2017 Edition

Background

Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French administered the area as Syria until granting it independence in 1946. The new country lacked political stability and experienced a series of military coups. Syria united with Egypt in February 1958 to form the United Arab Republic. In September 1961, the two entities separated, and the Syrian Arab Republic was reestablished. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights region to Israel. During the 1990s, Syria and Israel held occasional, albeit unsuccessful, peace talks over its return. In November 1970, Hafiz al-ASAD, a member of the socialist Ba'th Party and the minority Alawi sect, seized power in a bloodless coup and brought political stability to the country. Following the death of President Hafiz al-ASAD, his son, Bashar al-ASAD, was approved as president by popular referendum in July 2000. Syrian troops - stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role - were withdrawn in April 2005. During the July-August 2006 conflict between Israel and Hizballah, Syria placed its military forces on alert but did not intervene directly on behalf of its ally Hizballah. In May 2007, Bashar al-ASAD's second term as president was approved by popular referendum. Influenced by major uprisings that began elsewhere in the region, and compounded by additional social and economic factors, antigovernment protests broke out first in the southern province of Dar'a in March 2011 with protesters calling for the repeal of the restrictive Emergency Law allowing arrests without charge, the legalization of political parties, and the removal of corrupt local officials. Demonstrations and violent unrest spread across Syria with the size and intensity of protests fluctuating. The government responded to unrest with a mix of concessions - including the repeal of the Emergency Law, new laws permitting new political parties, and liberalizing local and national elections - and with military force and detentions. The government's ongoing violence to quell unrest and widespread armed opposition activity has led to extended clashes between government forces, their allies, and oppositionists. International pressure on the ASAD regime has intensified since late 2011, as the Arab League, the EU, Turkey, and the US expanded economic sanctions against the regime and those entities that support it. In December 2012, the Syrian National Coalition, was recognized by more than 130 countries as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people. Political negotiations between the government and opposition delegations at the UN-sponsored Geneva II conference in 2014 and the UN-sponsored Geneva III talks in 2016 failed to produce a resolution of the conflict. Unrest continues in Syria, and according to an April 2016 UN estimate, the death toll among Syrian Government forces, opposition forces, and civilians was over 400,000. As of December 2016, approximately 13.5 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance in Syria, with 6.3 million people displaced internally, and an additional 4.8 million Syrian refugees, making the Syrian situation the largest humanitarian crisis worldwide.

Area

185,180 sq km 183,630 sq km 1,550 sq km includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

land

183,630 sq km

note

includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

total

185,180 sq km

water

1,550 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Pennsylvania

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

Elevation

514 m lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -208 m highest point: Mount Hermon (Jabal a-Shayk) 2,814 m

elevation extremes

lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -208 m

highest point

Mount Hermon (Jabal a-Shayk) 2,814 m

mean elevation

514 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands Environmental Modification

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Environmental Modification

Geographic coordinates

35 00 N, 38 00 E

Geography - note

the capital of Damascus - located at an oasis fed by the Barada River - is thought to be one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities; there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (2017)

Irrigated land

14,280 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

2,363 km Iraq 599 km, Israel 83 km, Jordan 379 km, Lebanon 403 km, Turkey 899 km

border countries (5)

Iraq 599 km, Israel 83 km, Jordan 379 km, Lebanon 403 km, Turkey 899 km

total

2,363 km

Land use

75.8% arable land 25.4%; permanent crops 5.8%; permanent pasture 44.6% 2.7% 21.5% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

75.8%

forest

2.7%

other

21.5% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

12 nm 24 nm

contiguous zone

24 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

dust storms, sandstorms Syria's two historically active volcanoes, Es Safa and an unnamed volcano near the Turkish border have not erupted in centuries

volcanism

Syria's two historically active volcanoes, Es Safa and an unnamed volcano near the Turkish border have not erupted in centuries

Natural resources

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

Population - distribution

significant population density along the Mediterranean coast; larger concentrations found in the major cities of Damascus, Aleppo (the country's largest city), and Hims (Homs); more than half of the population lives in the coastal plain, the province of Halab, and the Euphrates River valley the ongoing civil war has altered the population distribution

note

the ongoing civil war has altered the population distribution

Terrain

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

Age structure

31.62% (male 2,923,814/female 2,777,073) 19.54% (male 1,790,360/female 1,732,694) 39.22% (male 3,522,653/female 3,547,540) 5.41% (male 482,576/female 493,085) 4.21% (male 342,407/female 416,347) (2017 est.)

