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Compare Ethiopia (2003) - Syria (2008)

Compare Ethiopia (2003) z Syria (2008)

 Ethiopia (2003)Syria (2008)
 EthiopiaSyria
Administrative divisions 9 ethnically-based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and 2 self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular - astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara), Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples), Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali), Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples) 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
Age structure 0-14 years: 44.8% (male 14,944,168; female 14,871,164)


15-64 years: 52.4% (male 17,474,403; female 17,384,817)


65 years and over: 2.8% (male 840,057; female 1,042,944) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 36.5% (male 3,633,562/female 3,423,435)


15-64 years: 60.1% (male 5,952,275/female 5,664,236)


65 years and over: 3.3% (male 303,346/female 337,893) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane, potatoes, qat; hides, cattle, sheep, goats wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk
Airports 83 (2002) 90 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 14


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
total: 26


over 3,047 m: 6


2,438 to 3,047 m: 15


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 69


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 10


914 to 1,523 m: 32


under 914 m: 21 (2002)
total: 64


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 52 (2007)
Area total: 1,127,127 sq km


land: 1,119,683 sq km


water: 7,444 sq km
total: 185,180 sq km


land: 184,050 sq km


water: 1,130 sq km


note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory
Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of Texas slightly larger than North Dakota
Background Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule, one exception being the Italian occupation of 1936-41. In 1974 a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), in 1991. A constitution was adopted in 1994 and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A two and a half year border war with Eritrea ended with a peace treaty on 12 December 2000. Final demarcation of the boundary is currently on hold due to Ethiopian objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to surrender sensitive territory. Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, France administered Syria until its independence in 1946. The country lacked political stability, however, and experienced a series of military coups during its first decades. Syria united with Egypt in February 1958 to form the United Arab Republic. In September 1961, the two entities separated, and the Syrian Arab Republic was reestablished. In November 1970, Hafiz al-ASAD, a member of the Socialist Ba'th Party and the minority Alawite sect, seized power in a bloodless coup and brought political stability to the country. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. During the 1990s, Syria and Israel held occasional peace talks over its return. Following the death of President al-ASAD, his son, Bashar al-ASAD, was approved as president by popular referendum in July 2000. Syrian troops - stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role - were withdrawn in April 2005. During the July-August 2006 conflict between Israel and Hizballah, Syria placed its military forces on alert but did not intervene directly on behalf of its ally Hizballah.
Birth rate 39.81 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 27.19 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.8 billion


expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $600 million (2002 est.)
revenues: $8.45 billion


expenditures: $10.38 billion (2007 est.)
Capital Addis Ababa name: Damascus


geographic coordinates: 33 30 N, 36 18 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins 1 April; ends 30 September
Climate tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation 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
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 193 km
Constitution ratified December 1994; effective 22 August 1995 13 March 1973
Country name conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia


conventional short form: Ethiopia


local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik


local short form: Ityop'iya


former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa


abbreviation: FDRE
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)
Currency birr (ETB) -
Death rate 20.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 4.74 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $5.3 billion (2001 est.) $6.61 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Aurelia A. BRAZEAL


embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa


mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa


telephone: [251] (1) 550666


FAX: [251] (1) 551328
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Michael CORBIN


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
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador KASSAHUN Ayele


chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200


FAX: [1] (202) 686-9551


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles


consulate(s): New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Imad MUSTAFA


chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313


FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548
Disputes - international Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 independent boundary commission delimitation decision, but demarcation, scheduled to begin in 2003, has been hampered by technical delays and Ethiopian concerns that the decision ignored "human geography" and awarded Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war, to Eritrea, demarcation of the boundary has been postponed indefinately; Ethiopia maintains only an administrative line and no international border with the Oromo region of southern Somalia and maintains alliances with local clans in opposition to the Transitional National Government in Mogadishu; "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities and trade ties to land-locked Ethiopia; efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Sudan have been delayed by civil war there Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied with the almost 1,000-strong UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) patrolling a buffer zone since 1964; lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shaba'a farms in the Golan Heights; 2004 Agreement and pending demarcation settles border dispute with Jordan; approximately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict in Iraq with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan
Economic aid - recipient $308 million (FY00/01) $77.85 million (2005 est.)
Economy - overview Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture, which accounts for half of GDP, 85% of exports, and 80% of total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian economy with exports of some $270 million in 2000/01, but historically low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to supplement their income. The war with Eritrea in 1999-2000 and recurrent drought have buffeted the economy, in particular coffee production. In November 2001 Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Under Ethiopia's land tenure system, the government owns all land and provides long-term leases to the tenants; the system continues to hamper growth in the industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land as collateral for loans. Strong growth in 2002 resulted from good rainfall early in the year, the cessation of hostilities, and renewed foreign aid and debt relief. But drought struck again late in 2002, and the World Food Program (WFP) estimates 14 million Ethiopians need food immediately to survive into 2003. The government estimates than annual growth of 7% is needed to reduce poverty, yet the maintenance of 5% in 2003 will be quite difficult (one estimate is for 1.5% growth). The Syrian economy grew by an estimated 3.5% in real terms in 2007 led by the petroleum and agricultural sectors, which together account for about one-half of GDP. Higher crude oil prices countered declining oil production and led to higher budgetary and export receipts. Damascus has implemented modest economic reforms in the past few years, including cutting lending interest rates, opening private banks, consolidating all of the multiple exchange rates, raising prices on some subsidized items, most notably, gasoline and cement, and establishing the Damascus Stock Exchange-which is set to begin operations in 2008. In October 2007, for example, Damascus raised the price of subsidized gasoline by 20%, and may institute a rationing system in 2008. In addition, President ASAD signed legislative decrees to encourage corporate ownership reform, and to allow the Central Bank to issue Treasury bills and bonds for government debt. Nevertheless, the economy remains highly controlled by the government. Long-run economic constraints include declining oil production, high unemployment and inflation, rising budget deficits, and increasing pressure on water supplies caused by heavy use in agriculture, rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and water pollution.
Electricity - consumption 1.594 billion kWh (2001) 34 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2007)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production 1.713 billion kWh (2001) 34.94 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 1.3%


hydro: 97.6%


nuclear: 0%


other: 1.2% (2001)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Denakil Depression -125 m


highest point: Ras Dejen 4,620 m
lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m


highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigre 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%, Somali 6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1% Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%
Exchange rates birr per US dollar - NA (2002), 8.46 (2001), 8.22 (2000), 7.94 (1999), 7.12 (1998)


note: since 24 October 2001 exchange rates are determined on a daily basis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank
Syrian pounds per US dollar - 50.0085 (2007), 51.689 (2006), 50 (2005), 48.5 (2004), 52.8 (2003)


note: data for 2004-06 are the public sector rate; data for 2002-03 are the parallel market rate in 'Amman and Beirut; the official rate for repaying loans was 11.25 Syrian pounds per US dollars during 2004-06,
Executive branch chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8 October 2001)


head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since NA August 1995)


cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994 constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and approved by the House of People's Representatives


elections: president elected by the House of People's Representatives for a six-year term; election last held 8 October 2001 (next to be held NA October 2007); prime minister designated by the party in power following legislative elections


election results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent of vote by the House of People's Representatives - 100%
chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice President Farouk al-SHARA (since 11 February 2006) oversees foreign policy; Vice President Najah al-ATTAR (since 23 March 2006) oversees cultural policy


head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10 September 2003); Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdallah al-DARDARI (since 14 June 2005)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


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%
Exports NA (2001) 150,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat
Exports - partners UK 16.2%, Djibouti 10.9%, Germany 7.6%, Italy 7.2%, Japan 6.7%, Saudi Arabia 6.5%, US 4.4% (2002) Iraq 27.3%, Germany 12.1%, Lebanon 9.5%, Italy 6.6%, Egypt 5.3%, Saudi Arabia 4.8% (2006)
Fiscal year 8 July - 7 July calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the pan-African colors three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, colors associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small, green, five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the current design dates to 1980
GDP purchasing power parity - $48.53 billion (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 52%


industry: 11%


services: 37% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 24.6%


industry: 24.4%


services: 51% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 3% (2002 est.) 3.5% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 00 N, 38 00 E 35 00 N, 38 00 E
Geography - note landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 2005 est.)
Heliports - 7 (2007)
Highways total: 31,571 km


