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Compare French Polynesia (2005) - Syria (2004)

Compare French Polynesia (2005) z Syria (2004)

 French Polynesia (2005)Syria (2004)
 French PolynesiaSyria
Administrative divisions none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent


note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French Polynesia
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: 26.7% (male 36,947/female 35,403)


15-64 years: 67.4% (male 94,710/female 87,546)


65 years and over: 5.9% (male 8,018/female 7,861) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 38% (male 3,524,406; female 3,319,323)


15-64 years: 58.7% (male 5,421,133; female 5,163,669)


65 years and over: 3.3% (male 281,795; female 306,548) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products, coffee wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk
Airports 50 (2004 est.) 93 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 37


over 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 23


under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)
total: 26


over 3,047 m: 5


2,438 to 3,047 m: 16


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 13


914 to 1,523 m: 5


under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)
total: 66


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 10


under 914 m: 54 (2004 est.)
Area total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)


land: 3,660 sq km


water: 507 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 one-third the size of Connecticut slightly larger than North Dakota
Background The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. 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. Over the past decade, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan Heights.
Birth rate 16.93 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 28.93 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $1 billion


expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996)
revenues: $6.106 billion


expenditures: $7.397 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.6 billion (2003 est.)
Capital Papeete Damascus
Climate tropical, but moderate 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 2,525 km 193 km
Constitution 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) 13 March 1973
Country name conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia


conventional short form: French Polynesia


local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise


local short form: Polynesie Francaise


former: French Colony of Oceania
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 - Syrian pound (SYP)
Death rate 4.63 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 4.96 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external NA $21.55 billion (2003 est.)
Dependency status overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from 1946-2004 -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas lands of France) chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret SCOBEY


embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus


mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus


telephone: [963] (11) 333-1342


FAX: [963] (11) 331-9678
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas lands of France) 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 none Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied; Lebanon claims Shaba'a farms in Golan Heights; Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon since October 1976; Syria protests Turkish hydrological projects regulating upper Euphrates waters; settled border dispute with Jordan in 2004
Economic aid - recipient $367 million (1997) $199 million (1997 est.)
Economy - overview Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services. Syria's predominantly statist economy lately has been growing more slowly than its 2.4% annual population growth rate. Recent legislation allows private banks to operate in Syria, although a private banking sector will take years and further government cooperation to develop. Factors, including the war between the US-led coalition and Iraq, probably drove real annual GDP growth levels back below 1% in 2003 following growth of 3.5% in 2001 and 4.5% in 2002. A long-run economic constraint is the pressure on water supplies caused by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution.
Electricity - consumption 353.4 million kWh (2002) 21.63 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 380 million kWh (2002) 23.26 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m
lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m


highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m
Environment - current issues NA 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, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%
Exchange rates Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000)


note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro
Syrian pounds per US dollar - (Official rate): 11.225 (2003), 11.225 (2002), 11.225 (2001), 11.225 (2000), 11.225 (1999), (Free market rate): 49.65 (2001), 49.4 (2000), 51.7 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Michel MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001); note - Michel MATHIER leaves 30 July 2005, replaced by Jacques MICHAUT (acting high commissioner), until the arrival of Anne BOQUET in early September 2005


head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Oscar TEMARU (since 3 March 2005); President of the Territorial Assembly Antony GEROS (since 9 May 2004)


cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers


elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly
chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)


head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10 September 2003)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of President Hafiz al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held 2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president


election results: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%


note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June 2000, the Ba'th Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name to the People's Council on 25 June 2000
Exports NA NA (2001)
Exports - commodities cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat
Exports - partners France 36.6%, Japan 22.7%, US 16.1%, Niger 13%, Thailand 4.1% (2004) Germany 20.9%, Italy 12.6%, UAE 7.6%, Lebanon 6.2%, Turkey 6%, France 5.4%, Croatia 4.8%, US 4.1% (2003)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions 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 three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line 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 - $58.01 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 4%


industry: 18%


services: 78% (2002)
agriculture: 28.5%


industry: 29.4%


services: 42.1% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $3,300 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA% (2001 est.) 0.9% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 15 00 S, 140 00 W 35 00 N, 38 00 E
Geography - note includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (February 2002 est.)
Heliports 1 (2004 est.) 7 (2003 est.)
Highways total: 2,590 km