0-14 years

31.62% (male 2,923,814/female 2,777,073)

15-24 years

19.54% (male 1,790,360/female 1,732,694)

25-54 years

39.22% (male 3,522,653/female 3,547,540)

55-64 years

5.41% (male 482,576/female 493,085)

65 years and over

4.21% (male 342,407/female 416,347) (2017 est.)

Birth rate

21.2 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

10.1% (2009)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

53.9% (2009/10)

Death rate

4 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Dependency ratios

72.8 65.8 14.3 (2015 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

7

potential support ratio

14.3 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

72.8

youth dependency ratio

65.8

Drinking water source

urban: 92.3% of population rural: 87.2% of population total: 90.1% of population urban: 7.7% of population rural: 12.8% of population total: 9.9% of population (2015 est.)

rural

12.8% of population

total

9.9% of population (2015 est.)

urban

7.7% of population

Education expenditures

5.1% of GDP (2009)

Ethnic groups

Arab 90.3%, Kurdish, Armenian, and other 9.7%

Health expenditures

3.3% of GDP (2014)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Hospital bed density

1.5 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

14.8 deaths/1,000 live births 17 deaths/1,000 live births 12.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

female

12.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

male

17 deaths/1,000 live births

total

14.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian, French, English

Life expectancy at birth

75.1 years 72.7 years 77.6 years (2017 est.)

female

77.6 years (2017 est.)

male

72.7 years

total population

75.1 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write 86.4% 91.7% 81% (2015 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

81% (2015 est.)

male

91.7%

total population

86.4%

Major urban areas - population

Aleppo 3.562 million; DAMASCUS (capital) 2.566 million; Hims (Homs) 1.641 million; Hamah 1.237 million; Lattakia 781,000 (2015)

Maternal mortality rate

68 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median age

24.3 years 23.9 years 24.8 years (2017 est.)

female

24.8 years (2017 est.)

male

23.9 years

total

24.3 years

Nationality

Syrian(s) Syrian

adjective

Syrian

noun

Syrian(s)

Net migration rate

NA (2017 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

27.8% (2016)

Physicians density

1.55 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

18,028,549 (July 2017 est.) approximately 20,500 Israeli settlers live in the Golan Heights (2014)

note

approximately 20,500 Israeli settlers live in the Golan Heights (2014)

Population distribution

significant population density along the Mediterranean coast; larger concentrations found in the major cities of Damascus, Aleppo (the country's largest city), and Hims (Homs); more than half of the population lives in the coastal plain, the province of Halab, and the Euphrates River valley the ongoing civil war has altered the population distribution

note

the ongoing civil war has altered the population distribution

Population growth rate

7.87% (2017 est.)

Religions

Muslim 87% (official; includes Sunni 74% and Alawi, Ismaili, and Shia 13%), Christian 10% (includes Orthodox, Uniate, and Nestorian), Druze 3%, Jewish (few remaining in Damascus and Aleppo)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 96.2% of population rural: 95.1% of population total: 95.7% of population urban: 3.8% of population rural: 4.9% of population total: 4.3% of population (2015 est.)

rural

4.9% of population

total

4.3% of population (2015 est.)

urban

3.8% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

9 years 9 years 9 years (2013)

female

9 years (2013)

male

9 years

total

9 years

Sex ratio

1.06 male(s)/female 1.05 male(s)/female 1.03 male(s)/female 0.99 male(s)/female 0.98 male(s)/female 0.82 male(s)/female 1.01 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.99 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.82 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.5 children born/woman (2017 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

35.8% 26.6% 71.1% (2011 est.)

female

71.1% (2011 est.)

male

26.6%

total

35.8%

Urbanization

58.5% of total population (2017) 3.59% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

rate of urbanization

3.59% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

58.5% of total population (2017)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Damascus 33 30 N, 36 18 E UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) +1hr, begins midnight on the last Friday in March; ends at midnight on the last Friday in October

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins midnight on the last Friday in March; ends at midnight on the last Friday in October

geographic coordinates

33 30 N, 36 18 E

name

Damascus

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

no the father must be a citizen of Syria; if the father is unknown or stateless, the mother must be a citizen of Syria yes 10 years

