Syria

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Syria

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name al-Jumhuriyya al-Arabiyya as-Suriyya/Syrian Arab Republic Area 185,200 sq km/71,505 sq mi Capital Damascus Language Arabic (89%) (official), Kurdish (6%), Armenian (3%), French, English, Aramaic, Circassian Religion Sunni Muslim 74%; other Islamic sects 16%, Christian 10% Time difference GMT +2 Major holidays 1 January, 8 March, 17 April, 1, 6 May, 23 July, 1 September, 6 October, 25 December; variable: Eid-ul-Adha (3 days), end of Ramadan (4 days), Easter Sunday, New Year (Muslim), Prophet's Birthday


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Aleppo, Homs, Latakia, Hama, Ar Raqqah, Deir-es-Zor Major ports Latakia Physical features mountains alternate with fertile plains and desert areas; Euphrates River Airports one international airport and four principal domestic airports; total passengers carried: 908,000 (2003 est) Railways total length: 2,450 km/1,523 mi; total passenger journeys: 904,000 (2000) Roads total road network: 91,795 km/57,039 mi, of which 20.1% paved (2003 est); passenger cars: 36.2 per 1,000 people (2003 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Bashar al-Assad from 2000 Head of government Naji al-Otari from 2003 Political system nationalistic socialist Political executive unlimited presidency Administrative divisions 14 provinces Political parties National Progressive Front (NPF), pro-Arab, socialist coalition, including the Communist Party of Syria, the Arab Socialist Party, the Arab Socialist Unionist Party, the Syrian Arab Socialist Union Party, the Ba'ath Arab Socialist Party Death penalty retained and used for ordinary crimes Armed forces 307,600; plus 354,000 reservists and paramilitary forces of 108,000 (2006 est) Conscription 30 months Defence spend (% GDP) 7.4 (2004 est) Education spend (% GDP) 4.2 (2001 est) Health spend (% GDP) 2.5 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency Syrian pound GDP (US$) 26.3 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 3.2 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 26.3 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 3,740 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 5.6% (2006 est) Unemployment 12.3% (2004 est) Labour force 26.2% agriculture, 27% industry, 46.8% services (2003) Foreign debt (US$) 8.4 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners Iraq, Ukraine, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Italy, South Korea Resources petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, salt, gypsum, sodium chloride, bitumen Industries petroleum and petroleum products, coal, rubber and plastic products, textiles, clothing, leather products, tobacco, processed food Exports crude petroleum, textiles, vegetables, fruit, raw cotton, natural phosphate. Principal market: Ukraine 11% (2005) Imports machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, crude petroleum, wheat, base metals, metal products, foodstuffs. Principal source: Ukraine 11% (2005) Arable land 24.8% (2006 est) Agricultural products cotton, wheat, barley, maize, olives, lentils, sugar beet, fruit, vegetables; livestock (principally sheep and goats)


POPULATION

Population 19,512,400 (2006 est) Population growth rate 2.4% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 105 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 50 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 37%, 15–59 58%, 60+ 5% (2005 est) Ethnic groups predominantly Arab, with many differences in language and regional affiliations; Kurds, Armenian Life expectancy 73 (men); 76 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 16 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 9 Literacy rate 91% (men); 74% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 14 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 1.5 (2003 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) <0.1 (2005 est) AIDS deaths 200 (2003 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 94 (urban); 64 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 15.2 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 15.5 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 276 (2001 est) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 192 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 4.2 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 5.8 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

