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Communications

Airports [time series]

104 total, 100 usable; 24 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 21 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

35 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

28,000 km total; 22,000 km paved, 3,000 km gravel or crushed stone, 3,000 km improved earth

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

672 km; minimal economic importance

Merchant marine [time series]

29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 85,417 GRT/138,078 DWT; includes 25 cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 vehicle carrier, 2 bulk

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 1,304 km, petroleum products 515 km

Ports [time series]

Tartus, Latakia, Baniyas

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

2,350 km total; 2,035 km standard gauge, 315 km 1.050-meter (narrow) gauge

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

fair system currently undergoing significant improvement; 512,600 telephones; broadcast stations - 9 AM, 1 FM, 17 TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Intersputnik, 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $2.5 billion, 8% of GDP (1989)

Manpower availability [time series]

males 15-49, 3,012,671; 1,691,660 fit for military service; 145,976 reach military age (19) annually

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 27% of GDP and one-third of labor force; all major crops (wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas) grown mainly on rainfed land causing wide swings in production; animal products - beef, lamb, eggs, poultry, milk; not self-sufficient in grain or livestock products

Budget [time series]

revenues $5.4 billion; expenditures $7.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.9 billion (1991 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Syrian pound (plural - pounds); 1 Syrian pound (#S) = 100 piasters

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $538 million; Western (non-US) ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.23 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $12.3 billion; former Communist countries (1970-89), $3.3 billion

Electricity [time series]

3,005,000 kW capacity; 8,800 million kWh produced, 680 kWh per capita (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

Syrian pounds (#S) per US$1 - 22.0 (promotional rate since 1991), 11.2250 (fixed rate 1987-90), 3.9250 (fixed rate 1976-87)

Exports [time series]

$3.6 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: petroleum 40%, farm products 13%, textiles, phosphates (1989) partners: USSR and Eastern Europe 42%, EC 31%, Arab countries 17%, US/Canada 2% (1989)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$5.2 billion in hard currency (1990 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $30 billion, per capita $2,300; real growth rate 11% (1991 est.)

Imports [time series]

$2.7 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: foodstuffs and beverages 21%, metal and metal products 16%, machinery 14%, textiles, petroleum products (1989) partners: EC 42%, USSR and Eastern Europe 13%, other Europe 13%, US/Canada 8%, Arab countries 6% (1989)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 6% (1991 est.); accounts for 17% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

25% (1991 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Syria's state-dominated Ba`thist economy has benefited from the Gulf war, increased oil production, good weather, and economic deregulation. Economic growth averaged nearly 12% annually in 1990-91, buoyed by increased oil production and improved agricultural performance. The Gulf war of early 1991 provided Syria an aid windfall of several 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. For the long run, Syria's economy is still saddled with a large number of poorly performing public sector firms; investment levels remain low; and industrial and agricultural productivity is poor. A 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 [time series]

NA%

Geography

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

193 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly larger than North Dakota

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Area (Land area) [time series]

184,050 km2 (including 1,295 km2 of Israeli-occupied territory)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land 28%; permanent crops 3%; meadows and pastures 46%; forest and woodland 3%; other 20%; includes irrigated 3%

Maritime claims [time series]

Contiguous zone: 6 nm beyond territorial sea limit Territorial sea: 35 nm

Natural resources [time series]

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

Note [time series]

there are 38 Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights

Terrain [time series]

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

Area (Total area) [time series]

185,180 km2

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 [time series]

Damascus

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

Syrian Communist Party (SCP)

Constitution [time series]

13 March 1973

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Walid MOUALEM; Chancery at 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 232-6313 US: Ambassador Christopher W. S. ROSS; Embassy at Abu Rumaneh, Al Mansur Street No. 2, Damascus (mailing address is P. O. Box 29, Damascus); telephone [963] (11) 333052 or 332557, 330416, 332814, 332315, 714108, 337178, 333232; FAX [963] (11) 718-687

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

President: 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 People's Council: 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

Executive branch [time series]

president, three vice presidents, prime minister, three deputy prime ministers, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Flag [time series]

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 [time series]

17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration); formerly United Arab Republic

Judicial branch [time series]

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

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State: President Hafiz al-ASAD (since 22 February 1971); Vice Presidents `Abd al-Halim KHADDAM, Vice President Rif`at al-ASAD, and Vice President Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984) 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 Mahmud QADDUR (since NA May 1985)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral People's Council (Majlis al-Chaab)

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Syrian Arab Republic

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

National Day, 17 April (1946)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

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

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

ruling party is the Arab Socialist Resurrectionist (Ba`th) Party; the Progressive National Front 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 [time series]

universal at age 18

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic; under leftwing military regime since March 1963

People

Birth rate [time series]

44 births/1,000 population (1992)

Death rate [time series]

7 deaths/1,000 population (1992)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

45 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Labor force [time series]

2,400,000; miscellaneous and government services 36%, agriculture 32%, industry and construction 32%; majority unskilled; shortage of skilled labor (1984)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

65 years male, 67 years female (1992)

Literacy [time series]

64% (male 78%, female 51%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun - Syrian(s); adjective - Syrian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)

Organized labor [time series]

5% of labor force

Population [time series]

13,730,436 (July 1992), growth rate 3.8% (1992); in addition, there are at least 14,500 Druze and 14,000 Jewish settlers in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (1992 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.9 children born/woman (1992)