from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Syria
Introduction
Background: Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during
World War I, France administered Syria until its
independence in 1946. The country lacked political
stability, however, and experienced a series of
military coups during its first decades. Syria united
with Egypt in February 1958 to form the United Arab
Republic, but in September 1961 the two entities
separated and the Syrian Arab Republic was
reestablished. In November 1970, Hafiz al-ASAD, a
member of the Socialist Ba'th Party and the minority
Alawite sect, seized power in a bloodless coup and
brought political stability to the country. In the 1967
Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to
Israel, and over the past decade Syria and Israel have
held occasional peace talks over its return. Following
the death of President al-ASAD in July 2000, his son,
Bashar al-ASAD, was approved as president by popular
referendum. Syrian troops - stationed in Lebanon since
1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role - were
withdrawn in April of 2005.
Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Lebanon and Turkey
Geographic 35 00 N, 38 00 E
coordinates:
Map Middle East
references:
Area: total: 185,180 sq km
land: 184,050 sq km
water: 1,130 sq km
note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied
territory
Area - slightly larger than North Dakota
comparative:
Land total: 2,253 km
boundaries: border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375
km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km
Coastline: 193 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: contiguous zone: 41 nm
Climate: mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August)
and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along
coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in
Damascus
Terrain: primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal
plain; mountains in west
Elevation lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200
extremes: m
highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m
Natural petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores,
resources: asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum,
hydropower
Land use: arable land: 24.8%
permanent crops: 4.47%
other: 70.73% (2005)
Irrigated 13,330 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural dust storms, sandstorms
hazards:
Environment - deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion;
current desertification; water pollution from raw sewage and
issues: petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
international Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
agreements: Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use
note: sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August
2005 est.)
People
Population: 18,881,361
note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the
Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000
Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli
settlers (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 37% (male 3,592,915/female 3,384,722)
15-64 years: 59.7% (male 5,779,257/female 5,500,887)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 296,070/female 327,510)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 20.7 years
male: 20.6 years
female: 20.9 years (2006 est.)
Population 2.3% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 27.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 4.81 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 28.61 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 28.85 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 28.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 70.32 years
expectancy at male: 69.01 years
birth: female: 71.7 years (2006 est.)
Total 3.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - less than 500 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - less than 200 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Syrian(s)
adjective: Syrian
Ethnic groups: Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim
sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny
communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Languages: Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic,
Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat
understood
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.9%
male: 89.7%
female: 64% (2003 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic
conventional short form: Syria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah
local short form: Suriyah
former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
Government republic under an authoritarian, military-dominated
type: regime
Capital: name: Damascus
geographic coordinates: 33 30 N, 36 18 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins 1 April; ends 30
September
Administrative 14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al
divisions: Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As
Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah,
Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus
Independence: 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under
French administration)
National Independence Day, 17 April (1946)
holiday:
Constitution: 13 March 1973
Legal system: based on a combination of French and Ottoman civil law;
religious law is used in the family court system; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July
branch: 2000); Vice President Farouk al-SHARA (since 11
February 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji
al-UTRI (since 10 September 2003); Deputy Prime
Minister Abdallah al-DARDARI (since 14 June 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president
elections: president approved by popular referendum for
a seven-year term (no term limits); referendum last
held 10 July 2000 - after the death of President Hafiz
al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held
2007); vice president appointed by the president; prime
minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the
president
election results: Bashar al-ASAD approved as president;
percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%
note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June,
the Ba'th Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president
and presented his name to the People's Council on 25
June; he was approved by a popular referendum on 10
July
Legislative unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-Shaab (250
branch: seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held in
2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%,
independents 33%; seats by party - NPF 167,