c.1750 BC Syria became part of Babylonian Empire; during the next millennium it was successively conquered by Hittites, Assyrians, Chaldeans, and Persians. 333 BC Alexander the Great of Macedonia conquered Persia and Syria. 301 BC Seleucus I, one of the generals of Alexander the Great, founded the kingdom of Syria, which the Seleucid dynasty ruled for over 200 years. 64 BC Syria became part of Roman Empire. 4th century AD After division of Roman Empire, Syria came under Byzantine rule. 634 Arabs conquered most of Syria and introduced Islam. 661–750 Damascus was the capital of Muslim Empire. 1055 Seljuk Turks overran Syria. 1095–99 First Crusade established Latin states on Syrian coast. 13th century Mameluke sultans of Egypt took control. 1516 Ottoman Turks conquered Syria. 1831 Egyptians led by Mehemet Ali drove out Turks. 1840 Turkish rule restored; Syria opened up to European trade. late 19th century French firms built ports, roads, and railways in Syria. 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement: secret Anglo-French deal to partition Turkish Empire allotted Syria to France. 1918 British expelled Turks with help of Arab revolt. 1919 Syrian national congress called for independence under Emir Faisal and opposed transfer to French rule. 1920 Syria became League of Nations protectorate, administered by France. 1925 People's Party founded to campaign for independence and national unity; insurrection by Druze religious sect against French control. 1936 France promised independence within three years, but martial law imposed in 1939. 1941 British forces ousted Vichy French regime in Damascus and occupied Syria in conjunction with Free French. 1944 Syrian independence proclaimed but French military resisted transfer of power. 1946 Syria achieved effective independence when French forces withdrew. 1948–49 Arab–Israeli War: Syria joined unsuccessful invasion of newly independent Israel. 1958 Syria and Egypt merged to form United Arab Republic (UAR). 1959 USSR agreed to give financial and technical aid to Syria. 1961 Syria seceded from UAR. 1964 Ba'ath Socialist Party established military dictatorship. 1967 Six-Day War: Syria lost Golan Heights to Israel. 1970–71 Syria invaded Jordan in support of Palestinian guerrillas. 1971 Hafez al-Assad was elected president. 1973 Yom Kippur War: Syrian attack on Israel repulsed. 1976 Start of Syrian military intervention in Lebanese civil war. 1978 Syria opposed peace deal between Egypt and Israel. 1986 Britain broke off diplomatic relations, accusing Syria of involvement in international terrorism. 1990 Diplomatic links with Britain restored. 1991 Syria contributed troops to US-led coalition in Gulf War against Iraq. US Middle East peace plan approved by Assad. 1994 Israel offered partial withdrawal from Golan Heights in return for peace; Syria remained sceptical. 1995 Security framework agreed with Israel. 1,200 political prisoners, including members of banned Muslim Brotherhood, released to commemorate 25th anniversary of President Assad's seizure of power. 1996 Syria redeployed armed forces in southern Lebanon. 1997 Three border points with Iraq, closed since 1980, reopened. 1998 Relations with Israel deteriorated after Israeli forces seized land cultivated by Arab farmers in Golan Heights. 1999 Amnesty International charged Syrian authorities with human rights abuses; called for release of over 300 political prisoners. Peace talks with Israel over Lebanon and Golan Heights resumed after break of three years. Relations with Iraq normalized. 2000 Further peace talks held with Israel; Israel withdrew from Golan Heights. President Assad appointed Muhammad Mustafa Miro prime minister. Assad died in June; son Bashar became president. Iraq–Syria border reopened. 2001 Syria signed free-trade accord with Iraq. 2003 Ruling National Progressive Front retained constitutionally mandated majority in parliamentary elections. Mohammed Naji al-Otari appointed prime minister. Syria described Israeli air strike against alleged militant camp near Damascus as ‘military aggression’ 2004 After decades of cool relations between Syria and Turkey, President Assad became first Syrian leader to visit Ankara. USA imposed sanctions on Syria; claimed it supported terrorism and failed to prevent militants entering Iraq. UN Security Council resolution called for foreign troops to leave Lebanon. Government claimed 112 political prisoners granted amnesty. 2005 Tensions with USA escalated after assassination of former Lebanese premier Hariri; Syria urged to withdraw its military forces from Lebanon; Damascus claimed it had done so. UN inquiry into Hariri's killing implicated senior Syrian officials. 2006 Demonstration against cartoons satirizing Prophet Muhammad published in Danish newspaper; Danish and Norwegian embassies in Damascus set on fire. Attack on US embassy in Damascus; three gunmen killed, one captured. After nearly 25 years, Syria and Iraq resumed diplomatic relations. Aid agencies reported growing numbers of Iraqis taking refuge in Syria; straining resources. 2007 European Union (EU) reopened dialogue with Syria. Nancy Pelosi, US Speaker of House of Representatives, met President Assad in Damascus. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met Foreign Minister Muallem; highest-level contact in two years. Political writer Michel Kilo, leading dissident Kamal Labwani, and human rights lawyer Anwar al-Bunni sentenced to long prison terms. President Assad approved for second seven-year term.


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