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Background:
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Following the breakup
of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Syria was administered
by the French until independence in 1946. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli
War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. Since 1976, Syrian
troops have been stationed in Lebanon, ostensibly in a peacekeeping
capacity. In recent years, Syria and Israel have held occasional
peace talks over the return of the Golan Heights. |
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Location:
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Middle East, bordering
the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey |
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Geographic coordinates:
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35 00 N, 38 00 E |
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Map references:
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Middle East |
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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 |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than
North Dakota |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 2,253
km
border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km,
Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km |
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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 |
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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 |
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Terrain:
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primarily semiarid
and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, phosphates,
chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble,
gypsum, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land:
25.96%
permanent crops: 4.08%
other: 69.96% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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12,130 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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dust storms, sandstorms
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation; overgrazing;
soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from raw sewage and
petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification |
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Geography - note:
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there are 42 Israeli
settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied
Golan Heights (February 2002 est.)
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Population:
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17,155,814 (July 2002
est.)
note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied
Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and
about 20,000 Israeli settlers (February 2003 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
39.3% (male 3,467,267; female 3,264,639)
15-64 years: 57.5% (male 5,052,841; female 4,817,662)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 267,803; female 285,602) (2002
est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.5% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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30.11 births/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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5.12 deaths/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.06
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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32.73 deaths/1,000
live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population:
69.08 years
female: 70.32 years (2002 est.)
male: 67.9 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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3.84 children born/woman
(2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.01% (1999 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Syrian(s)
adjective: Syrian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Arab 90.3%, Kurds,
Armenians, and other 9.7% |
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Religions:
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Sunni Muslim 74%,
Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects)
10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
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Languages:
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Arabic (official);
Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French,
English somewhat understood |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.8%
male: 85.7%
female: 55.8% (1997 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional long
form: Syrian Arab Republic
conventional short form: Syria
local short form: Suriyah
former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah |
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Government type:
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republic under military
regime since March 1963 |
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Capital:
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Damascus |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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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
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Executive branch:
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chief of state:
President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice Presidents Abd
al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and Muhammad Zuhayr
MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)
head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa MIRU
(since 13 March 2000), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS
(since 11 March 1984), Farouk al-SHARA (since 13 December 2001),
Dr. Muhammad al-HUSAYN (since 13 December 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year
term; referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death
of President Hafez al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to
be held NA 2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime
minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June 2000,
the Ba'th Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented
his name to the People's Council on 25 June 2000
election results: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent
of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29% |
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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)
election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents
33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the constitution
guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receives
one-half of the seats
elections: last held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to
be held NA 2002) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Constitutional
Court (justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president);
High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts
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Political parties and leaders:
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National Progressive
Front or NPF (includes the Ba'th Party, ASU, Arab Socialist Party,
Socialist Unionist Democratic Party, ASP, SCP) [President Bashar
al-ASAD, chairman]; Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party (governing
party) [President Bashar al-ASAD, secretary general]; Syrian Arab
Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan KOUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party or
SCP [Yusuf FAYSAL]; Syrian Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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conservative religious
leaders; Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile in Jordan and Yemen);
non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence |
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International organization participation:
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AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU,
CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM,
OAPEC, OIC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Rustum al-ZU'BI
chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Theodore H. KATTOUF
embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus
mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus
telephone: [963] (11) 333-1342
FAX: [963] (11) 331-9678 |
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Flag description:
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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 heraldic eagle centered in the white band
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Economy - overview:
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Syria's predominantly
statist economy has been growing slower than its 2.5% annual population
growth rate, causing a persistent decline in per capita GDP. President
Bashar AL-ASAD has made little progress on the economic front after
one year in office, but does appear willing to permit a gradual
strengthening of the private sector. His most obvious accomplishment
to this end was the recent passage of legislation allowing private
banks to operate in Syria, although a private banking sector will
take years and further government cooperation to develop. ASAD's
recent cabinet reshuffle may improve his chances of implementing
further growth-oriented policies, although external factors such
as the international war on terrorism, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,
and downturn in oil prices could weaken the foreign investment and
government revenues Syria needs to flourish. A long-run economic
constraint is the pressure on water supplies caused by rapid population
growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity
- $54.2 billion (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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2% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity
- $3,200 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
27%
industry: 23%
services: 50% (2000 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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15%-25% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share:
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lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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0.3% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force:
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4.7 million (1998
est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 40%, industry
20%, services 40% (1996 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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20% (2000 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $5 billion
expenditures: $7 billion, including capital expenditures
of $NA (2001 est.) |
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Industries:
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petroleum, textiles,
food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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19.7 billion kWh (2000)
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
64%
hydro: 36%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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17.671 billion kWh
(2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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650 million kWh (2000)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat, barley, cotton,
lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry,
milk |
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Exports:
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$5 billion f.o.b.
(2001 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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crude oil 68%, textiles
7%, fruits and vegetables 6%, raw cotton 4% (1998 est.) |
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Exports - partners:
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Germany 27%, Italy
12%, France 10%, Turkey 10%, Saudi Arabia 7% (2000 est.) |
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Imports:
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$4 billion f.o.b.
(2001 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and transport
equipment 21%, food and livestock 18%, metal and metal products
15%, chemicals and chemical products 10% (2000 est.) |
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Imports - partners:
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Italy 9%, Germany
7%, France 5%, Lebanon 5%, China 4%, South Korea 4%, Turkey 4%,
US 4% (2000 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$22 billion (2001
est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$199 million (1997
est.) |
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Currency:
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Syrian pound (SYP)
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Currency code:
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SYP |
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Exchange rates:
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Syrian pounds per
US dollar - 51 (December 2001), 46 (2000), 46 (1998), 41.9 (January
1997) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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1.313 million (1997)
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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NA |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment:
fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital
upgrades, including fiber-optic technology
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian
Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable;
coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon,
and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 14, FM 2, shortwave
1 (1998) |
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Radios:
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4.15 million (1997)
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Television broadcast stations:
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44 (plus 17 repeaters)
(1995) |
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Televisions:
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1.05 million (1997)
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Internet country code:
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.sy |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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1 (2000) |
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Internet users:
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60,000 (2002)
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Railways:
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total: 2,750
km
standard gauge: 2,423 km 1.435-m gauge
note: rail link between Syria and Iraq replaced in 2000 (2001)
narrow gauge: 327 km 1.050-m gauge |
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Highways:
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total: 41,451
km
paved: 9,575 km (including 877 km of expressways)
unpaved: 31,876 km (1997) |
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Waterways:
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870 km (minimal economic
importance) |
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Pipelines:
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crude oil 1,304 km;
petroleum products 515 km |
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Ports and harbors:
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Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia,
Tartus |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 143
ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 482,985 GRT/702,590 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as
a flag of convenience: Egypt 1, Greece 2, Italy 1, Lebanon 10 (2002
est.)
ships by type: bulk 12, cargo 126, livestock carrier 4, roll
on/roll off 1 |
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Airports:
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99 (2001) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 24
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
914 to 1,523 m: 2 |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 68
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 55 (2002) |
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Heliports:
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7 (2002)
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Military branches:
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Syrian Arab Army,
Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force (includes Air Defense Forces),
Police and Security Force |
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Military manpower - military age:
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19 years of age (2002
est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age 15-49:
4,550,496 (2002 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age 15-49:
2,539,342 (2002 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males: 200,859
(2002 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$921 million (FY00
est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate
actual spending |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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5.9% (FY98)
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