independents 83; note - the constitution guarantees
that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance)
receives one-half of the seats
Judicial Supreme Constitutional Court (adjudicates electoral
branch: disputes and rules on constitutionality of laws and
decrees; justices appointed for four-year terms by the
President); High Judicial Council (appoints and
dismisses judges; headed by the President); Court of
Cassation (national level); State Security Courts (hear
cases related to national security); Personal Status
Courts (religious; hear cases related to marriage and
divorce); Courts of First Instance (local level;
include magistrate, summary, and peace courts)
Political Arab Socialist Unionist Movement [Ahmed al-AHMED];
parties and National Progressive Front or NPF (includes Arab
leaders: Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party; the governing
party) [President Bashar al-ASAD, secretary general];
Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallal Nasr
Al-DIN]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan
QUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party (two branches) [Wissal
Farha BAKDASH, Yuusuf Rashid FAYSAL]; Syrian Social
National Party [Jubran URAYJI]; Unionist Socialist
Party [Fayez ISMAIL]
Political Kurdish Democratic Alliance (includes several groups
pressure but has no designated leader); Kurdish Democratic Front
groups and (includes several groups but has no designated leader);
leaders: Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile in London) [Sadr
al-Din al-BAYANUNI]; National Democratic Front [Hassan
Abd al-AZIM]
International ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
organization ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
participation: IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO,
ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Imad MUSTAFA
representation chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
in the US: telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313
FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge
representation d'Affaires Michael CORBIN
from the US: embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansour Street, No. 2,
Damascus
mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus
telephone: [963] (11) 333-1342
FAX: [963] (11) 224-7938
Flag three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and
description: black, colors associated with the Arab Liberation flag;
two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line
centered in the white band; former flag of the United
Arab Republic where the two stars represented the
constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to the
flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq,
which has three green stars (plus an Arabic
inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white
band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of
Saladin centered in the white band; the current design
dates to 1980
Economy
Economy - The Syrian Government estimates the economy grew by 4.5
overview: percent in real terms in 2005, led by the petroleum and
agricultural sectors, which together account for about
half of GDP. Economic performance and the exchange rate
on the informal market were hit by international
political developments following the assassination in
February of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq
al-HARIRI and the specter of international sanctions.
Higher crude oil prices countered declining oil
production and exports and helped to narrow the budget
deficit and widen the current account surplus. The
Government of Syria has implemented modest economic
reforms in the last few years, including cutting
interest rates, opening private banks, consolidating
some of the multiple exchange rates, and raising prices
on some subsidized foodstuffs. Nevertheless, the
economy remains highly controlled by the government.
Long-run economic constraints include declining oil
production and exports, increasing pressure on water
supplies caused by rapid population growth, industrial
expansion, and water pollution.
GDP $71.42 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $25.84 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 2.8% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $3,900 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 24.9%
composition by industry: 23%
sector: services: 51.9% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 5.12 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 30%
by occupation: industry: 27%
services: 43% (2002 est.)
Unemployment 12.3% (2004 est.)
rate:
Population 20% (2004 est.)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 5% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 21.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $6.392 billion
expenditures: $7.613 billion; including capital
expenditures of $3.23 billion (2005 est.)
Public debt: 40.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives,
products: sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk
Industries: petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages,
tobacco, phosphate rock mining
Industrial 7% (2002 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 29.53 billion kWh (2003 est.)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 57.6%
production by hydro: 42.4%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 28.26 billion kWh (2003 est.)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 403,800 bbl/day (2005 est.)
production:
Oil - 240,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: 285,000 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Oil - proved 2.5 billion bbl (2005 est.)
reserves:
Natural gas - 6.95 billion cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 6.95 billion cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 240.7 billion cu m (2005)
proved
reserves:
Current $1.097 billion (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $6.344 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables,
commodities: cotton fiber, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat
Exports - Iraq 22.3%, Saudi Arabia 15.3%, Italy 8.4%, Germany
partners: 8.3%, Lebanon 7.7%, Egypt 4.3%, France 4.2% (2005)
Imports: $5.973 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - machinery and transport equipment, electric power
commodities: machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal
products, chemicals and chemical products, plastics,
yarn, paper
Imports - Saudi Arabia 10.6%, China 5.6%, Egypt 5.4%, Italy 5.3%,
partners: UAE 5.2%, Ukraine 4.2%, Germany 4.1% (2005)
Reserves of $5.363 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $8.566 billion; note - excludes military debt and debt
external: to Russia (2005 est.)