paved: 1,735 km


unpaved: 855 km (1999)
total: 43,381 km


paved: 10,021 km (including 877 km of expressways)


unpaved: 33,360 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs - a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and Western markets; weak anti-money-laundering controls, bank privatization may leave it vulnerable to money-laundering
Imports NA NA (2001)
Imports - commodities fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical products, plastics, yarn, paper
Imports - partners France 47.6%, New Zealand 8.8%, Singapore 8.4%, Australia 8.3%, US 7.1% (2004) Germany 7.2%, Italy 7.1%, China 6.3%, France 5.9%, Turkey 5.4% (2003)
Independence none (overseas lands of France) 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
Industrial production growth rate NA% NA
Industries tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining
Infant mortality rate total: 8.44 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 9.73 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 7.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 30.6 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 30.82 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 30.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.5% (2002 est.) 1.5% (2003 est.)
International organization participation FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), UPU, WMO 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, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Irrigated land NA sq km 12,130 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif Supreme Constitutional Court (justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president); High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts
Labor force 70,000 (1996) 4.97 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (2002) agriculture, industry, services NA
Land boundaries 0 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: 0.82%


permanent crops: 5.46%


other: 93.72% (2001)
arable land: 25.22%


permanent crops: 4.43%


other: 70.35% (2001)
Languages French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census) Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood
Legal system based on French system based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats - changed from 49 seats for May 2004 election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held May 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy 27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 1; after by-elections of 13 February 2005 seating was as follows: People's Rally for the Republic 27, Union for Democracy 27, and Alliance for a New Democracy 3


note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1
unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents 33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receives one-half of the seats
Life expectancy at birth total population: 75.9 years


male: 73.5 years


female: 78.42 years (2005 est.)
total population: 69.71 years


male: 68.47 years


female: 71.02 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 14 and over can read and write


total population: 98%


male: 98%


female: 98% (1977 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 76.9%


male: 89.7%


female: 64% (2003 est.)
Location Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey
Map references Oceania Middle East
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 41 nm
Merchant marine total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 17,537 GRT/15,150 DWT


by type: cargo 4, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1


foreign-owned: 1 (France 1) (2005)
total: 122 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 446,981 GRT/636,620 DWT


by type: bulk 12, cargo 101, container 2, livestock carrier 4, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1


foreign-owned: Egypt 1, Germany 1, Greece 1, Italy 1, Lebanon 10, Romania 1


registered in other countries: 83 (2004 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of France -
Military branches no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force (including Air Defense Command), Police and Security Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $858 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 5.9% (FY00)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 4,876,040 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 2,716,054 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 216,077 (2004 est.)
National holiday Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Independence Day, 17 April (1946)
Nationality noun: French Polynesian(s)


adjective: French Polynesian
noun: Syrian(s)


adjective: Syrian
Natural hazards occasional cyclonic storms in January dust storms, sandstorms
Natural resources timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower
Net migration rate 2.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines - gas 2,300 km; oil 2,183 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia Api) [Philippe SHYLE]; This Country is Yours (No Oe E Te Nunaa) [Nicle BOUTEAU]; Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU] National Progressive Front or NPF (includes Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party; the governing party) [President Bashar al-ASAD, secretary general]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallal Nasr Al-DIN]; Syrian Communist Party (two branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yuusuf Rashid FAYSAL]; Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez ISMAIL]; Arab Socialist Unionist Movement [Ahmed al-AHMED]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan QUDSI]); Syrian Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA conservative religious leaders; Kurdish Democratic Alliance [leader NA]; Kurdish Democratic Front [lader NA]; Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile in London) [Ali Badr Eddine al-BAYANOUNI]; National Democratic Front [Hassan Abd al-AZIM]
Population 270,485 (July 2005 est.) 18,016,874


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 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 20% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate 1.52% (2005 est.) 2.4% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Papeete Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways - total: 2,711 km


standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2003)
Religions Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female


total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology


domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network


international: country code - 963; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel
Telephones - main lines in use 52,500 (2002) 2,099,300 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 90,000 (2002) 400,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997) 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west
Total fertility rate 2.04 children born/woman (2005 est.) 3.61 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 11.8% (1994) 20% (2002 est.)
Waterways - 900 km (not economically significant) (2002)
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