2000 Edition

Background

Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon, ostensibly in a peacekeeping capacity. Talks with Israel over the return of the Golan Heights have recently been revived.

Area

land

184,050 sq km

note

includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

total

185,180 sq km

water

1,130 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than North Dakota

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

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Hermon 2,814 m

lowest point

unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m

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

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geographic coordinates

35 00 N, 38 00 E

Geography - note

there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 1999 est.)

Irrigated land

9,060 sq km (1993 est.)

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%

forests and woodland

3%

other

22% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

4%

permanent pastures

43%

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 hazards

dust storms, sandstorms

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 41% (male 3,410,417; female 3,210,215) 15-64 years: 56% (male 4,688,967; female 4,476,022) 65 years and over: 3% (male 254,448; female 265,590) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

31.11 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

5.29 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

34.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

69.64 years (2000 est.)

male

67.35 years

total population

68.46 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

55.8% (1997 est.)

male

85.7%

total population

70.8%

Nationality

adjective

Syrian

noun

Syrian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

16,305,659

note

in addition, there are about 38,200 people living in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 18,200 Arabs (16,500 Druze and 1,700 Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

2.58% (2000 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

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female

total population

1.05 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.06 children born/woman (2000 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

Country name

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

Data code

SY

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Ryan C. CROCKER

embassy

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

mailing address

P. O. Box 29, Damascus

telephone

(11) 333-2814, 333-0788, 332-0783

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant)

telephone

(202) 232-6313

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President Hafiz al-ASAD (since 22 February 1971); 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 11 March 1984) and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)

election results

Hafiz al-ASAD reelected president; percent of vote - Hafiz al-ASAD 99%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; referendum/election last held 8 February 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Mohammad Mustaf MIRU (since 13 March 2000), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March 1984), Dr. Salim YASIN (since NA December 1981), and Rashid AKHTARINI (since 4 July 1992)

FAX

(202) 234-9548

(11) 224-7938

Flag 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 heraldic eagle centered in the white band

Government type

republic under military regime since March 1963

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, IHO, 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 People's Council or Majlis al-shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, non-NPF 33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receive one-half of the seats

elections

last held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)

National holiday

National Day, 17 April (1946)

Political parties and leaders

National Progressive Front (NPF) (includes the Ba'th Party, ASU, Arab Socialist Party, Socialist Unionist Democratic Party, ASP, SCP) ; Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party (governing party) [Hafiz al-ASAD, president of the republic, secretary general of the party, and chairman of the National Progressive Front]; Arab Socialist Unionist Movement or ASU ; Arab Socialist Party [Abd al-Ghani KANNUT]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party ; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP ; Syrian Communist Party or SCP

Political pressure groups and leaders

Communist party ineffective; conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile in Jordan and Yemen); non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk

Budget

expenditures

$4.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

revenues

$3.5 billion

Currency

1 Syrian pound = 100 piastres

Debt - external

$22 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$199 million (1997 est.)

Economy - overview

Syria's predominantly statist economy is on a shaky footing because of Damascus's failure to implement extensive economic reform. The dominant agricultural sector remains underdeveloped, with roughly 80% of agricultural land still dependent on rain-fed sources. Although Syria has sufficient water supplies in the aggregate at normal levels of precipitation, the great distance between major water supplies and population centers poses serious distribution problems. The water problem is exacerbated by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution. Private investment is critical to the modernization of the agricultural, energy, and export sectors. Oil production is leveling off, and the efforts of the nonoil sector to penetrate international markets have fallen short. Syria's inadequate infrastructure, outmoded technological base, and weak educational system make it vulnerable to future shocks and hamper competition with neighbors such as Jordan and Israel.

Electricity - consumption

16.275 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

17.5 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

42.86%

hydro

57.14%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Syrian pounds per US$1 - 46 (1998), 41.9 (January 1997); official fixed rate - 11.225 Syrian pounds per US$1

Exports

$3.3 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum 65%, textiles 10%, manufactured goods 10%, fruits and vegetables 7%, raw cotton 5%, live sheep 2%, phosphates 1% (1998 est.)

Exports - partners

Germany 14%, Turkey 13%, Italy 12%, France 9%, Lebanon 9%, Spain (1998 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $42.2 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

29%

industry

22%

services

49% (1997)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

0% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$3.2 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment 23%, foodstuffs/animals 20%, metal and metal products 15%, textiles 10%, chemicals 10% (1998 est.)

Imports - partners

Ukraine 16%, Italy 6%, Germany 6%, Turkey 5%, France 4%, South Korea, Japan, US (1998 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

0.2% (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.3% (1999 est.)

Labor force

4.7 million (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line

15%-25%

Unemployment rate

12%-15% (1998 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

4.15 million (1997)

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 - main lines in use

930,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

NA

Television broadcast stations

54 (of which 36 are low-power and repeater stations) (1997)

Televisions

1.05 million (1997)

Airports

104 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

24 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

80 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 63 (1999 est.)

Heliports

2 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

26,299 km (including 877 km of expressways)

total

36,377 km

unpaved

10,078 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 11, cargo 120, livestock carrier 5, roll-on/roll-off 1 (1999 est.)

total

137 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 429,005 GRT/626,069 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km

Ports and harbors

Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus

Railways

narrow gauge

327 km 1.050-m gauge (2000)

standard gauge

2,423 km 1.435-m gauge

total

2,750 km

Waterways

870 km; minimal economic importance

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$800 million-$1 billion (FY97 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

5.9% (FY98)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 4,220,578 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 2,358,973 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

19 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

196,616 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; dispute with upstream riparian Turkey over Turkish water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976

Illicit drugs

a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and Western markets

TAIWAN