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of Syria; if the father is unknown or stateless, the mother must be a citizen of Syria

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

10 years

Constitution

several previous; latest issued 15 February 2012, passed by referendum and effective 27 February 2012 proposed by the president of the republic or by one-third of the People’s Assembly members; following review by a special Assembly committee, passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote by the Assembly and approval by the president (2016)

amendments

proposed by the president of the republic or by one-third of the People’s Assembly members; following review by a special Assembly committee, passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote by the Assembly and approval by the president (2016)

history

several previous; latest issued 15 February 2012, passed by referendum and effective 27 February 2012

Country name

Syrian Arab Republic Syria Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah Suriyah United Arab Republic (with Egypt) name ultimately derived from the ancient Assyrians who dominated northern Mesopotamia, but whose reach also extended westward to the Levant; over time, the name came to be associated more with the western area

conventional long form

Syrian Arab Republic

conventional short form

Syria

etymology

name ultimately derived from the ancient Assyrians who dominated northern Mesopotamia, but whose reach also extended westward to the Levant; over time, the name came to be associated more with the western area

former

United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

local long form

Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

local short form

Suriyah

Diplomatic representation from the US

ambassador (vacant); US Special Envoy for Syria Michael RATNEY (since 27 July 2015); note - on 6 February 2012, the US closed its embassy in Damascus; Czechia serves as protecting power for US interests in Syria Abou Roumaneh, 2 Al Mansour Street, Damascus P. O. Box 29, Damascus [963] (11) 3391-4444 [963] (11) 3391-3999

chief of mission

ambassador (vacant); US Special Envoy for Syria Michael RATNEY (since 27 July 2015); note - on 6 February 2012, the US closed its embassy in Damascus; Czechia serves as protecting power for US interests in Syria

embassy

Abou Roumaneh, 2 Al Mansour Street, Damascus

FAX

[963] (11) 3391-3999

mailing address

P. O. Box 29, Damascus

telephone

[963] (11) 3391-4444

Diplomatic representation in the US

Embassy ceased operations and closed on 18 March 2014 Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mounir KOUDMANI (since 1 June 2012) 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 [1] (202) 232-6313 [1] (202) 234-9548

chancery

2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mounir KOUDMANI (since 1 June 2012)

FAX

[1] (202) 234-9548

note

Embassy ceased operations and closed on 18 March 2014

telephone

[1] (202) 232-6313

Executive branch

President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice President Najah al-ATTAR (since 23 March 2006) Prime Minister Imad Muhammad Dib KHAMIS (since 22 June 2016); Deputy Prime Ministers Fahd Jasim al-FURAYJ, Lt. Gen.(since 23 June 2012) and Walid al-MUALEM (since 23 June 2012) Council of Ministers appointed by the president president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 3 June 2014 (next to be held in June 2021); the president appoints the vice presidents, prime minister, and deputy prime ministers Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD (Ba'th Party) 88.7%, Hassan al-NOURI (independent) 4.3%, Maher HAJJER (independent) 3.2%, other/invalid 3.8%

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice President Najah al-ATTAR (since 23 March 2006)

election results

Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD (Ba'th Party) 88.7%, Hassan al-NOURI (independent) 4.3%, Maher HAJJER (independent) 3.2%, other/invalid 3.8%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 3 June 2014 (next to be held in June 2021); the president appoints the vice presidents, prime minister, and deputy prime ministers

head of government

Prime Minister Imad Muhammad Dib KHAMIS (since 22 June 2016); Deputy Prime Ministers Fahd Jasim al-FURAYJ, Lt. Gen.(since 23 June 2012) and Walid al-MUALEM (since 23 June 2012)

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; two small, green, five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; the band colors derive from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black), overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white); identical to the former flag of the United Arab Republic (1958-1961) where the two stars represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; the current design dates to 1980 similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band

note

similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band

Government type

presidential republic; highly authoritarian regime

Independence

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

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

Court of Cassation (organized into civil, criminal, religious, and military divisions, each with 3 judges); Supreme Constitutional Court (consists of 7 members) Court of Cassation judges appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council or SJC, a judicial management body headed by the minister of justice with 7 members including the national president; judge tenure NA; Supreme Constitutional Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the SJC; judges appointed for 4-year renewable terms courts of first instance; magistrates' courts; religious and military courts; Economic Security Court; Counterterrorism Court (established June 2012)

highest court(s)

