Important: Wikitravel is exploring a license upgrade to CC by-sa 3.0, please give your consent or refusal here.

From Wikitravel

Moved from Syria by Evan, facts for use in writing good prose

[edit] Geography

Location 

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

Geographic coordinates 

35 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references 

Middle East

Area 

total: 185,180 sq km
note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory
water: 1,130 sq km
land: 184,050 sq km

Area - comparative 

slightly larger than North Dakota

Land boundaries 

total: 2,253 km
border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km

Coastline 

193 km

Maritime claims 

contiguous zone: 41 NM
territorial sea: 35 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 extremes 

lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m

Natural resources 

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

Land use 

arable land: 25.96%
permanent crops: 4.08%
other: 69.96% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 

12,130 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards 

dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues 

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

Geography - note 

there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (February 2002 est.)

[edit] People

Population 

17,155,814 (July 2002 est.)
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 (February 2003 est.)

Age structure 

0-14 years: 39.3% (male 3,467,267; female 3,264,639)
15-64 years: 57.5% (male 5,052,841; female 4,817,662)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 267,803; female 285,602) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate 

2.5% (2002 est.)

Birth rate 

30.11 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate 

5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate 

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

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: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate 

32.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth 

total population: 69.08 years
female: 70.32 years (2002 est.)
male: 67.9 years

Total fertility rate 

3.84 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 

0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths 

NA

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: 70.8%
male: 85.7%
female: 55.8% (1997 est.)

[edit] Government

Country name 

conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic
conventional short form: Syria
local short form: Suriyah
former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

Government type 

republic under military regime since March 1963

Capital 

Damascus

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

Independence 

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

National holiday 

Independence Day, 17 April (1946)

Constitution 

13 March 1973

Legal system 

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

Suffrage 

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch 

chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)
head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa MIRU (since 13 March 2000), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March 1984), Farouk al-SHARA (since 13 December 2001), Dr. Muhammad al-HUSAYN (since 13 December 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of President Hafez al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held NA 2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June 2000, the Ba'th Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name to the People's Council on 25 June 2000
election results: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%

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%, 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
elections: last held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)

Judicial branch 

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

Political parties and leaders 

National Progressive Front or NPF (includes the Ba'th Party, ASU, Arab Socialist Party, Socialist Unionist Democratic Party, ASP, SCP) [President Bashar al-ASAD, chairman]; Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party (governing party) [President Bashar al-ASAD, secretary general]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan KOUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party or SCP [Yusuf FAYSAL]; Syrian Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI]

Political pressure groups and leaders 

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

International organization participation 

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, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US 

chief of mission: Ambassador Rustum al-ZU'BI
chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313

Diplomatic representation from the US 

chief of mission: Ambassador Theodore H. KATTOUF
embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus
mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus
telephone: [963] (11) 333-1342
FAX: [963] (11) 331-9678

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

[edit] Economy

Economy - overview 

Syria's predominantly statist economy has been growing slower than its 2.5% annual population growth rate, causing a persistent decline in per capita GDP. President Bashar AL-ASAD has made little progress on the economic front after one year in office, but does appear willing to permit a gradual strengthening of the private sector. His most obvious accomplishment to this end was the recent passage of legislation allowing private banks to operate in Syria, although a private banking sector will take years and further government cooperation to develop. ASAD's recent cabinet reshuffle may improve his chances of implementing further growth-oriented policies, although external factors such as the international war on terrorism, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and downturn in oil prices could weaken the foreign investment and government revenues Syria needs to flourish. A long-run economic constraint is the pressure on water supplies caused by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution.

GDP 

purchasing power parity - $54.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate 

2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita 

purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector 

agriculture: 27%
industry: 23%
services: 50% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line 

15%-25%

Household income or consumption by percentage share 

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 

0.3% (2001 est.)

Labor force 

4.7 million (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation 

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

Unemployment rate 

20% (2000 est.)

Budget 

revenues: $5 billion
expenditures: $7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries 

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

Industrial production growth rate 

NA%

Electricity - production 

19.7 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source 

fossil fuel: 64%
hydro: 36%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption 

17.671 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports 

650 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports 

0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products 

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

Exports 

$5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities 

crude oil 68%, textiles 7%, fruits and vegetables 6%, raw cotton 4% (1998 est.)

Exports - partners 

Germany 27%, Italy 12%, France 10%, Turkey 10%, Saudi Arabia 7% (2000 est.)

Imports 

$4 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities 

machinery and transport equipment 21%, food and livestock 18%, metal and metal products 15%, chemicals and chemical products 10% (2000 est.)

Imports - partners 

Italy 9%, Germany 7%, France 5%, Lebanon 5%, China 4%, South Korea 4%, Turkey 4%, US 4% (2000 est.)

Debt - external 

$22 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient 

$199 million (1997 est.)

Currency 

Syrian pound (SYP)

Currency code 

SYP

Exchange rates 

Syrian pounds per US dollar - 51 (December 2001), 46 (2000), 46 (1998), 41.9 (January 1997)

Fiscal year 

calendar year

[edit] Communications

Telephones - main lines in use 

1.313 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular 

NA

Telephone system 

general assessment: 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

Radio broadcast stations 

AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios 

4.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations 

44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions 

1.05 million (1997)

Internet country code 

.sy

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

1 (2000)

Internet users 

60,000 (2002)

[edit] Transportation

Railways 

total: 2,750 km
standard gauge: 2,423 km 1.435-m gauge
note: rail link between Syria and Iraq replaced in 2000 (2001)
narrow gauge: 327 km 1.050-m gauge

Highways 

total: 41,451 km
paved: 9,575 km (including 877 km of expressways)
unpaved: 31,876 km (1997)

Waterways 

870 km (minimal economic importance)

Pipelines 

crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km

Ports and harbors 

Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus

Merchant marine 

total: 143 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 482,985 GRT/702,590 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Egypt 1, Greece 2, Italy 1, Lebanon 10 (2002 est.)
ships by type: bulk 12, cargo 126, livestock carrier 4, roll on/roll off 1

Airports 

99 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways 

total: 24
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
914 to 1,523 m: 2

Airports - with unpaved runways 

total: 68
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 55 (2002)

Heliports 

7 (2002)

[edit] Military

Military branches 

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

Military manpower - military age 

19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability 

males age 15-49: 4,550,496 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service 

males age 15-49: 2,539,342 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually 

males: 200,859 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure 

$921 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending

Military expenditures - percent of GDP 

5.9% (FY98)

[edit] Transnational Issues

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; Turkey is quick to rebuff any perceived Syrian claim to Hatay province

Illicit drugs 

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