Syria

republic under leftwing military regime since March 1963

Syria as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 123 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

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CapitalDamascus
LocationMiddle East, along the Mediterranean Sea, between Turkey and Lebanon
1994

Every edition of Syria

Populationas each edition published it
14.89 million July 1994 est. · 12.48m in 1990
Population growth% a year
3.74% 1994 est. · 3.76% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 19.7 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 66.12 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.65 children per woman 1994 est. · 6.7 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
42.5 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 38 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$5,700 1993 est. · $2,300 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
7.6% 1993 est. · 9% in 1993

Geography

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

24 fields
Land boundaries
2,253km
total · Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km
Irrigated land
6,700sq km
(1989)

Location

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

Map references

Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

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

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

arable land

28%

permanent crops

3%

meadows and pastures

46%

forest and woodland

3%

other

20%

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

Note

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

People

22 fields
Population
14,886,672
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 3.74% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
43.65Death
6.25Net migration
0
Labor force
2.951million
(1989)
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1990)

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.)

Infant mortality rate

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

total population

66.46 years

male

65.37 years

female

67.61 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.65 children born/woman (1994 est.)

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

total population

64%

male

78%

female

51%

by occupation

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

Government

Republic under leftwing military regime since March 1963

33 fields

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%

Legislature, 250 seatsone dot, one seat

Ba'th 134ASU 8SCP 8Arab Socialist Unionist Movement 7ASP 5Democratic Socialist Union Party 4independents 84

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

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)

National holiday

National Day, 17 April (1946)

Constitution

13 March 1973

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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

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

Judicial branch

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

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

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

chief of mission

Ambassador Walid MUALEM

chancery

2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

(202) 232-6313

FAX

(202) 234-9548

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

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

Economy

Syria's state-dominated Ba'thist economy has benefited from the Gulf | war of early 1991, increased oil production, good weather, and | economic deregulation.

26 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$5,700
(1993 est.)
Real growth rate
7.6%
(1993 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 21% (1991); accounts for 19% of GDP, including petroleum
Unemployment rate
7.5%
(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.

National product

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

revenues

$7.13 billion

expenditures

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

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)

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)

External debt

$19.4 billion (1993 est.)

capacity

3,205,000 kW

production

11.9 billion kWh

consumption per capita

830 kWh (1992)

Industries

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

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

Illicit drugs

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

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

Currency

1 Syrian pound (#S) = 100 piastres

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)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

15 fields

Networkskm

Railroads
1,998Inland waterways
870
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

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

Pipelines

crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km

Ports

Tartus, Latakia, Baniyas, Jablah

Merchant marine

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

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

Defense Forces

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

3 fields

Branches

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

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.)

Defense expenditures

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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Syria.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/syria/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →