2018 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'ath 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 Syrian troops - stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role - were withdrawn in April 2005.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 efforts to quell unrest and armed opposition activity led to extended clashes and eventually civil war between government forces, their allies, and oppositionists. International pressure on the ASAD regime intensified after 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. In September 2015, Russia launched a military intervention on behalf of the ASAD regime, and government-aligned forces recaptured Aleppo city in December 2016, shifting the conflict in the regime’s favor. Political negotiations between the government and opposition delegations at UN-sponsored Geneva conferences since 2014 have failed to produce a resolution of the conflict. Since early 2017, Iran, Russia, and Turkey have held separate negotiations in Astana to reduce violence in Syria. According to an April 2016 UN estimate, the death toll among Syrian Government forces, opposition forces, and civilians was over 400,000, though other estimates placed the number well over 500,000. As of December 2018, approximately 6.2 million Syrians were internally displaced, while an estimated 42,700 refugees returned to Syria from surrounding  countries. Approximately 13 milion people were in need of humanitarian assistance across the country, and an additional 5.7 million Syrians were registered refugees in Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and North Africa. The conflict in Syria remains one of the largest humanitarian crises worldwide.

Area

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

elevation extremes

-208 m lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias

mean elevation

514 m

note

2814 highest point: Mount Hermon (Jabal a-Shayk)

Environment Current Issues

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

Environment International Agreements

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

border countries (5)

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

total

2,363 km

Land Use

arable land: 25.4% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 5.8% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 44.6% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

75.8% (2011 est.)

forest

2.7% (2011 est.)

other

21.5% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map References

Middle East

Maritime Claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural Hazards

dust storms, sandstormsvolcanism: 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

note

the ongoing civil war has altered the population distribution

Terrain

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

Age Structure

0-14 years

31.39% (male 3,132,619 /female 2,974,394)

15-24 years

19.52% (male 1,933,185 /female 1,863,991)

25-54 years

39.26% (male 3,807,664 /female 3,829,150)

55-64 years

5.52% (male 531,455 /female 542,738)

65 years and over

4.31% (male 379,360 /female 459,707) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

20.7 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

10.1% (2009)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

53.9% (2009)

Death Rate

4 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

7 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

14.3 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

72.8 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

65.8 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 92.3% of population

rural: 87.2% of population

total: 90.1% of population

unimproved: urban: 7.7% of population

rural: 12.8% of population

total: 9.9% of population (2015 est.)

Education Expenditures

5.1% of GDP (2009)

Ethnic Groups

Arab ~50%, Alawite ~15%, Kurd ~10%, Levantine ~10%, other ~15% (includes Druze, Ismaili, Imami, Nusairi, Assyrian, Turkoman, Armenian)

Health Expenditures

3.3% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

NA

Hiv Aids Deaths

NA

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

NA

Hospital Bed Density

1.5 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

12.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

16.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

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

Life Expectancy At Birth

female

77.8 years (2018 est.)

male

72.8 years (2018 est.)

total population

75.2 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

female

81% (2015 est.)

male

91.7% (2015 est.)

total population

86.4% (2015 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

2.32 million DAMASCUS (capital), 1.754 million Aleppo, 1.295 million Hims (Homs), 894,000 Hamah (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

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

Median Age

female

25 years (2018 est.)

male

24 years

total

24.5 years

Nationality

adjective

Syrian

noun

Syrian(s)

Net Migration Rate

NA

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

27.8% (2016)

Physicians Density

1.55 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

19,454,263 (July 2017 est.) (July 2018 est.)

note

approximately 22,000 Israeli settlers live in the Golan Heights (2016)

Population Growth Rate

7.37% NA (2018 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)

note

  the Christian population may be considerably smaller as a result of Christians fleeing the country during the ongoing civil war

Sanitation Facility Access

improved: urban: 96.2% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 95.1% of population (2015 est.)

total: 95.7% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 3.8% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 4.9% of population (2015 est.)

total: 4.3% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

female

9 years (2013)

male

9 years (2013)

total

9 years (2013)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

0.99 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

0.98 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

0.82 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2.44 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

71.1% (2011 est.)

male

26.6% (2011 est.)

total

35.8% (2011 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.43% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

54.2% of total population (2018)

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 (Aleppo), Hamah, Hims (Homs), Idlib, Rif Dimashq (Damascus Countryside), Tartus

Capital

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

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

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 (2016)

Country Name

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

chief of mission

ambassador (vacant); 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

chancery

2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant)

FAX

[1] (202) 234-9548

note

Embassy ceased operations and closed on 18 March 2014

telephone

[1] (202) 232-6313

Executive Branch

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 Minister 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

