World Facts Index
 Following
the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, France administered Syria
until its independence in 1946. The country lacked political stability, however,
and experienced a series of military coups during its first decades. 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 November 1970, Hafiz al-ASAD, a member of the Socialist Ba'th
Party and the minority Alawite sect, seized power in a bloodless coup and
brought political stability to the country. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria
lost the Golan Heights to Israel. During the 1990s, Syria and Israel held
occasional peace talks over its return. Following the death of President
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ostensible peacekeeping role - were withdrawn in April 2005.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.
Geography of Syria
|
Location:
|
Middle East, bordering the
Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey |
|
Coordinates:
|
35 00 N, 38 00 E |
|
Area:
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total: 185,180 sq km
note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory
water: 1,130 sq km
land: 184,050 sq km |
|
Area comparative:
|
slightly larger than North
Dakota |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total: 2,253 km
border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km,
Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km |
|
Coastline:
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193 km |
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 41
NM
territorial sea: 35 NM |
|
Climate:
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mostly desert; hot, dry,
sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to
February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in
Damascus |
|
Terrain:
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primarily semiarid and
desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point:
unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
petroleum, phosphates,
chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum,
hydropower |
|
Natural hazards:
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dust storms, sandstorms |
|
Environment current issues:
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deforestation; overgrazing;
soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from raw sewage and
petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water |
|
Geography - note:
|
there are 42 Israeli
settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan
Heights (February 2002 est.)
|
Population of Syria
|
Population:
|
19,747,586 (July 2008 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 37% (male 3,592,915/female 3,384,722)
15-64 years: 59.7% (male 5,779,257/female 5,500,887)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 296,070/female 327,510) |
|
Median age:
|
20.7 years |
|
Growth rate:
|
2.3% |
|
Infant mortality:
|
28.61 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 70.32 years
male: 69.01 years
female: 71.7 years |
|
Fertility rate:
|
3.4 children born/woman |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Syrian(s)
adjective: Syrian |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other
9.7% |
|
Religions:
|
Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other
Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al
Qamishli, and Aleppo) |
|
Languages:
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Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian,
Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood |
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Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 76.9%
male: 89.7%
female: 64%
|
Government
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Syrian Arab
Republic
local short form: Suriyah
former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah |
|
Government type:
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republic under military regime since March
1963 |
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Capital:
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Damascus |
|
Administrative divisions:
|
14 provinces (muhafazat, singular -
muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr
az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus |
|
Independence:
|
17 April 1946 (from League of Nations
mandate under French administration) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 17 April (1946) |
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Constitution:
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13 March 1973 |
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Legal system:
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based on Islamic law and civil law system;
special religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since
17 July 2000); Vice President Farouk al-SHARA (since 11 February 2006) oversees
foreign policy; Vice President Najah al-ATTAR (since 23 March 2006) oversees
cultural policy
head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10 September
2003); Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdallah al-DARDARI (since 14
June 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president approved by popular referendum for a second seven-year term
(no term limits); the president appoints the vice presidents, prime minister,
and deputy prime ministers |
|
Legislative branch:
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unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) |
|
Judicial branch:
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Supreme Constitutional Court (adjudicates electoral
disputes and rules on constitutionality of laws and decrees; justices appointed for
four-year terms by the President); High Judicial Council (appoints and dismisses judges;
headed by the President); Court of Cassation (national level); State Security Courts (hear
cases related to national security); Personal Status Courts (religious; hear cases related
to marriage and divorce); Courts of First Instance (local level; include magistrate,
summary, and peace courts) |
Economy
The Syrian economy grew by an estimated 3.3% in real terms in 2007 led by
the petroleum and agricultural sectors, which together account for about
one-half of GDP. Higher crude oil prices countered declining oil production
and led to higher budgetary and export receipts. Damascus has implemented
modest economic reforms in the past few years, including cutting lending
interest rates, opening private banks, consolidating all of the multiple
exchange rates, raising prices on some subsidized items, most notably gasoline
and cement, and establishing the Damascus Stock Exchange - which is set to
begin operations in 2009. In October 2007, for example, Damascus raised the
price of subsidized gasoline by 20%, and may institute a rationing system in
2008. In addition, President ASAD signed legislative decrees to encourage
corporate ownership reform, and to allow the Central Bank to issue Treasury
bills and bonds for government debt. Nevertheless, the economy remains highly
controlled by the government. Long-run economic constraints include declining
oil production, high unemployment and inflation, rising budget deficits, and
increasing pressure on water supplies caused by heavy use in agriculture,
rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and water pollution.
|
GDP:
|
$90.37 billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP growth rate:
|
3.3% |
|
GDP per capita:
|
$3,900 |
|
GDP composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 24.9%
industry: 23%
services: 51.9% |
|
Inflation rate:
|
5% |
|
Labor force:
|
5.12 million |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture: 30%
industry: 27%
services: 43% |
|
Unemployment:
|
12.3% |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $6.392 billion
expenditures: $7.613 billion |
|
Electricity production by source:
|
fossil fuel: 57.6%
hydro: 42.4%
other: 0% |
|
Industries:
|
petroleum, textiles, food processing,
beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining |
|
Agriculture:
|
wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas,
olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk |
|
Exports:
|
crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and
vegetables, cotton fiber, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat |
|
Export partners:
|
Iraq 17.1%, Turkey 14.9%, Saudi Arabia 11.8%, Italy 9.3%,
Lebanon 6.6%, Germany 6.1% |
|
Imports:
|
machinery and transport equipment, electric
power machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical
products, plastics, yarn, paper |
|
Import partners:
|
Ukraine 11%, Turkey 8.7%, Saudi Arabia 6.9%, South Korea
5.9% |
|
Currency:
|
Syrian pound (SYP) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |