Syria Population: 22,457,336


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The capital of Damascus - located at an oasis fed by the Barada River - is thought to be one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities; there are 41 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (2010 est.)
Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 38 00 E
Area: total: 185,180 sq km
land: 183,630 sq km
water: 1,550 sq km

note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

Size comparison: slightly larger than North Dakota
Land Boundaries: total: 2,253 km
border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km
Coastline: 193 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m
Land use: arable land: 24.9%
permanent crops: 5.69%
other: 69.41% (2011)
Irrigated land: 13,410 sq km (2010)
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
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Nationality: noun: Syrian(s)
adjective: Syrian
Ethnic groups: Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%
Religions: Sunni Muslim (Islam - official) 74%, other Muslim (includes Alawite, Druze) 16%, Christian (various denominations) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Population: 22,457,336 (July 2013 est.) note: approximately 18,700 Israeli settlers live in the Golan Heights (2011)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 33.9% (male 3,900,073/female 3,707,117)
15-24 years: 20.8% (male 2,387,006/female 2,285,496)
25-54 years: 36.9% (male 4,214,621/female 4,075,181)
55-64 years: 4.6% (male 504,422/female 517,413)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 395,806/female 470,201) (2013 est.)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 64.3 %
youth dependency ratio: 57.7 %
elderly dependency ratio: 6.7 %
potential support ratio: 15 (2013)
Median age: total: 22.7 years
male: 22.5 years
female: 22.9 years (2013 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.15% (2013 est.)
Birth rate: 23.01 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
Death rate: 3.67 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
Net migration rate: -17.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 56.1% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 2.36% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Major urban areas - population: Aleppo 2.985 million; DAMASCUS (capital) 2.527 million; Hims 1.276 million; Hamah 854,000 (2009)
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
Maternal mortality rate: 70 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
Infant mortality rate: total: 14.63 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 16.83 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.14 years
male: 72.74 years
female: 77.69 years (2013 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.77 children born/woman (2013 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 58.3% (2006)
Health expenditures: 3.4% of GDP (2010)
Physicians density: 1.5 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
Hospital bed density: 1.5 beds/1,000 population (2010)
Drinking water source: improved:
urban: 93% of population
rural: 86% of population
total: 90% of population

urban: 7% of population
rural: 14% of population
total: 10% of population (2010 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved:
urban: 96% of population
rural: 93% of population
total: 95% of population

urban: 4% of population
rural: 7% of population
total: 5% of population (2010 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 27.1% (2008)
Education expenditures: 5.1% of GDP (2009)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84.1%
male: 90.3%
female: 77.7% (2011 est.)
male: 12 years
female: 11 years (2007)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 19.2%
male: 15.3%
female: 40.2% (2010)
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Country name: 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)
Government type: republic under an authoritarian regime
Capital: name: Damascus
geographic coordinates: 33 30 N, 36 18 E
National holiday: Independence Day, 17 April (1946)
Constitution: 13 March 1973; amended February 2012
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice President Farouk al-SHARA (since 21 February 2006); Vice President Najah al-ATTAR (since 23 March 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Wael al-HALQI (since 9 August 2012); Deputy Prime Ministers Fahd Jasim al-FURAYJ, Lt. Gen., Walid al-MUALEM

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - new Council appointed on 14 April 2011 (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

elections: president approved by popular referendum for a second seven-year term (no term limits); referendum last held on 27 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2014); the president appoints the vice presidents, prime minister, and deputy prime ministers

election results: Bashar al-ASAD approved as president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.6%, other 2.4%
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held on 7 May 2012 (next to be held in 2016)


