General
Information
|
Total Land Area: |
185,180 km2 |
|
Land boundaries: |
2,253 km |
|
Coastline: |
193 km |
|
Capital: |
Damascus |
|
Other Large
Cities: |
Aleppo, Homs,
Latakia |
|
Official
Language: |
Arabic |
|
National
Currency Unit: |
Syrian Pound (SYP) |
|
National Day: |
April 17
|
Location and
Geography
Syria is located at
the Eastern end of
the Mediterranean.
It is bordered by
Turkey in the North,
Iraq in the East,
Jordan in the South
and Lebanon in the
West. Along the
Mediterranean Coast
lies a fertile plain
and parallel to it a
narrow range of
mountains called
Lattakia Mountains.
To the south of
these, along the
border with Lebanon,
is the west-Lebanon
mountain range where
lies Mount Hermon,
Syria’s highest
point (2814 m). The
west-Lebanon
mountains taper off
into the hilly
region called the
Golan Heights. The
Euphrates river runs
through the
north-eastern part
of Syria, north of
it are the fertile
Jazeera plains.
Syria’s second
longest river is the
Orontes, which
originates from
Lebanon and runs
north in the western
part of Syria. More
than a quarter of
the land is arable
but there are few
permanent crops.
Meadows and pastures
make up nearly half
of the land area.
Mediterranean
climate prevails
with rainy winters
and dry summers
Demography
|
Population:
|
17.13 million
(2002) |
|
Crude Birth
Rate:
|
29 per thousand
people (2002) |
|
Crude Death
Rate:
|
4 per thousand
people (2002) |
|
Infant Mortality
Rate:
|
23 per thousand
(2002) |
|
Life Expectancy:
|
Male: 69 years,
Female: 73 years
(2002) |
|
Urban
Population:
|
50.0 percent
(2002) |
|
Adult Literacy:
|
75.30 percent
(2001) |
Economy
Syria has a
diversified economy
based on agriculture
and industry. The
agricultural sector
generates employment
for a large
percentage of the
population. Wheat is
the most important
crop, although its
production
fluctuates depending
on the rainfall.
Other crops raised
are barley, cotton,
potatoes, lentils,
and sugar beets.
Syria has become an
important producer
of crude oil in
recent years. The
other major natural
resources are
phosphates, chrome,
manganese, asphalt,
iron ore, rock salt,
marble and gypsum.
Iron, steel and
textile industries
play a significant
role in the
development of the
manufacturing
sector. Wool, cotton
and nylon textiles
are the most
important
manufactured
products.
|
GDP at Current
Market Prices:
|
21586 million
US$ (2002) |
|
Per Capita GDP:
|
1260 US$ (2002) |
|
Share of Sectors
in GDP:
|
23.0%
Agriculture,
28.0% Industry,
49.0% Services,
(2002) |
|
Total Exports:
|
6868 million US$
(2002) |
|
Total Imports:
|
5125 million US$
(2002) |
|
Major Exports
Items: |
Petroleum,
natural gas,
textiles, food
and live animals
and manufactured
goods |
|
Major Imports
Items: |
Manufactured
goods, machinery
and
transportation
equipment,
foodstuffs, raw
metals and
chemicals |
|
Major Trading
Partners: |
Germany, Italy,
Turkey and China |
|
