@node Geography (Syria)
@section Geography (Syria)

@display

Location:
  Middle East, along the Mediterranean Sea, between Turkey and Lebanon
Map references:
  Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  185,180 km2
 land area:
  184,050 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly larger than North Dakota
 note:
  includes 1,295 km2 of Israeli-occupied territory
Land boundaries:
  total 2,253 km, Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km,
  Turkey 822 km
Coastline:
  193 km
Maritime claims:
 contiguous zone:
  41 nm
 territorial sea:
  35 nm
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
Climate:
  mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy
  winters (December to February) along coast
Terrain:
  primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in
  west
Natural resources:
  petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock
  salt, marble, gypsum
Land use:
 arable land:
  28%
 permanent crops:
  3%
 meadows and pastures:
  46%
 forest and woodland:
  3%
 other:
  20%
Irrigated land:
  6,700 km2 (1989)
Environment:
  deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Note:
  there are 38 Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights



@end display

@node People (Syria)
@section People (Syria)

@display

Population:
  14,338,527 (July 1993 est.)
 note:
  in addition, there are at least 14,500 Druze and 14,000 Jewish settlers in
  the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  3.76% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  44.08 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  6.44 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  43.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  66.12 years
 male:
  65.07 years
 female:
  67.22 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  6.75 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Syrian(s)
 adjective:
  Syrian
Ethnic divisions:
  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:
  Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian, French widely
  understood
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
 total population:
  64%
 male:
  78%
 female:
  51%
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)



@end display

@node Government (Syria)
@section Government (Syria)

@display

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)
Digraph:
  SY
Type:
  republic under leftwing military regime since March 1963
Capital:
  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)
Constitution:   13 March 1973
Legal system:
  based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
  National Day, 17 April (1946)
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
Other political or pressure groups:
  non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence; Communist party
  ineffective; conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 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:
  president, three vice presidents, prime minister, three deputy prime
  ministers, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
  unicameral People's Council (Majlis al-Chaab)



@end display

@node Government (Syria 2. usage)
@section Government (Syria 2. usage)

@display

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Constitutional Court, High Judicial Council, Court of Cassation,
  State Security Courts
Leaders:
 Chief of State:
  President Hafiz al-ASAD (since 22 February 1971 see note); Vice Presidents
  'Abd al-Halim KHADDAM, Rif'at al-ASAD, and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since
  11 March 1984); 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)
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,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Walid MOUALEM
 chancery:
  2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
 telephone:
  (202) 232-6313
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Christopher W. S. ROSS
 embassy:
  Abu Rumaneh, Al Mansur Street No. 2, Damascus
 mailing address:
  P. O. Box 29, Damascus
 telephone:
  [963] (11) 333052 or 332557, 330416, 332814, 332315, 714108, 337178, 333232
 FAX:
  [963] (11) 718687
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



@end display

@node Economy (Syria)
@section Economy (Syria)

@display

Overview:
  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 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 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.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $30 billion (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  9% (1991 est.)
National product per capita:
  $2,300 (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):   20% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
  5.7% (1989)
Budget:
  revenues $5.4 billion; expenditures $7.5 billion, including capital
  expenditures of $2.9 billion (1991 est.)
Exports:
  $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
 commodities:
  petroleum 45%, farm products 11%, textiles, phosphates 5% (1990)
 partners:
  USSR and Eastern Europe 44%, EC 34%, Arab countries 17%, US/Canada 1% (1990)
Imports:
  $2.7 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
 commodities:
  foodstuffs and beverages 21%, machinery 15%, metal and metal products 15%,
  textiles 7%, petroleum products (1990)
 partners:
  EC 42%, USSR and Eastern Europe 13%, other Europe 13%, US/Canada 11%, Arab
  countries 6% (1990)
External debt:
  $5.3 billion (1990 est.)
Industrial production:
  growth rate 6% (1991 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP
Electricity:
  3,205,000 kW capacity; 11,900 million kWh produced, 830 kWh per capita
  (1992)
Industries:
  textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining,
  petroleum
Agriculture:
  accounts for 27% 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



@end display

@node Economy (Syria 2. usage)
@section Economy (Syria 2. usage)

@display

Illicit drugs:
  a transit country for Lebanese and Turkish refined cocaine going to Europe
  and heroin and hashish bound for the Persian Gulf area
Economic aid:
  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
Currency:
  1 Syrian pound (#S) = 100 piasters
Exchange rates:
  Syrian pounds (#S) per US$1 - 22.0 (promotional rate since 1991), 22.0
  (official rate since 1991), 42.0 (official parallel rate since 1991),
  11.2250 (fixed rate 1987-90)
Fiscal year:
  calendar year



@end display

@node Communications (Syria)
@section Communications (Syria)

@display

Railroads:
  1,998 km total; 1,766 km standard gauge, 232 km 1.050-meter (narrow) gauge
Highways:
  29,000 km total; 670 km expressways; 5,000 km main or national roads; 23,330
  km secondary or regional roads (not including municipal roads); 22,680 km of
  the total is paved (1988)
Inland waterways:
  870 km; minimal economic importance
Pipelines:
  crude oil 1,304 km, petroleum products 515 km
Ports:
  Tartus, Latakia, Baniyas, Jablah
Merchant marine:
  41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 117,247 GRT/183,607 DWT; includes 36
  cargo, 2 vehicle carrier, 3 bulk
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
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



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Syria)
@section Defense Forces (Syria)

@display

Branches:
  Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force, Syrian Arab Air
  Defense Forces
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 3,168,429; fit for military service 1,777,413; reach
  military age (19) annually 151,102 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $2.2 billion, 6% of GDP (1992)



@end display