Court of Cassation (organized into civil, criminal, religious, and military divisions, each with 3 judges); Supreme Constitutional Court (consists of 7 members)

judge selection and term of office

Court of Cassation judges appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council or SJC, a judicial management body headed by the minister of justice with 7 members including the national president; judge tenure NA; Supreme Constitutional Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the SJC; judges appointed for 4-year renewable terms

subordinate courts

courts of first instance; magistrates' courts; religious and military courts; Economic Security Court; Counterterrorism Court (established June 2012)

Legal system

mixed legal system of civil and Islamic law (for family courts)

Legislative branch

unicameral People's Assembly or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) last held on 13 April 2016 (next to be held in 2020) percent of vote by party - NPF 80%, other 20%; seats by party - NPF 200, other 50

description

unicameral People's Assembly or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NPF 80%, other 20%; seats by party - NPF 200, other 50

elections

last held on 13 April 2016 (next to be held in 2020)

National anthem

"Humat ad-Diyar" (Guardians of the Homeland) Khalil Mardam BEY/Mohammad Salim FLAYFEL and Ahmad Salim FLAYFEL adopted 1936, restored 1961; between 1958 and 1961, while Syria was a member of the United Arab Republic with Egypt, the country had a different anthem

lyrics/music

Khalil Mardam BEY/Mohammad Salim FLAYFEL and Ahmad Salim FLAYFEL

name

"Humat ad-Diyar" (Guardians of the Homeland)

note

adopted 1936, restored 1961; between 1958 and 1961, while Syria was a member of the United Arab Republic with Egypt, the country had a different anthem

National holiday

Independence Day (Evacuation Day), 17 April (1946); note - celebrates the leaving of the last French troops and the proclamation of full independence

National symbol(s)

hawk; national colors: red, white, black, green

hawk; national colors

red, white, black, green

Political parties and leaders

Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party [Bashar al-ASAD, regional secretary] Arab Socialist Union of Syria or ASU [Safwan al-QUDSI] National Progressive Front or NPF [Bashar al-ASAD, Suleiman QADDAH] (alliance includes Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party [President Bashar al-ASAD], Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallah Nasr al-DIN]) Syrian Communist Party (two branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yusuf Rashid FAYSAL] Syrian Social Nationalist Party or SSNP [Ali HAIDAR] Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez ISMAIL] Kurdish Azadi Party Kurdish Democratic Accord Party (al Wifaq) [Fowzi SHINKALI] Kurdish Democratic Left Party [Saleh KIDDO] Kurdish Democratic Party (al Parti-Ibrahim wing) [Nasr al-Din IBRAHIM] Kurdish Democratic Party (al Parti-Mustafa wing) Kurdish Democratic Party in Syria or KDP-S [Saud AL-MALA] Kurdish Democratic Patriotic/National Party Kurdish Democratic Peace Party [Talal MOHAMMED] Kurdish Democratic Progressive Party or KDPP-Darwish Kurdish Democratic Progressive Party or KDPP-Muhammad Kurdish Democratic Union Party or PYD [Salih Muslim MOHAMMAD] Kurdish Democratic Unity Party [Kamiron Haj ABDU] Kurdish Democratic Yekiti Party [Mahi al-Din Sheikh ALI] Kurdish Equality Party [Namet DAOUD] Kurdish Future Party [Rezan HASSAN] Kurdish Green Party [ Laqman AHMI] Kurdish Left Party [Shallal KIDDO] Kurdish National Democratic Rally in Syria Kurdish Reform Movement in Syria [Amjad OTHMAN] Kurdish Reform Movement Party [ Feisal AL-YUSSEF] Kurdish Yekiti (Union) Party Kurdistan Communist Party [ Nejm al-Sin MALA’AMIR] Kurdistan Democratic Party in Syria [Abdul Karim SAKKO] Kurdistan Liberal Union [Farhad TILO] Syrian Kurdish Democratic Party Tiyar al-Mustaqbal [Narin MATINI] Syrian Democratic Party [Mustafa QALAAJI]

Kurdish parties (considered illegal)

