1996 Edition

Description

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

Location

35 00 N, 38 00 E -- Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly larger than North Dakota

land area

184,050 sq km

note

includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

total area

185,180 sq km

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 hitting Damascus

Coastline

193 km

Environment

current issues

deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from dumping of raw sewage and wastes from petroleum refining; inadequate supplies of potable water

international agreements

party to - Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Desertification, Environmental Modification

natural hazards

dust storms, sandstorms

Geographic coordinates

35 00 N, 38 00 E

Geographic note

there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 1995 est.)

International disputes

Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; Hatay question with Turkey; dispute over Turkey's water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976

Irrigated land

10,000 sq km (1992)

Land boundaries

border countries

Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km

total

2,253 km

Land use

arable land

28%

forest and woodland

3%

meadows and pastures

46%

other

20%

permanent crops

3%

Location

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

41 nm

territorial sea

35 nm

Natural resources

petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum

Terrain

primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west

highest point

Mount Hermon 2,814 m

lowest point

unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 47% (male 3,738,671; female 3,557,474) 15-64 years: 50% (male 4,013,355; female 3,843,466) 65 years and over: 3% (male 227,249; female 228,433) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

39.56 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

5.86 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Infant mortality rate

40 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian, French widely understood

Life expectancy at birth

female

68.38 years (1996 est.)

male

65.94 years

total population

67.13 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

55.8%

male

85.7%

total population

70.8%

Nationality

adjective

Syrian

noun

Syrian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

15,608,648 (July 1996 est.)

note

in addition, there are 31,300 people living in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 16,500 Arabs (15,000 Druze and 1,500 Alawites) and 14,800 Israeli settlers (August 1995 est.)

Population growth rate

3.37% (1996 est.)

Religions

Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Sex ratio

all ages

1.05 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

5.91 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus

Capital

Damascus

Constitution

13 March 1973

Data code

SY

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Walid MUALEM

telephone

[1] (202) 232-6313

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers was appointed by the president

chief of state

President Hafiz al-ASAD (since 22 February 1971; see note) was reelected for a seven-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 2 December 1991 (next to be held NA December 1998); results - President Hafiz al-ASAD was reelected for a fourth seven-year term with 99.98% of the vote; note - President ASAD seized power in the November 1970 coup, assumed presidential powers 22 February 1971, and was confirmed as president in the 12 March 1971 national elections; Vice Presidents 'Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since NA), Rifaat al-ASAD (since NA), and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984) were appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Mahmud ZUBI (since 1 November 1987), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March 1984), Salim YASIN (since NA December 1981), and Rashid AKHTARINI (since 4 July 1992) were appointed by the president

FAX

[1] (202) 234-9548

[963] (11) 224-7938

Flag

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

Independence

17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)

International organization participation

ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO

Judicial branch

Supreme Constitutional Court, justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president; High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts

Legal system

based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form

Syrian Arab Republic

conventional short form

Syria

former

United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

local long form

Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

local short form

Suriyah

National holiday

National Day, 17 April (1946)

National Progressive Front includes

the ruling Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party, Hafiz al-ASAD, president of the republic, secretary general of the party, and chairman of the National Progressive Front; Syrian Arab Socialist Party (ASP), 'Abd al-Ghani KANNUT; Arab Socialist Union (ASU), Jamal ATASSI; Syrian Communist Party (SCP), Wisal FARHAH; Arab Socialist Unionist Movement, Sami SOUFAN; and Democratic Socialist Union Party, Ghassan UTHMAN

Other political or pressure groups

non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence; Communist party ineffective; conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood

People's Council (Majlis al-Chaab)

elections last held 24-25 August 1994 (next to be held NA 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (250 total) National Progressive Front 167, independents 83

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic under military regime since March 1963

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Christopher W. S. ROSS

embassy

Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street No. 2, Damascus

mailing address

P. O. Box 29, Damascus

telephone

[963] (11) 333-2814, 333-0788, 332-0783

Agriculture

wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas; beef, lamb, eggs, poultry, milk

Budget

expenditures

$3.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.)

revenues

$2.5 billion

Currency

1 Syrian pound (LS) = 100 piastres

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $259 million (1993)

Economic overview

During 1990-92 Syria's state-dominated economy benefited from the Gulf war, increased oil production, good weather, and economic reform. Economic growth averaged roughly 10%. The war led to a Syrian aid windfall of nearly $5 billion from Arab, European, and Japanese donors. Most positive economic trends ended in 1993 due to the dissipation of the Gulf war boom, a domestic financial crisis, and economic policy missteps. Economic growth has dropped below 5%, income inequality is increasing, the government budget deficit is growing, and international accounts are weakening. For the long run, Syria's economy is saddled with a large number of poorly performing public sector firms and low industrial productivity. Oil production is likely to ebb by the end of the decade. Unemployment will likely rise as the more than 60% of the population under age 20 moves into the labor force. The economic benefits of any peace treaty with Israel will depend in large part on the pace of economic reform.

Electricity

capacity

4,160,000 kW

consumption per capita

865 kWh (1993)

production

13.2 billion kWh

Exchange rates

Syrian pounds (LS) per US$1 - 11.225 (official fixed rate), 26.6 ("blended rate" used by the UN and diplomatic missions), 42.0 ("neighboring country rate" - applies to most state enterprise imports), 48.0 - 52.0 (offshore rate) (1994)

Exports

$3.5 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities

petroleum 66%, cotton, fruits and vegetables 14%, textiles 9%, animal products 4%, industrial products 3%

partners

EU 61%, Arab countries 24%, former CEMA countries, China, Yugoslavia 5%, US and Canada 3% (1993 est.)

External debt

$21.2 billion (1995 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $91.2 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

30%

industry

25%

services

45% (1994 est.)

GDP per capita

$5,900 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

4.4% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

a transit point for Lebanese and Turkish refined cocaine going to Europe and heroin and hashish bound for regional and Western markets

Imports

$5.4 billion (c.i.f., 1994)

commodities

machinery 25%, metal products 16%, transport equipment 15%, foodstuffs 12%, textiles 10%

partners

EU 37%, former CEMA countries, China, Yugoslavia 17%, US and Canada 7%, Arab countries 6% (1993 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

5% (1994 est.)

Industries

textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining, petroleum

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

15.1% (1994 est.)

Labor force

4.7 million (1995 est.)

by occupation

services 42%, industry 36%, agriculture 22% (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate

8% (1994 est.)

Branches

Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force, Syrian Arab Air Defense Forces, Police and Security Force

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $875 million, 8% of GDP (1994 est.); note - based on official budget data that understate actual spending

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

3,590,557

males fit for military service

2,011,610

males reach military age (19) annually

164,598 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 9, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios

3.392 million (1992 est.)

Telephone system

fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology

domestic

coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network

international

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

Telephones

541,465 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations

17

Televisions

700,000 (1993 est.) Defense

Airports

total

99

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

1

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

15

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

1

with paved runways over 3 047 m

5

with paved runways under 914 m

62

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

2

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

13 (1995 est.)

Heliports

2 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

24,308 km (including 712 km of expressways)

total

31,569 km

unpaved

7,261 km (1991 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 12, cargo 85, livestock carrier 1, vehicle carrier 1 (1995 est.)

total

99 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 294,355 GRT/454,990 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km

Ports

Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus

Railways

broad gauge

1,766 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge

232 km 1.050-m gauge

total

1,998 km

Waterways

870 km; minimal economic importance