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Compare Swaziland (2001) - Syria (2002)

Compare Swaziland (2001) z Syria (2002)

 Swaziland (2001)Syria (2002)
 SwazilandSyria
Administrative divisions 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni 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:
45.53% (male 250,327; female 252,479)

15-64 years:
51.88% (male 276,186; female 296,728)

65 years and over:
2.59% (male 11,687; female 16,936) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 39.3% (male 3,467,267; female 3,264,639)


15-64 years: 57.5% (male 5,052,841; female 4,817,662)


65 years and over: 3.2% (male 267,803; female 285,602) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk
Airports 18 (2000 est.) 99 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total:
1

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1 (2000 est.)
total: 24


over 3,047 m: 5


2,438 to 3,047 m: 16


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
17

914 to 1,523 m:
7

under 914 m:
10 (2000 est.)
total: 68


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 55 (2002)
Area total:
17,363 sq km

land:
17,203 sq km

water:
160 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 smaller than New Jersey slightly larger than North Dakota
Background Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s have pressured the monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy. 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. In recent years, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan Heights.
Birth rate 40.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 30.11 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues:
$400 million

expenditures:
$450 million, including capital expenditures of $115 million (FY96/97)
revenues: $5 billion


expenditures: $7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital Damascus
Climate varies from tropical to near temperate 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 none; constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 12 April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but was not formally presented to the people; since then a few more outlines for a constitution have been compiled under the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), but so far none have been accepted 13 March 1973
Country name conventional long form:
Kingdom of Swaziland

conventional short form:
Swaziland
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 lilangeni (SZL) Syrian pound (SYP)
Death rate 21.84 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $281 million (2000 est.) $22 billion (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Gregory L. JOHNSON

embassy:
Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane

mailing address:
P. O. Box 199, Mbabane

telephone:
[268] 404-6441 through 404-6445

FAX:
[268] 404-5959
chief of mission: Ambassador Theodore H. KATTOUF


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 chief of mission:
Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA

chancery:
3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 362-6683

FAX:
[1] (202) 244-8059
chief of mission: Ambassador Rustum al-ZU'BI


chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313


FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548
Disputes - international Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied; dispute with upstream riparian Turkey over Turkish water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976; Turkey is quick to rebuff any perceived Syrian claim to Hatay province
Economic aid - recipient $55 million (1995) $199 million (1997 est.)
Economy - overview In this small landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 60% of the population. Manufacturing features a number of agroprocessing factories. Mining has declined in importance in recent years: diamond mines have shut down because of the depletion of easily accessible reserves; high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted by 1978; and health concerns have cut world demand for asbestos. Exports of soft drink concentrate, sugar, and wood pulp are the main earners of hard currency. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives four-fifths of its imports and to which it sends two-thirds of its exports. Remittances from the Southern African Customs Union and Swazi workers in South African mines substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. Prospects for 2001 are strengthened by government millennium projects for a new convention center, additional hotels, an amusement park, a new airport, and stepped-up roadbuilding and factory construction plans. Syria's predominantly statist economy has been growing slower than its 2.5% annual population growth rate, causing a persistent decline in per capita GDP. President Bashar AL-ASAD has made little progress on the economic front after one year in office, but does appear willing to permit a gradual strengthening of the private sector. His most obvious accomplishment to this end was the recent passage of legislation allowing private banks to operate in Syria, although a private banking sector will take years and further government cooperation to develop. ASAD's recent cabinet reshuffle may improve his chances of implementing further growth-oriented policies, although external factors such as the international war on terrorism, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and downturn in oil prices could weaken the foreign investment and government revenues Syria needs to flourish. A long-run economic constraint is the pressure on water supplies caused by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution.
Electricity - consumption 198 million kWh (1999) 17.671 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 852 million kWh (1999) 650 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 701 million kWh

note:
supplied by South Africa (1999)
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 375 million kWh (1999) 19.7 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
53.33%

hydro:
46.67%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 64%


hydro: 36%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Great Usutu River 21 m

highest point:
Emlembe 1,862 m
lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m


highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m
Environment - current issues limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion 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, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:
Desertification, Law of the Sea
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups African 97%, European 3% Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%
Exchange rates emalangeni per US dollar - 7.7803 (January 2001), 6.9056 (2000), 6.1087 (1999), 5.4807 (1998), 4.6032 (1997), 4.2706 (1996); note - the Swazi lilangeni is at par with the South African rand; emalangeni is the plural form of lilangeni Syrian pounds per US dollar - 51 (December 2001), 46 (2000), 46 (1998), 41.9 (January 1997)
Executive branch chief of state:
King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)

head of government:
Prime Minister Sibusiso Barnabas DLAMINI (since 9 August 1996)

cabinet:
Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
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 Mustafa MIRU (since 13 March 2000), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March 1984), Farouk al-SHARA (since 13 December 2001), Dr. Muhammad al-HUSAYN (since 13 December 2001)


