiled in Syrian pounds; the IMF-based derived series also expresses the same figure as a percentage of GDP using national-accounts denominators. The chapter is part of a larger statistical yearbook that covers national accounts, prices and public finance; it is normally consulted for pre-2011 Syrian fiscal data rather than for later conflict-period figures. Because the table is a print-era source, researchers usually cite it by chapter and table number rather than by a stable URL.
Syria government revenue 2009 by source
The source breakdown published for 2009 is fragmentary: the broad general-government total is available, while tax revenue and non-tax revenue are reported separately by the World Bank and CEIC.
| Series | Reported value | Unit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| General government revenue | 1,364,861 | million SYP | IMF WEO / GMD |
| General government revenue | 54.1 | % of GDP | IMF WEO / GMD |
| Tax revenue | 11.1 | % of GDP | World Bank GFS |
| Tax revenue, non-oil sector | 6,226 | US$ million | CEIC, Ministry of Finance / Central Bank |
The table shows that the general-government total and the tax-revenue figure are not directly comparable. The IMF-based measure includes tax and non-tax revenue; the World Bank and CEIC series isolate tax. CEIC reports the non-oil tax revenue in current US dollars using a market exchange rate, which is why it appears in a different unit from the Syrian-pound figure. For this reason, no single row above should be read as the whole of Syrian public revenue; each row identifies the concept as published. The official yearbook table, Chapter 14, Table 4-14, remains the primary reference for the Syrian-pound entry.
Why the 2009 figures differ
The figures differ because they measure different concepts, use different exchange-rate bases and rely on different source documents. General government revenue covers tax and non-tax revenue; tax revenue covers compulsory levies only. The IMF-based series reports in Syrian pounds and per cent of GDP, while CEIC reports selected tax revenue in US dollars. Exchange-rate choice matters: CEIC uses market rates, whereas the IMF series is denominated in local currency. LevantStats tracks Syria’s post-2011 currency and fiscal crisis, but the 2009 figures used here come from pre-2011 national publications.
The Central Bureau of Statistics yearbook gives the Syrian statistical base; the IMF World Economic Outlook and the World Bank Government Finance Statistics then reclassify figures into international definitions. Reclassifications can shift totals because international standards treat grants, social contributions and some off-budget receipts differently from national publications. Official Syrian figures for 2009 cover areas under government control, with no separate estimate available for territories outside it that year. The 2009 figure is therefore a historical benchmark, not a conflict-period estimate. Researchers comparing Syria’s 2009 revenue should state which series they are citing.
How to cite the primary source
To cite the primary table, include the agency, publication, year, chapter and table number:
- State the agency: Central Bureau of Statistics (Syria).
- Give the publication and year: Statistical Yearbook 2010.
- Identify the chapter and table: Chapter 14, Table 4-14.
- Add the series name: Syria government revenue 2009.
Avoid citing a secondary database as the primary source; the yearbook table is the primary statistical reference.
Frequently asked questions
What was Syria’s government revenue in 2009?
54.1% of GDP and 1,364,861 million Syrian pounds in the IMF/GMD series; the official yearbook Table 4-14 is the primary source.
How much tax revenue did Syria collect in 2009?
The World Bank records 11.1% of GDP. CEIC reports US$6,226 million based on Ministry of Finance and Central Bank data.
Where can I find the original table?
Central Bureau of Statistics, Statistical Yearbook 2010, Chapter 14, Table 4-14.
Sources and method notes
- Central Bureau of Statistics (Syria), Statistical Yearbook 2010, Chapter 14, Table 4-14.
- IMF World Economic Outlook, general government revenue series for Syria.
- World Bank Government Finance Statistics, tax revenue indicator.
- CEIC Data, tax revenue compiled from Ministry of Finance and Central Bank of Syria.
Published by