Political parties and leaders: legal parties: National Progressive Front or NPF [President Bashar al-ASAD, Dr. Suleiman QADDAH] (includes Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party [President Bashar al-ASAD] Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallah Nasr al-DIN] Syrian Arab Socialist Union or ASU [Safwan al-QUDSI] Syrian Communist Party (two branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yusuf Rashid FAYSAL] Syrian Social Nationalist Party [As'ad HARDAN] Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez ISMAIL]) Kurdish parties (considered illegal): Kurdish Azadi Party Kurdish Democratic Accord Party (al Wifaq) Kurdish Democratic Party (al Parti-Ibrahim wing) Kurdish Democratic Party (al Parti-Mustafa wing) Kurdish Democratic Party in Syria or KDP-S Kurdish Democratic Patriotic/National Party Kurdish Democratic Progressive Party or KDPP-Darwish Kurdish Democratic Progressive Party or KDPP-Muhammad Kurdish Democratic Union Party or PYD [Salih Muslim MOHAMMAD] Kurdish Democratic Unity Party Kurdish Democratic Yekiti Party Kurdish Future Party or KFP Kurdish Future Party [Rezan HASSAN] Kurdish Left Party Kurdish Yekiti (Union) Party Syrian Kurdish Democratic Party other parties: Syrian Democratic Party [Mustafa QALAAJI]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Free Syrian Army National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Oppositon Forces or Syrian Oppositon Coalition [Mu'aaz al-KHATIB] (operates in exile in Cairo) Syrian Muslim Brotherhood or SMB [Muhammad Riyad al-SHAQFAH] (operates in exile in London) note: there are also hundreds of local groups that organize protests and stage armed attacks
National symbol(s): hawk

chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313
FAX: [1] (202) 265-4585
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert S. FORD; note - on 6 February 2012, the US closed its embassy in Damascus
embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansour Street, No. 2, Damascus
mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus
telephone: [963] (11) 3391-4444
FAX: [963] (11) 3391-3999
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Despite modest economic growth and reform prior to the outbreak of unrest, Syria's economy continues to suffer the effects of the ongoing conflict that began in 2011. The economy further contracted in 2012 because of international sanctions and reduced domestic consumption and production, and inflation has risen sharply. The government has struggled to address the effects of economic decline, which include dwindling foreign exchange reserves, rising budget and trade deficits, and the decreasing value of the Syrian pound. Prior to the unrest, Damascus began liberalizing economic policies, including cutting lending interest rates, opening private banks, consolidating multiple exchange rates, raising prices on some subsidized items, and establishing the Damascus Stock Exchange. The economy remains highly regulated by the government. Long-run economic constraints include foreign trade barriers, declining oil production, high unemployment, rising budget deficits, and increasing pressure on water supplies caused by heavy use in agriculture, rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and water pollution.
GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP (purchasing power parity): $107.6 billion (2011 est.) $110.1 billion (2010 est.) $113.9 billion (2010 est.)

note: data are in 2011 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): GDP (official exchange rate): $64.7 billion (2011 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA% (2012 est.) -2.3% (2011 est.) 3.4% (2010 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): GDP - per capita (PPP): $5,100 (2011 est.) $5,100 (2010 est.) $5,300 (2010 est.)

