| Geographical Information |
| Map Location |
Middle East |
| Geographical Location |
35° 00' North Latitude
38° 00' East Longitude |
| Surface Area |
185,180 sq km |
| 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 in Damascus |
| Natural Resources |
Petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower |
|
| Political Information |
 |
|
| Country Name |
Syrian Arab Republic |
| Capital City |
Damascus |
| Government Type |
Republic under 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 Day |
17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration) |
|
| Demographical Information |
|
|
| Population |
18,448,752 (July 2005 est.) |
| Nationality |
Syrian |
| Ethnic Groups |
Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7% |
| Religion |
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 widely understood; French, English somewhat understood |
| Population Growth Rate |
2.34% (2005 est.) |
|
| Economical Information |
|
|
| Currency |
Syrian pound (SYP) |
| Industries |
Petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining |
| Labor Force |
5.12 million (2004 est.) |
| Labor Force by Sectors |
Agriculture 30%, industry 27%, services 43% (2002 est.) |
| Agriculture Products |
Wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk |
| Export Commodities |
Crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat |
| Export Partners |
Germany 16.5%, Italy 13.5%, UAE 8.6%, Lebanon 7.7%, France 6.3%, Turkey 5.1% (2004) |
| Import Commodities |
Machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical products, plastics, yarn, paper |
| Import Partners |
Italy 7.7%, China 7.6%, Germany 7.4%, Turkey 4.5%, France 4.4% (2004) |
|
| Transportation |
|
|
| Railways |
2,711 km |
| Highways |
45,697 km |
| Pipelines |
Gas 2,300 km; oil 2,183 km (2004) |
| Airports |
92 (2004 est.) |
| Ports and Harbors |
Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus |
|
| Communication |
|
|
| Phone Code |
+963 |
| Internet Abbreviation |
.sy |
|
| Other |
|
|
| Short History |
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, despite international
pressure calling for their withdrawal. Over the past decade, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan Heights. |
|
| www.kfrawy.com |