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

highest courts

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 (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 serve 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

description

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

election results

percent of vote by party - NPF 80%, other 20%; seats by party - NPF 200, other 50; composition - men 217, women 33, percent of women 13.2%

elections

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

National 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

Political Parties And Leaders

legal parties/alliances: Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party [Bashar al-ASAD, regional secretary] Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party [President Bashar al-ASAD] 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, Socialist Unionist Democratic Party 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 parties Kurdish Democratic Union Party or PYD [Shahoz HASAN and Aysha HISSO]Kurdish National Council [Sa'ud MALA]  other: Syrian Democratic Party [Mustafa QALAAJI]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

expenditures

3.211 billion (2017 est.)

note

government projections for FY2016

revenues

1.162 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-8.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

0.75% (31 December 2017)

5% (31 December 2016)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

14% (31 December 2017 est.)

22% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current Account Balance

-$2.123 billion (2017 est.)

-$2.077 billion (2016 est.)

Debt External

$4.989 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$5.085 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Economy Overview

Syria's economy has deeply deteriorated amid the ongoing conflict that began in 2011, declining by more than 70% from 2010 to 2017. The government has struggled to fully 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. In 2017, some economic indicators began to stabilize, including the exchange rate and inflation, but economic activity remains depressed and GDP almost certainly fell.During 2017, the ongoing conflict and continued unrest and economic decline worsened the humanitarian crisis, necessitating high levels of international assistance, as more than 13 million people remain in need inside Syria, and the number of registered Syrian refugees increased from 4.8 million in 2016 to more than 5.4 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, industrial contaction, water pollution, and widespread infrastructure damage.

Exchange Rates

Syrian pounds (SYP) per US dollar -

514.6 (2017 est.)

459.2 (2016 est.)

459.2 (2015 est.)

236.41 (2014 est.)

153.695 (2013 est.)

Exports

$1.85 billion (2017 est.)

$1.705 billion (2016 est.)

Exports Commodities

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

Exports Partners

Lebanon 31.5%, Iraq 10.3%, Jordan 8.8%, China 7.8%, Turkey 7.5%, Spain 7.3% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

16.1% (2017 est.)

government consumption

26% (2017 est.)

household consumption

73.1% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-46.1% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

18.6% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

12.3% (2017 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

20% (2017 est.)

industry

19.5% (2017 est.)

services

60.8% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$24.6 billion (2014 est.) (2014 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$2,900 (2015 est.)

$3,300 (2014 est.)

$2,800 (2013 est.)

note

data are in 2015 US dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$50.28 billion (2015 est.)

$55.8 billion (2014 est.)

$61.9 billion (2013 est.)

note

data are in 2015 US dollarsthe war-driven deterioration of the economy resulted in a disappearance of quality national level statistics in the 2012-13 period

Gdp Real Growth Rate

-36.5% (2014 est.)

-30.9% (2013 est.)

note

data are in 2015 dollars

Gross National Saving

17% of GDP (2017 est.)

15.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

16.1% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

$6.279 billion (2017 est.)

$5.496 billion (2016 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 32.4%, Turkey 16.7%, China 9.5% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

4.3% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

28.1% (2017 est.)

47.3% (2016 est.)

Labor Force

3.767 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

17%

industry

16%

services

67% (2008 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

note

NA

Population Below Poverty Line

82.5% (2014 est.)

Public Debt

94.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

91.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$407.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$504.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$7.272 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$4.333 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$9.161 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$5.786 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$7.272 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$4.333 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

4.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

50% (2017 est.)

50% (2016 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

27.51 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

87,660 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

14,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

2.5 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - rural areas

81% (2013)

electrification - total population

96% (2013)

electrification - urban areas

100% (2013)

population without electricity

1.6 million (2013)

Electricity Consumption

14.16 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

262 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

83% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

17% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

9.058 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

17.07 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

3.738 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

3.738 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

240.7 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

134,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

12,520 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

38,080 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

111,600 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

6 (2017 est.)

total

1,154,909 (2017 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

percent of population

31.9% (July 2016 est.)

total

5,476,850 (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

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 (2016)

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 (2016)

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

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

15 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

2,726,193 (2017 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

87 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

15.65 million (2017 est.)