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 Hafez al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held NA 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 $881 million (f.o.b., 2000) $5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit crude oil 68%, textiles 7%, fruits and vegetables 6%, raw cotton 4% (1998 est.)
Exports - partners South Africa 65%, EU 12%, Mozambique 11%, US 5% (1998) Germany 27%, Italy 12%, France 10%, Turkey 10%, Saudi Arabia 7% (2000 est.)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band
GDP purchasing power parity - $4.4 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $54.2 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
10%

industry:
46%

services:
44% (1998 est.)
agriculture: 27%


industry: 23%


services: 50% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.4% (2000 est.) 2% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 26 30 S, 31 30 E 35 00 N, 38 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (February 2002 est.)
Heliports - 7 (2002)
Highways total:
3,000 km

paved:
850 km

unpaved:
2,150 km (1997)
total: 41,451 km


paved: 9,575 km (including 877 km of expressways)


unpaved: 31,876 km (1997)
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
Imports $928 million (f.o.b., 2000) $4 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals machinery and transport equipment 21%, food and livestock 18%, metal and metal products 15%, chemicals and chemical products 10% (2000 est.)
Imports - partners South Africa 84%, EU 5%, Japan 2%, Singapore 2% (1998) Italy 9%, Germany 7%, France 5%, Lebanon 5%, China 4%, South Korea 4%, Turkey 4%, US 4% (2000 est.)
Independence 6 September 1968 (from UK) 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
Industrial production growth rate 3.7% (FY95/96) NA%
Industries mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining
Infant mortality rate 109.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 32.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.4% (2000 est.) 0.3% (2001 est.)
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 3 (2000) 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 670 sq km (1993 est.) 12,130 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch Supreme Constitutional Court (justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president); High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts
Labor force NA 4.7 million (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation private sector 70%, public sector 30% agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1996 est.)
Land boundaries total:
535 km

border countries:
Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 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:
11%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
62%

forests and woodland:
7%

other:
20% (1993 est.)
arable land: 25.96%


permanent crops: 4.08%


other: 69.96% (1998 est.)
Languages English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official) Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood
Legal system based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)

elections:
House of Assembly - last held 16 and 24 October 1998 (next to be held NA 2003)

election results:
House of Assembly - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local council of each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single winner by a second round
unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)


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:
38.62 years

male:
37.86 years

female:
39.4 years (2001 est.)
total population: 69.08 years


male: 67.9 years


female: 70.32 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
76.7%

male:
78%

female:
75.6% (1995 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 70.8%


male: 85.7%


female: 55.8% (1997 est.)
Location Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey
Map references Africa Middle East
Maritime claims none (landlocked) contiguous zone: 41 NM


territorial sea: 35 NM
Merchant marine - total: 143 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 482,985 GRT/702,590 DWT


ships by type: bulk 12, cargo 126, livestock carrier 4, roll on/roll off 1


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Egypt 1, Greece 2, Italy 1, Lebanon 10 (2002 est.)
Military branches Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal Swaziland Police Force Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force (includes Air Defense Forces), Police and Security Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $19.198 million (FY00/01) $921 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.75% (FY00/01) 5.9% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
248,084 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 4,550,496 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
143,618 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 2,539,342 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 19 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 200,859 (2002 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 6 September (1968) Independence Day, 17 April (1946)
Nationality noun:
Swazi(s)

adjective:
Swazi
noun: Syrian(s)


adjective: Syrian
Natural hazards NA dust storms, sandstorms
Natural resources asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km
Political parties and leaders Imbokodvo National Movement or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Libertatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland National Front or SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]; Swaziland Progressive Party or SPP [J. J. NQUKU, president]; Swaziland United Front or SUF [Matsapa SHONGWE, leader]

note:
political parties are banned by the constitution promulgated on 13 October 1978; illegal parties are prohibited from holding large public gatherings; the organizations listed are political associations
National Progressive Front or NPF (includes the Ba'th Party, ASU, Arab Socialist Party, Socialist Unionist Democratic Party, ASP, SCP) [President Bashar al-ASAD, chairman]; Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party (governing party) [President Bashar al-ASAD, secretary general]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan KOUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party or SCP [Yusuf FAYSAL]; Syrian Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile in Jordan and Yemen); non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence
Population 1,104,343

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 2001 est.)
17,155,814 (July 2002 est.)


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 (February 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 15%-25%
Population growth rate 1.83% (2001 est.) 2.5% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors none Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus
Radio broadcast stations AM 7, FM 6 (2000) AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 155,000 (1997) 4.15 million (1997)
Railways total:
297 km; note - includes 71 km which are not in use

narrow gauge:
297 km 1.067-m gauge
total: 2,750 km


standard gauge: 2,423 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 327 km 1.050-m gauge


note: rail link between Syria and Iraq replaced in 2000 (2001)
Religions Protestant 55%, Muslim 10%, Roman Catholic 5%, indigenous beliefs 30% 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:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
0.99 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.95 male(s)/female (2001 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: 0.94 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
not a modern system

domestic:
system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic 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: 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 33,500 (2000) 1.313 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 30,000 (2000) NA
Television broadcast stations 10 (2000) 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west
Total fertility rate 5.82 children born/woman (2001 est.) 3.84 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 22% (1995 est.) 20% (2000 est.)
Waterways none 870 km (minimal economic importance)
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