Statistical information Syria 1993

Syria in the World
Syria - Introduction 1993
top of pageBackground: 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. Talks with Israel over the return of the Golan Heights have recently been revived.
top of pageLocation:
Middle East, along the Mediterranean Sea, between Turkey and
Lebanon
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the WorldAreaTotal: 185,180 km²
Land: 184,050 km²
Land boundaries:
total 2,253 km, Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km,
Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km
Coastline: 193 km
Contiguous zone: 41 nm
Territorial sea: 35 nm
Maritime claimsClimate: 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
ElevationNatural resources: petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum
Land useArable land: 28%
Permanent crops: 3%
Forest and woodland: 3%
Other: 20%
Irrigated land: 6,700 km² (1989)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 14,338,527 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 3.76% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: Syrian(s)
Adjective: Syrian
Ethnic groups: Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%
Languages:
Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian,
French widely understood
Religions:
Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%,
Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al
Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 3.76% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 44.08 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 6.44 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Current issues note: there are 38 Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 43.9 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 66.12 years
Male: 65.07 years
Female: 67.22 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.75 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
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)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional 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)
Government 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
Dependent areasIndependence: 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
National holiday: National Day, 17 April (1946)
Constitution: 13 March 1973
Legal system: based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
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
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
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 representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Walid MOUALEM
In the us chancery: 2,215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: (202) 232-6,313
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher W. S. ROSS
From the us embassy: Abu Rumaneh, Al Mansur Street No. 2, Damascus
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus
From the us telephone: 963 (11) 333,052 or 332,557, 330,416, 332,814, 332,315, 714,108, 337,178, 333,232
From the us fax: 963 (11) 718,687
Flag description
: 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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Syria's state-dominated Ba'thist economy has benefited from the 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.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 9% (1991 est.)
Real gdp per capita: $2,300 (1991 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: 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
Industries: textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 6% (1991 est.), accounts for 18% of GDP
Labor forceUnemployment rate: 5.7% (1989)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $5.4 billion; expenditures $7.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.9 billion (1991 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
Commodoties: 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.)
Commodoties: 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)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange 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)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 3,205,000 kW capacity; 11,900 million kWh produced, 830 kWh per capita (1992)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaSyria - Communication 1993
top of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresMilitary and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsSyria - Transportation 1993
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 104
Usable: 100
With permanentsurface runways: 24
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 21
With runways 1220-2439 m: 3
HeliportsPipelines: crude oil 1,304 km, petroleum products 515 km
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: 870 km; minimal economic importance
Merchant marine:
41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 117,247 GRT/183,607
DWT; includes 36 cargo, 2 vehicle carrier, 3 bulk
Ports and terminalsSyria - Transnational issues 1993
top of pageDisputes international:
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
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: a transit country for Lebanese and Turkish refined cocaine