Syria

Airports

total: 104 usable: 100 with permanent-surface runways: 24 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 21 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 3

Highways

total: 29,000 km paved: 22,680 km (including 670 km of expressways) (1988) unpaved: 6,320 km

Inland waterways

870 km; minimal economic importance

Merchant marine

57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 151,519 GRT/243,910 DWT, bulk 7, cargo 48, vehicle carrier 2

Pipelines

crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km

Ports

Tartus, Latakia, Baniyas, Jablah

Railroads

1,998 km total; 1,766 km standard gauge, 232 km 1.050-meter (narrow) gauge

Telecommunications

fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber optic technology; 512,600 telephones (37 telephones per 1,000 persons); broadcast stations - 9 AM, 1 FM, 17 TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Intersputnik; 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey

Branches

Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force, Syrian Arab Air Defense Forces

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $2.2 billion, 6% of GDP (1992)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 3,300,397; fit for military service 1,850,545; reach military age (19) annually 155,569 (1994 est.)

Agriculture

accounts for 30% of GDP and one-third of labor force; all major crops (wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas) grown mainly on rain-watered land causing wide swings in production; animal products - beef, lamb, eggs, poultry, milk; not self-sufficient in grain or livestock products

Budget

revenues: $7.13 billion expenditures: $9.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $4 billion (1993 est.)

Currency

1 Syrian pound (#S) = 100 piastres

Economic aid

recipient: no US aid; aid from other countries (Western and Arab) totals $1.358 billion (1993 est.); no Ex-Im, OPEC programs in place; almost $5 billion in loans and grants from Arab and Western donors from 1990-92 as a result of Gulf war stance

Electricity

capacity: 3,205,000 kW production: 11.9 billion kWh consumption per capita: 830 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates

Syrian pounds (#S) per US$1 - 11.2 (official fixed rate), 26.6 (blended rate used by the UN and diplomatic missions), 42.0 (neighboring country rate - applies to most state enterprise imports), 46.0 - 53.0 (offshore rate) (yearend 1993)

Exports

$3.4 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: petroleum 53%, textiles 22%, cotton, fruits and vegetables partners: EC 48%, former CEMA countries 24%, Arab countries 18% (1991)

External debt

$19.4 billion (1993 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Illicit drugs

a transit country for Lebanese and Turkish refined cocaine going to Europe and heroin and hashish bound for regional and Western markets

Imports

$4.1 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.) commodities: foodstuffs 21%, metal products 17%, machinery 15% partners: EC 37%, former CEMA countries 15%, US and Canada 10% (1991)

Industrial production

growth rate 21% (1991); accounts for 19% of GDP, including petroleum

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

16.3% (1993 est.)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $81.7 billion (1993 est.)

National product per capita

$5,700 (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

7.6% (1993 est.)

Overview

Syria's state-dominated Ba'thist economy has benefited from the Gulf war of early 1991, increased oil production, good weather, and economic deregulation. Economic growth averaged roughly 10% in 1990-93. The Gulf war provided Syria an aid windfall of nearly $5 billion dollars from Arab, European, and Japanese donors. These inflows more than offset Damascus's war-related costs and will help Syria cover some of its debt arrears, restore suspended credit lines, and initiate selected military and civilian purchases. In 1992 the government spurred economic development by loosening controls on domestic and foreign investment while maintaining strict political controls. For the long run, Syria's economy is still saddled with a large number of poorly performing public sector firms, and industrial productivity remains to be improved. Another major long-term concern is the additional drain of upstream Euphrates water by Turkey when its vast dam and irrigation projects are completed by mid-decade.

Unemployment rate

7.5% (1993 est.)

Area

total area: 185,180 sq km land area: 184,050 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than North Dakota note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

Climate

mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast

Coastline

193 km

Environment

current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from dumping of untreated sewage and wastes from petroleum refining; lack of safe drinking water natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Environmental Modification

International disputes

separated from Israel by the 1949 Armistice Line; Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; Hatay question with Turkey; periodic disputes with Iraq over Euphrates water rights; ongoing dispute over water development plans by Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; Syrian troops in northern Lebanon since October 1976

Irrigated land

6,700 sq km (1989)

Land boundaries

total 2,253 km, Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km

Land use

arable land: 28% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 46% forest and woodland: 3% other: 20%

Location

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

Map references

Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 41 nm territorial sea: 35 nm

Natural resources

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

Note

there are 40 Jewish settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (April 1994)

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Damascus

Constitution

13 March 1973

Digraph

SY

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Walid MUALEM chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 232-6313

Executive branch

chief of state: President Hafiz al-ASAD (since 22 February 1971 see note); Vice Presidents 'Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM, Rif'at al-ASAD, and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984); election last held 2 December 1991 (next to be held December 1998); results - President Hafiz al-ASAD was reelected for a fourth seven-year term with 99.98% of the vote; note - President ASAD seized power in the November 1970 coup, assumed presidential powers 22 February 1971, and was confirmed as president in the 12 March 1971 national elections head of government: Prime Minister Mahmud ZU'BI (since 1 November 1987); Deputy Prime Minister Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March 1984); Deputy Prime Minister Salim YASIN (since NA December 1981); Deputy Prime Minister Rashid AKHTARINI (since 4 July 1992) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

FAX

(202) 234-9548

FAX

[963] (11) 247-938

Flag

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band

Independence

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Constitutional Court, High Judicial Council, Court of Cassation, State Security Courts

Legal system

based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral

Member of

ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Names

conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic conventional short form: Syria local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah local short form: Suriyah former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

National holiday

National Day, 17 April (1946)

Other political or pressure groups

non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence; Communist party ineffective; conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood

People's Council (Majlis al-Chaab)

elections last held 22-23 May 1990 (next to be held NA May 1994); results - Ba'th 53.6%, ASU 3.2%, SCP 3.2%, Arab Socialist Unionist Movement 2.8%, ASP 2%, Democratic Socialist Union Party 1.6%, independents 33.6%; seats - (250 total) Ba'th 134, ASU 8, SCP 8, Arab Socialist Unionist Movement 7, ASP 5, Democratic Socialist Union Party 4, independents 84; note - the People's Council was expanded to 250 seats total prior to the May 1990 election

Political parties and leaders

ruling party is the Arab Socialist Resurrectionist (Ba'th) Party; the Progressive National is dominated by Ba'thists but includes independents and members of the Syrian Arab Socialist Party (ASP); Arab Socialist Union (ASU); Syrian Communist Party (SCP); Arab Socialist Unionist Movement; and Democratic Socialist Union Party

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type

republic under leftwing military regime since March 1963

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher W. S. ROSS embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street No. 2, Damascus mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus telephone: [963] (11) 332-814, 332-315, 714-108, 330-788

Birth rate

43.65 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate

6.25 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

42.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force

2.951 million (1989) by occupation: miscellaneous and government services 36%, agriculture 32%, industry and construction 32%; note - shortage of skilled labor (1984)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 66.46 years male: 65.37 years female: 67.61 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 64% male: 78% female: 51%

Nationality

noun: Syrian(s) adjective: Syrian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population

14,886,672 (July 1994 est.) note: in addition, there are 30,500 people living in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights--16,500 Arabs (15,000 Druze and 1,500 Alawites) and 14,000 Jewish settlers (1994 est.)

Population growth rate

3.74% (1994 est.)

Religions

Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Total fertility rate

6.65 children born/woman (1994 est.)