2003 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 38.6% (male 3,494,473; female 3,290,699) 15-64 years: 58.2% (male 5,238,026; female 4,991,588) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 274,744; female 296,010) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

92 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16

total

24

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)

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

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. In recent years, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan Heights. Geography Syria

Birth rate

29.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$7 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.6 billion (2002 est.)

revenues

$6 billion

Capital

Damascus

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

Coastline

193 km

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

Currency

Syrian pound (SYP)

Currency code

SYP

Death rate

5.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$22 billion (2002 est.)

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador (acting) Imad MUSTAFA

Disputes - international

Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied; Lebanon claims Shaba'a farms in Golan Heights; Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon since October 1976; Syria protests Turkish hydrological projects regulating upper Euphrates waters; Turkey is quick to rebuff any perceived Syrian claim to Hatay province

Economic aid - recipient

$199 million (1997 est.)

Economy - overview

Syria's predominantly statist economy has been growing, on average, more slowly than its 2.4% annual population growth rate, causing a persistent decline in per capita GDP. Recent legislation allows private banks to operate in Syria, although a private banking sector will take years and further government cooperation to develop. External factors such as the international war on terrorism, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the war between the US-led coalition and Iraq probably will drive real annual GDP growth levels back below their 3.5% spike in 2002. A long-run economic constraint is the pressure on water supplies caused by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution.

Electricity - consumption

21.63 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

23.26 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

57.6%

hydro

42.4%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

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 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

Ethnic groups

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

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

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)

election results

Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%

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

head of government

Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10 September 2003), 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)

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

Exports

$6.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude oil 70%, petroleum products 7%, fruits and vegetables 5%, cotton fiber 4%, clothing 3%, meat and live animals 2% (2000 est.)

Exports - partners

Germany 19.1%, Italy 17.5%, Turkey 7.8%, France 7.5%, Lebanon 5.2% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 234-9548

[963] (11) 331-9678

telephone

[1] (202) 232-6313

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Syria

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 Economy Syria

GDP

purchasing power parity - $63.48 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

27%

industry

23%

services

50% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.6% (2002 est.)

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 (February 2002 est.) People Syria

Government type

republic under military regime since March 1963

Heliports

7 (2002) Military Syria

Highways

paved

10,021 km (including 877 km of expressways)

total

43,381 km

unpaved

33,360 km (1999)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.01% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Illicit drugs

a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and Western markets This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$4.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 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 8.3%, Germany 7.4%, China 5.7%, South Korea 4.8%, France 4.6%, US 4.4%, Turkey 4.1% (2002)

Independence

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

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

31.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

31.89 deaths/1,000 live births

total

31.67 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.9% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), 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, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO

Internet country code

.sy

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

60,000 (2002) Transportation Syria

Irrigated land

12,130 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

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

Labor force

5.2 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture, industry, services NA (2002)

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

25.96%

other

69.96% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

4.08%

Languages

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

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%, 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 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)

Life expectancy at birth

female

70.67 years (2003 est.)

male

68.18 years

total population

69.39 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

64% (2003 est.) Government Syria

male

89.7%

total population

76.9%

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

Median age

female

19.9 years (2002)

male

19.6 years

total

19.7 years

Merchant marine

convenience

Egypt 1, Greece 2, Italy 1, Lebanon 10 (2002 est.)

note

includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of

ships by type

bulk 13, cargo 109, container 2, livestock carrier 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1

total

129 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 450,135 GRT/645,296 DWT

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$858 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

5.9% (FY00) Transnational Issues Syria

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

4,715,386 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

2,629,148 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

210,941 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Independence Day, 17 April (1946)

Nationality

adjective

Syrian

noun

Syrian(s)

Natural gas - consumption

5.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

5.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

240.7 billion cu m (37257)

Natural hazards

dust storms, sandstorms

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

265,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

522,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

2.4 billion bbl (37257)

Pipelines

gas 2,300 km; oil 2,183 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

National Progressive Front or NPF (includes Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party (governing party) [President Bashar al-ASAD, secretary general], Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Ahmad al ASAD], Syrian Communist Party [leader NA], Unionist Socialist Party [leader NA], Arab Socialist Party [Abd al-Ghani QANNUT], and Arab Socialist Unionist Movement [Sami SUFAN]) [President Bashar al-ASAD, chairman]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan QUDSI]; 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

Population

17,585,540 (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.) (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

15%-25%

Population growth rate

2.45% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus

Radio broadcast stations

AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

4.15 million (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

318 km 1.050-m gauge (2002)

standard gauge

2,425 km 1.435-m gauge

total

2,743 km

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

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Syrian pounds per US dollar - (Official rate)

11.23 (2002), 11.23 (2001), 11.23 (2000), 11.23 (1999), 11.23 (1998), (Free market

rate)

49.65 (2001), 49.4 (2000), 51.7 (1999), 52 (1998)

Telephone system

domestic

coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network

general assessment

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

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

1.313 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

NA

Television broadcast stations

44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions

1.05 million (1997)

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

3.72 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

20% (2002 est.)

Waterways

870 km (minimal economic importance)