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Compare Syria (2001) - Uzbekistan (2003)

Compare Syria (2001) z Uzbekistan (2003)

 Syria (2001)Uzbekistan (2003)
 SyriaUzbekistan
Administrative divisions 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 12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi), Qaraqalpog'iston Respublikasi* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)


note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Age structure 0-14 years:
39.92% (male 3,440,060; female 3,238,576)

15-64 years:
56.87% (male 4,868,816; female 4,644,870)

65 years and over:
3.21% (male 261,036; female 275,450) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 34.7% (male 4,594,721; female 4,431,653)


15-64 years: 60.5% (male 7,781,739; female 7,945,641)


65 years and over: 4.7% (male 497,692; female 730,201) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock
Airports 100 (2000 est.) 273 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total:
24

over 3,047 m:
5

2,438 to 3,047 m:
16

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
2 (2000 est.)
total: 27


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 13


1,523 to 2,437 m: 5


under 914 m: 6 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
76

1,524 to 2,437 m:
2

914 to 1,523 m:
11

under 914 m:
63 (2000 est.)
total: 246


over 3,047 m: 4


2,438 to 3,047 m: 9


1,524 to 2,437 m: 10


914 to 1,523 m: 12


under 914 m: 211 (2002)
Area 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
total: 447,400 sq km


land: 425,400 sq km


water: 22,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than North Dakota slightly larger than California
Background 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. Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism by Islamic militants, a nonconvertible currency, and the curtailment of human rights and democratization.
Birth rate 30.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 26.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues:
$2.25 billion

expenditures:
$5.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
revenues: $4 billion


expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)
Capital Damascus Tashkent (Toshkent)
Climate 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 hitting Damascus mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east
Coastline 193 km 0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline
Constitution 13 March 1973 new constitution adopted 8 December 1992
Country name 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)
conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan


conventional short form: Uzbekistan


local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi


local short form: Ozbekiston


former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic
Currency Syrian pound (SYP) Uzbekistani sum (UZS)
Death rate 5.21 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 7.97 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $22 billion (2000 est.) $4.6 billion (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Ryan C. CROCKER

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

mailing address:
P. O. Box 29, Damascus

telephone:
[963] (11) 333-2814

FAX:
[963] (11) 224-7938
chief of mission: Ambassador John Edward HERBST


embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent 700115


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450


FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335
Diplomatic representation in the US 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
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulaziz KAMILOV


chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036


telephone: [1] (202) 293-6803


FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804


consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international 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 prolonged regional drought creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; delimitation with Kazakhstan complete with demarcation underway; serious disputes with Kyrgyzstan around Uzbek enclaves mar progress on delimitation efforts; talks have begun with Tajikistan to determine and delimit border
Economic aid - recipient $199 million (1997 est.) approximately $150 million from the US (2001)
Economy - overview Syria's predominantly statist economy is on a shaky footing because of Damascus's failure to implement extensive economic reform. The dominant agricultural sector remains underdeveloped, with roughly 80% of agricultural land still dependent on rain-fed sources. Although Syria has sufficient water supplies in the aggregate at normal levels of precipitation, the great distance between major water supplies and population centers poses serious distribution problems. The water problem is exacerbated by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution. Private investment is critical to the modernization of the agricultural, energy, and export sectors. Oil production is leveling off, and the efforts of the nonoil sector to penetrate international markets have fallen short. Syria's inadequate infrastructure, outmoded technological base, and weak educational system make it vulnerable to future shocks and hamper competition with neighbors such as Jordan and Israel. The government recognizes the need to open the economy to additional domestic and foreign investment. Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11% consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of its population lives in densely populated rural communities. Uzbekistan is now the world's second-largest cotton exporter, a large producer of gold and oil, and a regionally significant producer of chemicals and machinery. Following independence in December 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. Uzbekistan responded to the negative external conditions generated by the Asian and Russian financial crises by emphasizing import substitute industrialization and by tightening export and currency controls within its already largely closed economy. The government, while aware of the need to improve the investment climate, sponsors measures that often increase, not decrease, the government's control over business decisions. A sharp increase in the inequality of income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of society since independence.
Electricity - consumption 16.684 billion kWh (1999) 47.07 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 3.998 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 9.7 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 17.94 billion kWh (1999) 44.49 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
57.64%