paved: 3,789 km


unpaved: 27,782 km (2000)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 33.7% (1995)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia and destined for Europe and North America as well as cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (khat) for local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti and Somalia (legal in all three countries); the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center a transit point for opiates, hashish, and cocaine bound for regional and Western markets; weak anti-money-laundering controls and bank privatization may leave it vulnerable to money laundering
Imports NA (2001) 160,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical products, plastics, yarn, paper
Imports - partners Saudi Arabia 28.7%, China 6%, Italy 5.9%, India 4.8%, Germany 4.1% (2002) Saudi Arabia 12.3%, China 7.9%, Egypt 6.2%, UAE 6%, Germany 4.9%, Italy 4.9%, Ukraine 4.8%, Iran 4.5% (2006)
Independence oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
Industrial production growth rate 6.7% (2001 est.) -0.4% (2007 est.)
Industries food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metals processing, cement petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining, cement, oil seeds crushing
Infant mortality rate total: 103.22 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 113.48 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 92.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
total: 27.7 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 27.94 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 27.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4% (2003 est.) 7% (2007 est.)
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2002) -
Irrigated land 1,900 sq km (1998 est.) 13,330 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of the Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the House of People's Representatives; for other federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People's Representatives for appointment candidates selected by the Federal Judicial Administrative Council) Supreme Judicial Council (appoints and dismisses judges; headed by the President); national level - Supreme Constitutional Court (adjudicates electoral disputes and rules on constitutionality of laws and decrees; justices appointed for four-year terms by the President); Court of Cassation; Appeals Courts (Appeals Courts represent an intermediate level between the Court of Cassation and local level courts); local level - Magistrate Courts; Courts of First Instance; Juvenile Courts; Customs Courts; specialized courts - Economic Security Courts (hear cases related to economic crimes); Supreme State Security Court (hear cases related to national security); Personal Status Courts (religious; hear cases related to marriage and divorce)
Labor force NA 5.457 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture and animal husbandry 80%, government and services 12%, industry and construction 8% (1985) agriculture: 26%


industry: 14%


services: 60% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries total: 5,328 km


border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km, Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km
total: 2,253 km


border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km
Land use arable land: 9.9%


permanent crops: 0.65%


other: 89.45% (1998 est.)
arable land: 24.8%


permanent crops: 4.47%


other: 70.73% (2005)
Languages Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic, other local languages, English (major foreign language taught in schools) Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood
Legal system currently transitional mix of national and regional courts based on a combination of French and Ottoman civil law; Islamic law is used in the family court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation or upper chamber (108 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to serve five-year terms) and the House of People's Representatives or lower chamber (548 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 14 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2005)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - OPDO 177, ANDM 134, TPLF 38, WGGPDO 27, EPRDF 19, SPDO 18, GNDM 15, KSPDO 10, ANDP 8, GPRDF 7, SOPDM 7, BGPDUF 6, BMPDO 5, KAT 4, other regional political groupings 22, independents 8; note - 43 seats unconfirmed


note: irregularities and violence at a number of polling stations necessitated the rescheduling of voting in certain constituencies; voting postponed in Somali regional state because of severe drought
unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held on 22-23 April 2007 (next to be held in 2011)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPF 172, independents 78
Life expectancy at birth total population: 41.24 years


male: 40.39 years


female: 42.11 years (2003 est.)
total population: 70.61 years


male: 69.27 years


female: 72.02 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 42.7%


male: 50.3%


female: 35.1% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 79.6%


male: 86%


female: 73.6% (2004 census)
Location Eastern Africa, west of Somalia Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey
Map references Africa Middle East
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm
Merchant marine total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 81,933 GRT/101,287 DWT


ships by type: cargo 5, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 (2002 est.)
total: 96 ships (1000 GRT or over) 353,351 GRT/512,597 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 82, container 1, livestock carrier 4, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1


foreign-owned: 10 (Jordan 2, Lebanon 4, Romania 4)


registered in other countries: 164 (Bolivia 1, Cambodia 32, Comoros 8, Cyprus 2, Dominica 2, Georgia 54, Hong Kong 1, North Korea 7, Lebanon 1, Libya 1, Malta 4, Mongolia 1, Panama 24, Sierra Leone 8, Slovakia 2, St Kitts and Nevis 5, St Vincent and The Grenadines 11, unknown 2) (2007)
Military branches Ethiopian National Defense Force (Ground Forces, Air Force, militia, police)


note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in Eritrean possession
Syrian Armed Forces: Syrian Arab Army (includes Syrian Arab Navy), Syrian Arab Air and Air Defense Force (includes Air Defense Command) (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $800 million (FY00) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 12.6% (FY00) 5.9% (2005 est.)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 15,388,318 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 8,040,381 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 714,165 (2003 est.) -
National holiday National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991) Independence Day, 17 April (1946)
Nationality noun: Ethiopian(s)


adjective: Ethiopian
noun: Syrian(s)