note: data are in 2011 US dollars
Gross national saving: 12.5% of GDP (2012 est.) 15% of GDP (2011 est.) 26.1% of GDP (2010 est.)
government consumption: 17.2%
investment in fixed capital: 20.5%
investment in inventories: 8.4%
exports of goods and services: 13.9%
government consumption: 17.2%
investment in fixed capital: 20.5%
investment in inventories: 8.4%
exports of goods and services: 13.9%
Industrial production growth rate: -36% (2012 est.)
Labor force: 5.327 million (2012 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 17%
industry: 16%
services: 67% (2008 est.)
Unemployment rate: 18% (2012 est.) 14.9% (2011 est.)
Population below poverty line: 11.9% (2006 est.)
highest 10%: NA%
Budget: revenues: $5.222 billion
expenditures: $12.59 billion (2012 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 8.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
Public debt: 52.2% of GDP (2012 est.) 35.2% of GDP (2011 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices): 37% (2012 est.) 4.8% (2011 est.)
Current account balance: -$5.103 billion (2012 est.) -$7.726 billion (2011 est.)
Exports: $3.876 billion (2012 est.) $10.29 billion (2011 est.)
Exports - partners: Iraq 55.9%, Saudi Arabia 9.3%, Kuwait 6.1%, UAE 5.3%, Lebanon 4.2% (2012)
Imports: $10.78 billion (2012 est.) $17.6 billion (2011 est.)
Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 21.2%, UAE 10.4%, Iran 7.7%, China 7%, Iraq 6.3%, Ukraine 6.3%, Egypt 4.3% (2012)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $4.774 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $14.83 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Debt - external: $8.33 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $8.196 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA
Exchange rates: Syrian pounds (SYP) per US dollar - 64.3919 (2012 est.) 48.371 (2011 est.) 11.225 (2010 est.) 46.708 (2009) 46.5281 (2008)
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Electricity - production: 40.86 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 57
Electricity - consumption: 28.87 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity: 8.2 million kW (2009 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels: 84.8% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: 15.2% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Crude oil - production: 333,900 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Crude oil - exports: 144,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves: 2.183 billion bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 255,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption: 258,800 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 14,540 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 58,160 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Natural gas - production: 8.94 billion cu m (2010 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 9.63 billion cu m (2010 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 690 million cu m (2010 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 240.7 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy: 63.1 million Mt (2010 est.)
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Telephones in use: 4.345 million (2011)
country comparison to the world: 37
Cellular Phones in use: 13.117 million (2011)
Telephone system: general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology and expansion of the network to rural areas; the armed insurgency that began in 2011 has led to major disruptions to the network and has caused telephone and Internet outages throughout the country

domestic: the number of fixed-line connections has increased markedly since 2000; mobile-cellular service growing with telephone subscribership nearly 60 per 100 persons in 2011

Broadcast media: state-run TV and radio broadcast networks; state operates 2 TV networks and a satellite channel; roughly two-thirds of Syrian homes have a satellite dish providing access to foreign TV broadcasts; 3 state-run radio channels; first private radio station launched in 2005; private radio broadcasters prohibited from transmitting news or political content (2007)
Internet country code: .sy
Internet hosts: 416 (2012)
Internet users: 4.469 million (2009)
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Airports: 90 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 62
Airports (paved runways): total 29
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (2013)
Airports (unpaved runways): total 61

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 48 (2013)
Heliports: 6 (2013)
Pipelines: gas 3,170 km; oil 2,029 km (2013)
Railways: total 2,052 km
standard gauge: 1,801 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2008)
Roadways: total 68,157 km
paved: 61,514 km (includes 1,103 km of expressways)
unpaved: 6,643 km (2006)
Merchant marine: total 19

by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 14, carrier 1

Ports and terminals: Baniyas, Latakia, Tartus
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Military branches: Syrian Armed Forces: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air and Air Defense Forces (includes Air Defense Command) (2008)
Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 5,889,837
females age 16-49: 5,660,751 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 5,055,510
females age 16-49: 4,884,151 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 256,698
female: 244,712 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures: 3.6% of GDP (2011)
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 Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 486,946 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)); 87,741 (Iraq) (2012) IDPs: 4.25 million (ongoing civil war since 2011) (2012)
stateless persons: 221,000 (2012); note - Syria's stateless population is composed of Kurds and Palestinians; stateless persons are prevented from voting, owning land, holding certain jobs, receiving food subsidies or public healthcare, enrolling in public schools, or being legally married to Syrian citizens; in 1962, some 120,000 Syrian Kurds were stripped of their Syrian citizenship, rendering them and their descendants stateless; in 2011, the Syrian government granted citizenship to thousands of Syrian Kurds as a means of appeasement; however, resolving the question of statelessness is not a priority given Syria's ongoing civil war
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   Source: CIA - The World Factbook

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