Syria

Syrian Arab RepublicAl Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

republic under leftwing military regime since March 1963

Syria as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 79 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalDamascus

Area185,180 km2

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

Populationas each edition published it

14.34 million July 1993 est. · 12.48m in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.76% 1993 est. · 1.63% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 19.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

66.12 years 1993 est. · 74.8 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.75 children per woman 1993 est. · 6.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

43.9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 38 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$2,300 1991 est. · $4,200 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

9% 1991 est. · -1.2% in 2025

Geography

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

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Land useshare of 185,180 km2

arable land 28%permanent crops 3%meadows and pastures 46%forest and woodland 3%other 20%irrigated 6,700 km2 (1989)

Area

185,180km2

land area: 184,050 km2comparative area: slightly larger than North Dakotanote: includes 1,295 km2 of Israeli-occupied territory

Coastline

193km

contiguous zone: 41 nmterritorial sea: 35 nm

Land boundaries

2,253km

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

Location

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

Map references

Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

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

Environment

deforestation;
overgrazing;
soil erosion;
desertification

Note

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

People

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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.)growth rate: 3.76% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

44.08Death

6.44Net migration

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years66.12

65.07 · 67.22

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy64%

78% · 51%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Labor force

2.951million

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

Infant mortality rate

43.9 deaths/1,000 live births (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

Government

Republic under leftwing military regime since March 1963

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Presidential electionpercent of vote

53.6%

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%

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)

Type

republic under leftwing military regime since March 1963

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)

Legal system

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

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

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)

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)

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

Economy

Syria's state-dominated Ba'thist economy has benefited from the Gulf war, | increased oil production, good weather, and economic deregulation.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$2,300

(1991 est.)

Real growth rate

(1991 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 6% (1991 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

20%

(1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.7%

(1989)

Budget

Revenues

$5.4 billionExpenditures

$7.5 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $2.9 billion (1991 est.)

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.)

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.)

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

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

Communications

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Merchant marine, 41 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 36vehicle carrier 2bulk 341 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 117,247 GRT/183,607 DWT

Networkskm

Highways

29,000 (1988)Railroads

1,998Inland waterways

870

Highways: ; 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 · Railroads: ; 1,766 km standard gauge, 232 km 1.050-meter (narrow) gauge · Inland waterways: ; minimal economic importance

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)

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