Airports

90 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

2,438 to 3,047 m

16 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

3 (2013)

over 3,047 m

5 (2013)

total

29 (2013)

under 914 m

5 (2013)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

12 (2013)

total

61 (2013)

under 914 m

48 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

YK (2016)

Heliports

6 (2013)

Merchant Marine

by type

bulk carrier 1, general cargo 7, other 13 (2017)

total

21 (2017)

National Air Transport System

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

1,517,388 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

475,932 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

11 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

2 (2015)

Pipelines

3170 km gas, 2029 km oil (2013)

Ports And Terminals

major seaport(s)

Baniyas, Latakia, Tartus

Railways

narrow gauge

251 km 1.050-m gauge (2014)

standard gauge

1,801 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)

total

2,052 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

63,060 km (2010)

total

69,873 km (2010)

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 (2018)

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 1964lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several sections in disputesince 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shab'a Farms in the Golan Heights2004 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

IDPs

6.2 million (ongoing civil war since 2011) (2018)

note

the ongoing civil war has resulted in over 5.7 million registered Syrian refugees - dispersed in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey - as of December 2018

refugees (country of origin)

438,000 (Palestinian Refugees), 16,325 (Iraq) (2017)

stateless persons

160,000 (2017); 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

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)

Terrorist Groups Foreign Based

Abdallah Azzam Brigades (AAB)

aim(s): disrupt and attack Shia Muslim and Western interests in Syriaarea(s) of operation: remains operational; conducts attacks against primarily Shia Muslim organizations and individuals, including Hizballah members, and Westerners and their interests (April 2018)

al-Qa'ida (AQ)

aim(s): overthrow President Bashar al-ASAD's regime; establish a regional Islamic caliphate and conduct attacks outside of Syriaarea(s) of operation: operational primarily in Idlib Governorate and southern Syria, where it has established networks and operates paramilitary training camps (April 2018)

Ansar al-Islam (AAI)

aim(s): remove Syrian President Bashar al-ASAD from power and establish a government operating according to shariaarea(s) of operation: operationally active in Syria since 2011; launches attacks on Syrian Government security forces and pro-Syrian Government militias; some AAI factions combat ISIS, while others are aligned with ISIS (April 2018)

Hizballah

aim(s): preserve Syrian President Bashar al-ASAD's regimearea(s) of operation: operational activity throughout the country since 2012; centered on providing paramilitary support to President Bashar al-ASAD's regime against armed insurgents (April 2018)

Kata'ib Hizballah (KH)

aim(s): preserve Syrian President Bashar al-ASAD's regimearea(s) of operation: deploys combatants to Syria to fight alongside Syrian Government and Lebanese Hizballah forces (April 2018)

Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)

aim(s): advance Kurdish autonomy, political, and cultural rights in Syria, Turkey, Iraq, and Iranarea(s) of operation: operational in the north and east; majority of members inside Syria are Syrian Kurds, along with Kurds from Iran, Iraq, and Turkey (April 2018)

Mujahidin Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem (MSC)

aim(s): destroy the state of Israel; enhance its networks in Syriaarea(s) of operation: maintains limited networks for operational planning against Israel (April 2018)

Palestine Liberation Front (PLF)

aim(s): enhances its networks and, ultimately, destroy the state of Israel and establish a secular, Marxist Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capitalarea(s) of operation: maintains a recruitment and training presence in many refugee camps (April 2018)

PFLP-General Command (PFLP-GC)

aim(s): preserve Syrian President Bashar al-ASAD's regimearea(s) of operation: maintains a political base in Damascus; fights with President al-ASAD's forces and Hizballah in areas where anti-regime paramilitary groups are active (April 2018)

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)

aim(s): enhance its recruitment networks in Syriaarea(s) of operation: maintains a recruitment and limited training presence in several refugee camps (April 2018)

Terrorist Groups Home Based

al-Nusrah Front

aim(s): overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-ASAD's regime, absorb like-minded Syrian rebel groups, and ultimately, establish a regional Islamic caliphatearea(s) of operation: headquartered in the northwestern Idlib Governorate, with a minor presence in Halab Governorate; operational primarily in northern, western, and southern Syria; installs Sharia in areas under its control; targets primarily Syrian regime and pro-regime forces, some minorities, other Syrian insurgent groups, and occasionally Western interests (April 2018)

Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)

aim(s): an alias of the al-Nusrah Front; overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-ASAD's regime, absorb like-minded Syrian rebel groups, and, ultimately, establish a regional Islamic caliphatearea(s) of operation: Northwest Syria (December 2018)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

aim(s): replace the world order with a global Islamic state based in Iraq and Syria; expand its branches and networks in other countries; rule according to ISIS's strict interpretation of Islamic lawarea(s) of operation: ISIS has lost most of the territory it once controlled and now its overt territorial control is limited to pockets of land along the Syria-Iraq border and in southern Syria (April 2018)