hydro:
42.36%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 88.2%


hydro: 11.8%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m

highest point:
Mount Hermon 2,814 m
lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m


highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from dumping of raw sewage and wastes from petroleum refining; inadequate supplies of potable water shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including DDT
Environment - international agreements party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7% Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)
Exchange rates Syrian pounds per US dollar - 46 (2000), 46 (1998), 41.9 (January 1997) Uzbekistani sums per US dollar - 970 (2002), 325 (2001), 236.61 (2000), 124.63 (1999), 94.49 (1998)
Executive branch 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), Khalid RA'D (since 13 March 2000), Muhammad NAJI 'UTRI (since 13 March 2000)

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 10 June 2000; 20 June 2000 the Ba'th Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name to the People's Council 25 June 2000
chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet)


head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYAYEV (since 11 December 2003)


cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the Supreme Assembly


elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (previously was a five-year term, extended by constitutional amendment in 2002); election last held 9 January 2000 (next to be held NA December 2007); prime minister and deputy ministers appointed by the president


election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote - Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2%
Exports $4.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities petroleum 65%, textiles 10%, manufactured goods 10%, fruits and vegetables 7%, raw cotton 5%, live sheep 2%, phosphates 1% (1998 est.) cotton 41.5%, gold 9.6%, energy products 9.6%, mineral fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, food products, automobiles (1998 est.)
Exports - partners Germany 21%, Italy 12%, France 10%, Saudi Arabia 9%, Turkey 8% (1999 est.) Russia 17.7%, Ukraine 11%, Italy 7.6%, Tajikistan 6.8%, Poland 5.1%, South Korea 5%, Kazakhstan 4.5%, US 4.2% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description 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 three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant
GDP purchasing power parity - $50.9 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $66.06 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
29%

industry:
22%

services:
49% (1997)
agriculture: 36%


industry: 21%


services: 43% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3.5% (2000 est.) 4.2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 35 00 N, 38 00 E 41 00 N, 64 00 E
Geography - note there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 1999 est.) along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world
Heliports 2 (2000 est.) -
Highways total:
41,451 km

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

unpaved:
31,876 km (1997)
total: 81,600 km


paved: 71,237 km


unpaved: 10,363 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
lowest 10%: 1.2%


highest 10%: 32.8% (1998)
Illicit drugs a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and Western markets transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for domestic consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by government crop eradication program; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan
Imports $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment 23%, foodstuffs/animals 20%, metal and metal products 15%, textiles 10%, chemicals 10% (1998 est.) machinery and equipment 49.8%, foodstuffs 16.4%, chemicals, metals (1998 est.)
Imports - partners France 11%, Italy 8%, Germany 7%, Turkey 5%, China 4% (1999 est.) Russia 22.6%, Germany 9.8%, South Korea 9.4%, Kazakhstan 8.1%, US 6.9%, Ukraine 6.8%, China 5.2%, Turkey 4.6% (2002)
Independence 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration) 1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 3.5% (2000 est.)
Industries petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, natural gas, chemicals
Infant mortality rate 33.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 71.51 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 75.27 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 67.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.5% (2000 est.) 26% (2001 est.)
International organization participation ABEDA, 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, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 42 (2000)
Irrigated land 9,060 sq km (1993 est.) 42,810 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Constitutional Court (justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president); High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Supreme Assembly)
Labor force 4.7 million (1998 est.) 11.9 million (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1996 est.) agriculture 44%, industry 20%, services 36% (1995)
Land boundaries total:
2,253 km

border countries:
Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km
total: 6,221 km


border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km
Land use arable land:
28%

permanent crops:
4%

permanent pastures:
43%

forests and woodland:
3%

other:
22% (1993 est.)
arable land: 10.8%


permanent crops: 0.91%


other: 88.29% (1998 est.)
Languages Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%
Legal system based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial system
Legislative branch 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%, non-NPF 33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receive one-half of the seats
unicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - 2002 amendment to the constitution creates a second chamber to be established via elections in 2004