Kurdish Azadi Party

legal parties/alliances

Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party [Bashar al-ASAD, regional secretary]

other

Syrian Democratic Party [Mustafa QALAAJI]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Free Syrian Army Syrian Muslim Brotherhood or SMB [Mohamed Hekmat WALID] (operates in exile in London) Syrian Opposition Coalition or National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces [Riad SEIF] there are also hundreds of local and provincial political and armed opposition groups that organize protests, provide civilian services, and stage armed attacks

note

there are also hundreds of local and provincial political and armed opposition groups that organize protests, provide civilian services, and stage armed attacks

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

$496.6 million $2.889 billion government projections for FY2016 (2016 est.)

expenditures

$2.889 billion

note

government projections for FY2016 (2016 est.)

revenues

$496.6 million

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-9.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Central bank discount rate

0.75% (31 December 2016) 5% (31 December 2015)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

32% (31 December 2016 est.) 27% (31 December 2015 est.)

Current account balance

$-2.077 billion (2016 est.) $-2.955 billion (2015 est.)

Debt - external

$5.085 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $4.42 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Economy - overview

Syria's economy continues to deteriorate amid the ongoing conflict that began in 2011, declining by more than 70% from 2010 to 2016. The government has struggled to address the effects of international sanctions, widespread infrastructure damage, diminished domestic consumption and production, reduced subsidies, and high inflation, which have caused dwindling foreign exchange reserves, rising budget and trade deficits, a decreasing value of the Syrian pound, and falling household purchasing power. During 2014, the ongoing conflict and continued unrest and economic decline worsened the humanitarian crisis and elicited a greater need for international assistance, as the number of people in need inside Syria increased from 9.3 million to 12.2 million, and the number of Syrian refugees increased from 2.2 million to more than 3.3 million. Prior to the turmoil, Damascus had begun liberalizing economic policies, including cutting lending interest rates, opening private banks, consolidating multiple exchange rates, raising prices on some subsidized items, and establishing the Damascus Stock Exchange, but the economy remains highly regulated. Long-run economic constraints include foreign trade barriers, declining oil production, high unemployment, rising budget deficits, increasing pressure on water supplies caused by heavy use in agriculture, rapid population growth, industrial expansion, water pollution, and widespread infrastructure damage.

Exchange rates

Syrian pounds (SYP) per US dollar - 459.2 (2016 est.) 459.2 (2015 est.) 236.41 (2014 est.) 153.695 (2013 est.) 64.39 (2012 est.)

Exports

$1.705 billion (2016 est.) $1.587 billion (2015 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude oil, minerals, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, textiles, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat

Exports - partners

Lebanon 34.6%, Jordan 11.6%, China 9.4%, Turkey 8.2%, Iraq 7.7%, Tunisia 4.9% (2016)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

65.6% 23.5% 17.6% 11.4% 10.8% -29% (2016 est.)

exports of goods and services

10.8%

government consumption

23.5%

household consumption

65.6%

imports of goods and services

-29% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital

17.6%

investment in inventories

11.4%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

19.5% 19% 61.5% (2016 est.)

agriculture

19.5%

industry

19%

services

61.5% (2016 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,900 (2015 est.) $3,300 (2014 est.) $2,800 (2013 est.) data are in 2015 US dollars

note

data are in 2015 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

NA% (2016 est.) -9.9% (2014 est.) -36.5% (2013 est.) data are in 2015 dollars

note

data are in 2015 dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$24.6 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$NA (2015 est.) $55.8 billion (2014 est.) $61.9 billion (2013 est.) data are in 2015 US dollars the war-driven deterioration of the economy resulted in a disappearance of quality national level statistics in the 2012-13 period

notes

data are in 2015 US dollars

Gross national saving

19.1% of GDP (2016 est.) 20.1% of GDP (2015 est.) 18.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

NA% NA%

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$5.496 billion (2016 est.) $6.076 billion (2015 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical products, plastics, yarn, paper

Imports - partners

Russia 22%, Turkey 20%, China 11.3% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate

-2.4% (2016 est.)

Industries

petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining, cement, oil seeds crushing, automobile assembly

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

43.9% (2016 est.) 38.1% (2015 est.)

Labor force

3.871 million (2016 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

17% 16% 67% (2008 est.)

agriculture

17%

industry

16%

services

67% (2008 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

82.5% (2014 est.)

