1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
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--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
lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 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 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 1998 est.)
Irrigated land
9,060 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 2,253 km border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km
Land use
arable land: 28% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 43% forests and woodland: 3% other: 22% (1993 est.)
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
Terrain
primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 46% (male 4,032,620; female 3,840,431) 15-64 years: 51% (male 4,515,274; female 4,322,415) 65 years and over: 3% (male 246,812; female 256,319) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
36.95 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
5.4 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%
Infant mortality rate
36.42 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 68.09 years male: 66.75 years female: 69.48 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 70.8% male: 85.7% female: 55.8% (1997 est.)
Nationality
noun: Syrian(s) adjective: Syrian
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
17,213,871 (July 1999 est.) note: in addition, there are about 37,200 people living in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights--18,200 Arabs (16,500 Druze and 1,700 Alawites) and about 19,000 Israeli settlers (August 1998 est.)
Population growth rate
3.15% (1999 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: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
5.37 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
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 local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah local short form: Suriyah former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
Data code
SY
Executive branch
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) head of government: Prime Minister Mahmud ZUBI (since 1 November 1987), 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) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president 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 election results: Hafiz al-ASAD reelected president; percent of vote--Hafiz al-ASAD 99%
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 symbolic 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 Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Walid MUALEM chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan CROCKER embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus
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:
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) elections: last held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2002) 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
National holiday
National Day, 17 April (1946)
National Progressive Front (NPF) includes
the ruling Arab Socialist secretary general of the party, and chairman of the National Political pressure groups and leaders: non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence; Communist party ineffective; conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile in Jordan and Yemen)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk
Budget
revenues: $3.5 billion expenditures: $4.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Currency
1 Syrian pound (LS) = 100 piastres
Debt--external
$22 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$327.3 million (1995)
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
19.3 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
19.3 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 63.73% hydro: 36.27% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
Syrian pounds (LS) per US$1--46 (1998), 41.9 (January 1997); official fixed rate 11.225
Exports
$4.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports--commodities
petroleum 65%, textiles 16%, food and live animals 13%, manufactures 6% (1997 est.)
Exports--partners
Italy 18%, Germany 13%, France 12%, Turkey 10%, Lebanon 7%, Spain 6% (1997 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$41.7 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 26% industry: 21% services: 53% (1997)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$2,500 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
2% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$5.7 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports--commodities
machinery and equipment 40%, foodstuffs/animals 15%, metal and metal products 15%, textiles 10%, chemicals 10%, consumer goods 5% (1997 est.)
Imports--partners
Ukraine 14%, Italy 7%, Germany 6%, Turkey 5%, France 4%, South Korea 4%, Japan 4%, US 3% (1997 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
0.2% (1996 est.)
Industries
petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
15%-20% (1997 est.)
Labor force
4.7 million (1998 est.)
Labor force--by occupation
services 40%, agriculture 40%, industry 20% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line
15%-25%
Unemployment rate
12%-15% (1998 est.)
Communications
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
54 (of which 36 are low-power stations and repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
700,000 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Airports
104 (1998 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 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 80 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 63 (1998 est.)
Heliports
2 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 41,451 km paved: 9,575 km (including 877 km of expressways) unpaved: 31,876 km (1997 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 131 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 401,407 GRT/578,081 DWT ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 115, livestock carrier 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1998 est.)
Pipelines
crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km Ports and harbors: Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus
Railways
total: 1,998 km broad gauge: 1,766 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 232 km 1.050-m gauge
Waterways
870 km; minimal economic importance
Military and Security
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 (1997 est.); note--based on official budget data that understate actual spending
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
8% (1995 est.)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 4,060,995 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,271,539 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
19 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 188,546 (1999 est.)
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
Illicit drugs
a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and Western markets