elections: last held 5 December and 19 December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2004)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NDP 48, Self-Sacrificers Party 34, Fatherland Progress Party 20, Adolat Social Democratic Party 11, MTP 10, citizens' groups 16, local government 110, vacant 1


note: not all seats in the last Supreme Assembly election were contested; all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV
Life expectancy at birth total population:
68.77 years

male:
67.63 years

female:
69.98 years (2001 est.)
total population: 64 years


male: 60.53 years


female: 67.64 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
70.8%

male:
85.7%

female:
55.8% (1997 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99.3%


male: 99.6%


female: 99% (2003 est.)
Location Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey Central Asia, north of Afghanistan
Map references Middle East Asia
Maritime claims contiguous zone:
41 NM

territorial sea:
35 NM
none (doubly landlocked)
Merchant marine total:
133 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 425,392 GRT/612,097 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 11, cargo 117, livestock carrier 4, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.)
-
Military branches Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force, Syrian Arab Air Defense Forces, Police and Security Force Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Security Forces (internal security and border troops)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $921 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending $200 million (FY97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 5.9% (FY98) 2% (FY97)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
4,384,528 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 6,940,031 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
2,448,630 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 5,635,099 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age 19 years of age 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
200,859 (2001 est.)
males: 310,915 (2003 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 17 April (1946) Independence Day, 1 September (1991)
Nationality noun:
Syrian(s)

adjective:
Syrian
noun: Uzbek(s)


adjective: Uzbek
Natural hazards dust storms, sandstorms NA
Natural resources petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -1.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km gas 9,012 km; oil 869 km; refined products 33 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders National Progressive Front or NPF (includes the Ba'th Party, ASU, Arab Socialist Party, Socialist Unionist Democratic Party, ASP, SCP) [President Bashar al-ASAD]; Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party (governing party) [Bashar al-ASAD, secretary general of the party, and chairman of the National Progressive Front after the death of Hafiz al-ASAD on 10 June 2000]; Arab Socialist Unionist Movement or ASU [Sami SOUFAN]; Arab Socialist Party [Abd al-Ghani KANNUT]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Ahmad al-ASAD]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan KOUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party or SCP [Yusuf FAYSAL] Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Anwar JURABAYEV, first secretary]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or MTP [Aziz KAYUMOV, chairman]; People's Democratic Party or NDP (formerly Communist Party) [Abdulkhafiz JALALOV, first secretary]; Self-Sacrificers Party or Fidokorlar National Democratic Party [Ahtam TURSUNOV, first secretary]; note - Fatherland Progress Party merged with Self-Sacrificers Party
Political pressure groups and leaders conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile in Jordan and Yemen); non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence Birlik (Unity) Movement [Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December 1992; Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Tolib YAKUBOV, chairman]; Independent Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Abduhoshim GHAFUROV, chairman]; Ezgulik [Vasilia INOYATOVA]
Population 16,728,808

note:
in addition, there are about 38,200 people living in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 18,200 Arabs (16,500 Druze and 1,700 Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2001 est.)
25,981,647 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 15%-25% NA%
Population growth rate 2.54% (2001 est.) 1.63% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus Termiz (Amu Darya)
Radio broadcast stations AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 20, FM 7, shortwave 10 (1998)
Radios 4.15 million (1997) -
Railways 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 (2000)
total: 3,950 km


broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2002)
Religions Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo) Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
Sex ratio 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:
0.95 male(s)/female

total population:
1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system 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
general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of modernization


domestic: the domestic telephone system is being expanded and technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent (Toshkent) and Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks had been placed in operation - four of the GSM type (Global System for Mobile Communication), one D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System), and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System)


international: linked by landline or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian facilities for international communications; Inmarsat also provides an international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite earth stations - NA (1998)
Telephones - main lines in use 1.313 million (1997) 1.98 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 130,000 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995) 4 (plus two repeaters that relay Russian programs), 1 cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent; approximately 20 stations in regional capitals (2003)
Terrain primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west
Total fertility rate 3.95 children born/woman (2001 est.) 3 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 20% (2000 est.) 10% plus another 20% underemployed (1999 est.)
Waterways 870 km (minimal economic importance) 1,100 km (1990)
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