Public debt

55.7% of GDP (2016 est.) 48.9% of GDP (2015 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$504.6 million (31 December 2016 est.) $772.9 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of broad money

$5.522 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $6.98 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$5.993 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $7.225 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$4.488 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $5.254 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate

50% (2016 est.) 50% (2015 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

49 million Mt (2013 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - imports

83,140 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - production

28,670 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

2.5 billion bbl (1 January 2017 es)

Electricity - consumption

13.96 billion kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - exports

262 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

84.4% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

15.6% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

9.61 million kW (2015 est.)

Electricity - production

16.83 billion kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity access

1,600,000 96% 100% 81% (2013)

electrification - rural areas

81% (2013)

electrification - total population

96%

electrification - urban areas

100%

population without electricity

1,600,000

Natural gas - consumption

4.9 billion cu m (2015 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - imports

249.2 million cu m (2011 est.)

Natural gas - production

4.3 billion cu m (2015 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

240.7 billion cu m (1 January 2017 es)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

140,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

12,500 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

41,120 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

111,600 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Broadcast media

state-run TV and radio broadcast networks; state operates 2 TV networks and a satellite channel; roughly two-thirds of Syrian homes have a satellite dish providing access to foreign TV broadcasts; 3 state-run radio channels; first private radio station launched in 2005; private radio broadcasters prohibited from transmitting news or political content (2007)

Internet country code

.sy

Internet users

5,476,850 31.9% (July 2016 est.)

percent of population

31.9% (July 2016 est.)

total

5,476,850

Telephone system

the armed insurgency that began in 2011 has led to major disruptions to the network and has caused telephone and Internet outages throughout the country the number of fixed-line connections increased markedly prior to the civil war in 2011; mobile-cellular service stands at about 70 per 100 persons country code - 963; submarine cable connection to Egypt, Lebanon, and Cyprus; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel (2016)

domestic

the number of fixed-line connections increased markedly prior to the civil war in 2011; mobile-cellular service stands at about 70 per 100 persons

general assessment

the armed insurgency that began in 2011 has led to major disruptions to the network and has caused telephone and Internet outages throughout the country

international

country code - 963; submarine cable connection to Egypt, Lebanon, and Cyprus; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

3,464,846 20 (July 2016 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

20 (July 2016 est.)

total subscriptions

3,464,846

Telephones - mobile cellular

12,350,927 72 (July 2016 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

72 (July 2016 est.)

total

12,350,927

Airports

90 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

5 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m

16

914 to 1,523 m

3

over 3,047 m

5

total

29

under 914 m

5 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

48 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

12

total

61

under 914 m

48 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

YK (2016)

Heliports

6 (2013)

Merchant marine

bulk carrier 4, cargo 14, carrier 1 166 (Barbados 1, Belize 4, Bolivia 4, Cambodia 22, Comoros 5, Dominica 4, Georgia 24, Lebanon 2, Liberia 1, Malta 4, Moldova 5, North Korea 4, Panama 34, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 9, Sierra Leone 13, Tanzania 23, Togo 6, unknown 1) (2010)

by type

bulk carrier 4, cargo 14, carrier 1

registered in other countries

166 (Barbados 1, Belize 4, Bolivia 4, Cambodia 22, Comoros 5, Dominica 4, Georgia 24, Lebanon 2, Liberia 1, Malta 4, Moldova 5, North Korea 4, Panama 34, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 9, Sierra Leone 13, Tanzania 23, Togo 6, unknown 1) (2010)

total

19

National air transport system

475,932 1,517,388 mt-km (2015)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

1,517,388 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

475,932

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

11

number of registered air carriers

2

Pipelines

gas 3,170 km; oil 2,029 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

Baniyas, Latakia, Tartus

major seaport(s)

Baniyas, Latakia, Tartus

Railways

2,052 km 1,801 km 1.435-m gauge 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2014)

narrow gauge

251 km 1.050-m gauge (2014)

standard gauge

1,801 km 1.435-m gauge

total

2,052 km

Roadways

69,873 km 63,060 km 6,813 km (2010)

paved

63,060 km

total

69,873 km

unpaved

6,813 km (2010)

Waterways

900 km (navigable but not economically significant) (2011)

Military branches

Syrian Armed Forces: Land Forces, Naval Forces, Air Forces (includes Air Defense Forces), Intelligence Services (Air Force Intelligence, Military Intelligence) Ministry of Interior: Political Security Directorate, General Intelligence Directorate, National Police Force (2017)

Ministry of Interior

Political Security Directorate, General Intelligence Directorate, National Police Force (2017)

Syrian Armed Forces

Land Forces, Naval Forces, Air Forces (includes Air Defense Forces), Intelligence Services (Air Force Intelligence, Military Intelligence)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation is 18 months; women are not conscripted but may volunteer to serve (2017)

Disputes - international

Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied with the almost 1,000-strong UN Disengagement Observer Force patrolling a buffer zone since 1964; lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shab'a Farms in the Golan Heights; 2004 Agreement and pending demarcation would settle border dispute with Jordan

Illicit drugs

a transit point for opiates, hashish, and cocaine bound for regional and Western markets; weak anti-money-laundering controls and bank privatization may leave it vulnerable to money laundering

Refugees and internally displaced persons

438,000 (Palestinian Refugees) (2017); 16,879 (Iraq) the ongoing civil war has more than 5.3 million Syrian refugees - dispersed in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey - as of November 2017 6.3 million (ongoing civil war since 2011) (2017) 160,000 (2016); note - Syria's stateless population consists of Kurds and Palestinians; stateless persons are prevented from voting, owning land, holding certain jobs, receiving food subsidies or public healthcare, enrolling in public schools, or being legally married to Syrian citizens; in 1962, some 120,000 Syrian Kurds were stripped of their Syrian citizenship, rendering them and their descendants stateless; in 2011, the Syrian Government granted citizenship to thousands of Syrian Kurds as a means of appeasement; however, resolving the question of statelessness is not a priority given Syria's ongoing civil war

IDPs

6.3 million (ongoing civil war since 2011) (2017)

note

the ongoing civil war has more than 5.3 million Syrian refugees - dispersed in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey - as of November 2017

refugees (country of origin)

438,000 (Palestinian Refugees) (2017); 16,879 (Iraq)

stateless persons

160,000 (2016); note - Syria's stateless population consists of Kurds and Palestinians; stateless persons are prevented from voting, owning land, holding certain jobs, receiving food subsidies or public healthcare, enrolling in public schools, or being legally married to Syrian citizens; in 1962, some 120,000 Syrian Kurds were stripped of their Syrian citizenship, rendering them and their descendants stateless; in 2011, the Syrian Government granted citizenship to thousands of Syrian Kurds as a means of appeasement; however, resolving the question of statelessness is not a priority given Syria's ongoing civil war

Trafficking in persons

as conditions continue to deteriorate due to Syria’s civil war, human trafficking has increased; Syrians remaining in the country and those that are refugees abroad are vulnerable to trafficking; Syria is a source and destination country for men, women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Syrian children continue to be forcibly recruited by government forces, pro-regime militias, armed opposition groups, and terrorist organizations to serve as soldiers, human shields, and executioners; ISIL forces Syrian women and girls and Yazidi women and girls taken from Iraq to marry its fighters, where they experience domestic servitude and sexual violence; Syrian refugee women and girls are forced into exploitive marriages or prostitution in neighboring countries, while displaced children are forced into street begging domestically and abroad Tier 3 - the government does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Syria’s violent conditions enabled human trafficking to flourish; the government made no effort to investigate, prosecute, or convict trafficking offenders or complicit government officials, including those who forcibly recruited child soldiers; authorities did not identify victims and failed to ensure victims, including child soldiers, were protected from arrest, detention, and severe abuse as a result of being trafficked (2015)

current situation

as conditions continue to deteriorate due to Syria’s civil war, human trafficking has increased; Syrians remaining in the country and those that are refugees abroad are vulnerable to trafficking; Syria is a source and destination country for men, women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Syrian children continue to be forcibly recruited by government forces, pro-regime militias, armed opposition groups, and terrorist organizations to serve as soldiers, human shields, and executioners; ISIL forces Syrian women and girls and Yazidi women and girls taken from Iraq to marry its fighters, where they experience domestic servitude and sexual violence; Syrian refugee women and girls are forced into exploitive marriages or prostitution in neighboring countries, while displaced children are forced into street begging domestically and abroad

tier rating

Tier 3 - the government does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Syria’s violent conditions enabled human trafficking to flourish; the government made no effort to investigate, prosecute, or convict trafficking offenders or complicit government officials, including those who forcibly recruited child soldiers; authorities did not identify victims and failed to ensure victims, including child soldiers, were protected from arrest, detention, and severe abuse as a result of being trafficked (2015)