Syria
Syrian Arab RepublicAl Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah
republic under military regime since March 1963
Syria as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 89 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.
No fields match. Try a shorter word.
Geography
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between | Lebanon and Turkey
15 fieldsLand useshare of 185,180 sq km
International disputes
- Golan Heights is Israeli occupied;
- Hatay question with Turkey;
- dispute over Turkey's water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers;
- Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976
Climate
- 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 hitting Damascus
Terrain
- primarily semiarid and desert plateau;
- narrow coastal plain;
- mountains in west
- lowest point:
- unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
- highest point:
- Mount Hermon 2,814 m
Natural resources
petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum
Environment
- current issues:
- deforestation;
- overgrazing;
- soil erosion;
- desertification;
- water pollution from dumping of raw sewage and wastes from petroleum refining;
- inadequate supplies of potable water
- natural hazards:
- dust storms, sandstorms
- international agreements:
- party to - Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution;
- signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Desertification, Environmental Modification
Geographic note
there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 1995 est.)
People
15 fieldsNote
Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)
Male · female(1996 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 47% (male 3,738,671; female 3,557,474)
- 15-64 years:
- 50% (male 4,013,355; female 3,843,466)
- 65 years and over:
- 3% (male 227,249; female 228,433) (July 1996 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 1 male(s)/female
- all ages:
- 1.05 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Government
Republic under military regime since March 1963; President Hafiz al-ASAD (since 22 February 1971
21 fieldsName of country
- 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)
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
Legal system
- based on Islamic law and civil law system;
- special religious courts;
- has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Hafiz al-ASAD (since 22 February 1971; see note) was reelected for a seven-year term by universal suffrage;
- election last held 2 December 1991 (next to be held NA 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;
- Vice Presidents 'Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since NA), Rifaat al-ASAD (since NA), and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984) were appointed by the president
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Mahmud ZUBI (since 1 November 1987), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March 1984), Salim YASIN (since NA December 1981), and Rashid AKHTARINI (since 4 July 1992) were appointed by the president
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers was appointed by the president
Legislative branch
unicameral
- People's Council (Majlis al-Chaab):
- elections last held 24-25 August 1994 (next to be held NA 1998);
- results - percent of vote by party NA;
- seats - (250 total) National Progressive Front 167, independents 83
Judicial branch
- Supreme Constitutional Court, justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president;
- High Judicial Council;
- Court of Cassation;
- State Security Courts
National Progressive Front includes
- the ruling Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party, Hafiz al-ASAD, president of the republic, secretary general of the party, and chairman of the National Progressive Front;
- Syrian Arab Socialist Party (ASP), 'Abd al-Ghani KANNUT;
- Arab Socialist Union (ASU), Jamal ATASSI;
- Syrian Communist Party (SCP), Wisal FARHAH;
- Arab Socialist Unionist Movement, Sami SOUFAN;
- and Democratic Socialist Union Party, Ghassan UTHMAN
Other political or pressure groups
- non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence;
- Communist party ineffective;
- conservative religious leaders;
- Muslim Brotherhood
International organization participation
ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Walid MUALEM
- chancery:
- 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 232-6313
US diplomatic representation
- 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) 333-2814, 333-0788, 332-0783
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
During 1990-92 Syria's state-dominated economy | benefited from the Gulf war, increased oil production, good weather, | and economic reform.
21 fieldsGDP composition by sector(1994 est.)
Installed generating capacity, 4,160,000 kW
Economic overview
During 1990-92 Syria's state-dominated economy benefited from the Gulf war, increased oil production, good weather, and economic reform. Economic growth averaged roughly 10%. The war led to a Syrian aid windfall of nearly $5 billion from Arab, European, and Japanese donors. Most positive economic trends ended in 1993 due to the dissipation of the Gulf war boom, a domestic financial crisis, and economic policy missteps.
Economic growth has dropped below 5%, income inequality is increasing, the government budget deficit is growing, and international accounts are weakening. For the long run, Syria's economy is saddled with a large number of poorly performing public sector firms and low industrial productivity.
Oil production is likely to ebb by the end of the decade. Unemployment will likely rise as the more than 60% of the population under age 20 moves into the labor force. The economic benefits of any peace treaty with Israel will depend in large part on the pace of economic reform.
Labor force
4.7 million (1995 est.); by occupation: services 42%, industry 36%, agriculture 22% (1990 est.)
Illicit drugs
a transit point for Lebanese and Turkish refined cocaine going to Europe and heroin and hashish bound for regional and Western markets
Exports
$3.5 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
- commodities:
- petroleum 66%, cotton, fruits and vegetables 14%, textiles 9%, animal products 4%, industrial products 3%
- partners:
- EU 61%, Arab countries 24%, former CEMA countries, China, Yugoslavia 5%, US and Canada 3% (1993 est.)
Imports
$5.4 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
- commodities:
- machinery 25%, metal products 16%, transport equipment 15%, foodstuffs 12%, textiles 10%
- partners:
- EU 37%, former CEMA countries, China, Yugoslavia 17%, US and Canada 7%, Arab countries 6% (1993 est.)
Exchange rates
Syrian pounds (LS) per US$1 - 11.225 (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), 48.0 - 52.0 (offshore rate) (1994)
Transportation
8 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 99 in all
Networkskm
Highways
- total:
- 31,569 km
- paved:
- 24,308 km (including 712 km of expressways)
- unpaved:
- 7,261 km (1991 est.)
Merchant marine
- total:
- 99 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 294,355 GRT/454,990 DWT
- ships by type:
- bulk 12, cargo 85, livestock carrier 1, vehicle carrier 1 (1995 est.)
Communications
Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air | Force, Syrian Arab Air Defense Forces, Police and Security Force
9 fieldsTelephone system
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
Branches
Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force, Syrian Arab Air Defense Forces, Police and Security Force
Manpower availability
- males age 15-49:
- 3,590,557
- males fit for military service:
- 2,011,610
- males reach military age (19) annually:
- 164,598 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $875 million, 8% of GDP (1994 est.); note - based on official budget data that understate actual spending
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Syria.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/syria/1996.