adjective: Syrian
Natural hazards geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts dust storms, sandstorms
Natural resources small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: repatriation of Ethiopians who fled to Sudan for refuge from war and famine in earlier years is expected to continue for several years; some Sudanese and Somali refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to their homes (2003 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines - gas 2,794 km; oil 2,000 km (2007)
Political parties and leaders Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP [leader NA]; Amhara National Democratic Movement or ANDM [ADDISU Legesse]; Bench Madji People's Democratic Organization or BMPDO [leader NA]; Benishangul Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF [leader NA]; Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES Zenawi] (an alliance of ANDM, OPDO, SEPDF, and TPLF); Gedeyo People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or GPRDF [leader NA]; Gurage Nationalities' Democratic Movement or GNDM [leader NA]; Kafa Shaka People's Democratic Organization or KSPDO [leader NA]; Kembata, Alabaa and Tembaro or KAT [leader NA]; Oromo People's Democratic Organization or OPDO [JUNEDI Sado]; Sidamo People's Democratic Organization or SPDO [leader NA]; South Omo People's Democratic Movement or SOPDM [leader NA]; Tigrayan People's Liberation Front or TPLF [MELES Zenawi]; Walayta, Gamo, Gofa, Dawro, and Konta People's Democratic Organization or WGGPDO [leader NA]; dozens of small parties 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 QUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party (two branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yusuf Rashid FAYSAL]; Syrian Social Nationalist Party [Ali QANSU]; Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez ISMAIL])


opposition parties not legally recognized:: Arab Democratic Socialist Union Party [Hasan Abdul AZIM]; Arab Socialist Movement; Democratic Ba'th Party [Ibrahim MAHKOS]; People's Democratic Party [Riad al TURK]; Revolutionary Workers' Party [Abdul Hafeez al HAFEZ]


Kurdish parties (considered illegal): Kurdish Democratic Front [Abdul Hamid DARWISH] (includes four parties); Kurdish Coordination [Abdul Hakim BASHAR] (includes Azadi Party [Kheirudin MURAD], Future Party [Masha'l TAMMO], Yekity Party [Hasam SALE])


other parties: Nahda Party [Abdul Aziz al MISLET]; Syrian Democratic Party [Mustafa QALAAJI]
Political pressure groups and leaders Afar Revolutionary Democratic Union Front or ARDUF [leader NA]; Council of Alternative Forces for Peace and Democracy in Ethiopia or CAFPDE [BEYANE Petros]; Southern Ethiopia People's Democratic Coalition or SEPDC [BEYANE Petros] Damascus Declaration National Council [Riyad SEIF, secretary general] (a broad alliance of opposition groups and individuals including: Committee for Revival of Civil Society [Michel KILO, Riyad SEIF]; Communist Action Party [Fateh JAMOUS]; Kurdish Democratic Alliance; Kurdish Democratic Front; Liberal Nationalists' Movement; National Democratic Front; National Democratic Rally; and Syrian Human Rights Society or HRAS [Fawed FAWUZ]); National Salvation Front (alliance between former Vice President Abd al-Halim KHADDAM, the SMB, and other small opposition groups); Syrian Muslim Brotherhood or SMB [Sadr al-Din al-BAYANUNI]; (operates in exile in London; endorsed the Damascus Declaration but is not an official member)
Population 66,557,553


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)
19,314,747


note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 45% (2002 est.) 11.9% (2006 est.)
Population growth rate 1.96% (2003 est.) 2.244% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors none; Ethiopia is landlocked and was by agreement with Eritrea using the ports of Assab and Massawa; since the border dispute with Eritrea flared, Ethiopia has used the port of Djibouti for nearly all of its imports -
Radio broadcast stations AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001) AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad)


narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge


note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2002)
total: 2,711 km


standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2006)
Religions Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%, other 3%-8% Sunni Muslim 74%, other Muslim (includes Alawite, Druze) 16%, Christian (various denominations) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.061 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.051 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.898 male(s)/female


total population: 1.049 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: open-wire and microwave radio relay system; adequate for government use


domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two domestic satellites provide the national trunk service


international: open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti; microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)
general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology


domestic: the number of fixed-line connections has increased markedly since 2000; mobile-cellular service growing rapidly and teledensity has reached 25 wireless telephones per 100 persons; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network


international: country code - 963; submarine cable connection to Cyprus; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel
Telephones - main lines in use 231,900 (2000) 3.243 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 17,800 (2000) 4.675 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 1 plus 24 repeaters (2002) 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west
Total fertility rate 5.55 children born/woman (2003 est.) 3.31 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 10% (2007 est.)
Waterways none 900 km (not economically significant) (2005)
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