Economic aid - $180 million (2002 est.)
recipient:
Currency Syrian pound (SYP)
(code):
Currency code: SYP
Exchange Syrian pounds per US dollar - (public sector rate):
rates: 11.225 (2005), 11.225 (2004), 11.225 (2003), 11.225
(2002), 11.225 (2001), (parallel market rate in 'Amman
and Beirut): NA (2005), NA (2004), 52.8 (2003), 52.4
(2002), 50.4 (2001), (official rate for repaying
loans): 11.25 (2004)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 2.903 million (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 2.95 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: fair system currently undergoing
system: significant improvement and digital upgrades, including
fiber-optic technology
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay
network
international: country code - 963; satellite earth
stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial
cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan,
Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel
Radio AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 4.15 million (1997)
Television 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 1.05 million (1997)
Internet .sy
country code:
Internet 66 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 1 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 1.1 million (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 92 (2006)
Airports - total: 26
with paved over 3,047 m: 6
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - total: 66
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 54 (2006)
Heliports: 7 (2006)
Pipelines: gas 2,764 km; oil 2,000 km (2006)
Railways: total: 2,711 km
standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 91,795 km
paved: 18,451 km
unpaved: 73,344 km (2003)
Waterways: 900 km (not economically significant) (2005)
Merchant total: 108 ships (1000 GRT or over) 386,603 GRT/563,506
marine: DWT
by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 93, container 1,
livestock carrier 4, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll
off 1
foreign-owned: 11 (Lebanon 7, Romania 3, UAE 1)
registered in other countries: 130 (Cambodia 20,
Comoros 4, Cyprus 3, Dominica 1, Georgia 43, Hong Kong
1, North Korea 14, Lebanon 1, Malta 7, Mongolia 1,
Panama 18, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines 6, Sierra Leone 1, Slovakia 2, unknown
5) (2006)
Ports and Baniyas, Latakia
terminals:
Military
Military Syrian Armed Forces: Syrian Arab Army (includes Syrian
branches: Arab Navy), Syrian Arab Air and Air Defense Force
(includes Air Defense Command) (2005)
Military 18 years of age for compulsory military service;
service age conscript service obligation - 30 months (18 months in
and the Syrian Arab Navy); women are not conscripted but
obligation: may volunteer to serve (2004)
Manpower males age 18-49: 4,356,413
available for females age 18-49: 4,123,339 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 3,453,888
for military females age 18-49: 3,421,558 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 225,113
reaching females age 18-49: 211,829 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $858 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official
expenditures - budget data that may understate actual spending
dollar figure:
Military 5.9% (FY00)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied with the almost
international: 1,000-strong UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF)
patrolling a buffer zone since 1964; Lebanon claims
Shaba'a farms in Golan Heights; international pressure
prompts the removal of Syrian troops and intelligence
personnel stationed in Lebanon since October 1976; 2004
Agreement and pending demarcation settles border
dispute with Jordan
Refugees and refugees (country of origin): 432,048 (Palestinian
internally Refugees (UNRWA)) 14,391 (Iraq)
displaced IDPs: 170,000 (most displaced from Golan Heights during
persons: 1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2005)
Trafficking in current situation: Syria is a destination country for
persons: women from South and Southeast Asia and Africa for
domestic servitude and from Eastern Europe and Iraq for
sexual exploitation; women are recruited for work in
Syria as domestic servants, but some face conditions of
exploitation and involuntary servitude including long
hours, non-payment of wages, withholding of passports
and other restrictions on movement, and physical and
sexual abuse; Eastern European women recruited for work
in Syria as cabaret dancers are not permitted to leave
their work premises without permission and have their
passports withheld; some displaced Iraqi women and
children are reportedly forced into sexual exploitation
tier rating: Tier 3 - Syria does not fully comply with
the minimum standards for the elimination of
trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do
so
Illicit drugs: a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for
regional and Western markets; weak
anti-money-laundering controls and bank privatization
may leave it vulnerable to money-laundering