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Compare Syria (2002) - Mongolia (2004)

Compare Syria (2002) z Mongolia (2004)

 Syria (2002)Mongolia (2004)
 SyriaMongolia
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 21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1 municipality* (singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Govi-Altay, Govi-Sumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs
Age structure 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.)
0-14 years: 29.7% (male 415,735; female 400,560)


15-64 years: 66.7% (male 916,445; female 918,235)


65 years and over: 3.6% (male 43,205; female 57,134) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk wheat, barley, potatoes, forage crops, sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses
Airports 99 (2001) 36 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways 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)
total: 11


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 (2003 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 68


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 55 (2002)
total: 25


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 11


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 5 (2003 est.)
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: 1,564,116 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than North Dakota slightly smaller than Alaska
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. The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Chinggis KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to their original steppe homelands and later came under Chinese rule. Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A Communist regime was installed in 1924. During the early 1990s, the ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on power to the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC), which defeated the MPRP in a national election in 1996. Since then, parliamentary elections returned the MPRP overwhelmingly to power in 2000 and produced a coalition government in 2004.
Birth rate 30.11 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 21.44 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $5 billion


expenditures: $7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $387 million


expenditures: $428 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2001 est.)
Capital Damascus Ulaanbaatar
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 in Damascus desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)
Coastline 193 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 13 March 1973 12 February 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: none


conventional short form: Mongolia


local long form: none


local short form: Mongol Uls


former: Outer Mongolia
Currency Syrian pound (SYP) togrog/tugrik (MNT)
Death rate 5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $22 billion (2001 est.) $885 million (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US 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
chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela J. SLUTZ


embassy: Micro Region 11, Big Ring Road, C.P.O. 1021, Ulaanbaatar 13


mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002


telephone: [976] (11) 329095


FAX: [976] (11) 320776
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 Ravdangiyn BOLD


chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007


telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117


FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227


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; Turkey is quick to rebuff any perceived Syrian claim to Hatay province none
Economic aid - recipient $199 million (1997 est.) $332 million (2003 est.)
Economy - overview 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. Economic activity traditionally has been based on agriculture and breeding of livestock. Mongolia also has extensive mineral deposits; copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for a large part of industrial production. Soviet assistance, at its height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990-91 at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. Mongolia was driven into deep recession, prolonged by the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party's (MPRP) reluctance to undertake serious economic reform. The Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) government embraced free-market economics, eased price controls, liberalized domestic and international trade, and attempted to restructure the banking system and the energy sector. Major domestic privatization programs were undertaken, as well as the fostering of foreign investment through international tender of the oil distribution company, a leading cashmere company, and banks. Reform was held back by the ex-Communist MPRP opposition and by the political instability brought about through four successive governments under the DUC. Economic growth picked up in 1997-99 after stalling in 1996 due to a series of natural disasters and declines in world prices of copper and cashmere. In August and September 1999, the economy suffered from a temporary Russian ban on exports of oil and oil products, and Mongolia remains vulnerable in this sector. Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in 1997. The international donor community pledged over $300 million per year at the Consultative Group Meeting, held in Ulaanbaatar in June 1999. The MPRP government, elected in July 2000, was anxious to improve the investment climate; it also had to deal with a heavy burden of external debt. Falling prices for Mongolia's mainly primary sector exports, widespread opposition to privatization, and adverse effects of weather on agriculture in early 2000 and 2001 restrained real GDP growth. Despite drought problems in 2002, GDP rose 4.0%, followed by a solid 5.0% increase in 2003. The first applications under the land privatization law have been marked by a number of disputes over particular sites. Russia claims Mongolia owes it $11 billion from the Soviet period; any settlement could substantially increase Mongolia's foreign debt burden.
Electricity - consumption 17.671 billion kWh (2000) 2.194 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 650 million kWh (2000) 25 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) 196 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 19.7 billion kWh (2000) 2.225 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 64%


hydro: 36%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m


highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m
lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m


highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the policies of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain; desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on the environment
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, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7% Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%, other (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000)
Exchange rates Syrian pounds per US dollar - 51 (December 2001), 46 (2000), 46 (1998), 41.9 (January 1997) togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,171 (2003), 1,110.31 (2002), 1,097.7 (2001), 1,076.67 (2000), 1,021.87 (1999)
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), 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
chief of state: President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20 June 1997)


head of government: Prime Minister Tsakhiagiyn ELBEGDORJ (since 20 August 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Chultem ULAAN (since 28 September 2004)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural (parliament) in consultation with the president


elections: presidential candidates nominated by political parties represented in State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a four-year term; presidential tenure limited to two four-year terms; election last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held in May 2005); following legislative elections, leader of majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by State Great Hural; election last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008)


election results: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI reelected president in 2001; percent of vote - Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (MPRP) 58.13%, Radnaasumbereliyn GONCHIGDORJ (DP) 36.58%, Luvsandamba DASHNYAM (CWP) 3.54%, other 1.75%; Tsakkhiagiyn ELBEGDORJ elected prime minister by the State Great Hural 74 to 0
Exports $5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities crude oil 68%, textiles 7%, fruits and vegetables 6%, raw cotton 4% (1998 est.) copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals
Exports - partners Germany 27%, Italy 12%, France 10%, Turkey 10%, Saudi Arabia 7% (2000 est.) China 46.1%, US 23.2%, Russia 6.7%, Singapore 5.7%, Australia 5.5%, UK 4.2% (2003)
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, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national emblem ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang symbol)
GDP purchasing power parity - $54.2 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $4.882 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 27%


industry: 23%


services: 50% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 20.6%


industry: 21.4%


services: 58% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2% (2001 est.) 5% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 35 00 N, 38 00 E 46 00 N, 105 00 E
Geography - note there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (February 2002 est.) landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia
Heliports 7 (2002) 2 (2003 est.)
Highways total: 41,451 km


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


unpaved: 31,876 km (1997)
total: 49,250 km


paved: 1,724 km


unpaved: 47,526 km (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 2.1%


highest 10%: 37% (1995)
Illicit drugs a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and Western markets -
Imports $4 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment 21%, food and livestock 18%, metal and metal products 15%, chemicals and chemical products 10% (2000 est.) machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea
Imports - partners Italy 9%, Germany 7%, France 5%, Lebanon 5%, China 4%, South Korea 4%, Turkey 4%, US 4% (2000 est.) Russia 33.1%, China 21.5%, South Korea 8.5%, Japan 7.9%, Germany 4.7% (2003)
Independence 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration) 11 July 1921 (from China)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 4.1% (2002 est.)
Industries petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining construction materials; mining (coal, copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, and gold); oil; food and beverages; processing of animal products
Infant mortality rate 32.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 55.45 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 58.97 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 51.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 0.3% (2001 est.) 1.5% (2002 est.)
International organization participation 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 ARF, AsDB, CP, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land 12,130 sq km (1998 est.) 840 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 (serves as appeals court for people's and provincial courts but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts; judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts and approved by the president)
Labor force 4.7 million (1998 est.) 1.4 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1996 est.) herding/agriculture 46%, manufacturing 6%, trade 10.3%, public sector 4.7%, other/unemployed 33% (2001)
Land boundaries total: 2,253 km


border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km
total: 8,220 km


border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km
Land use arable land: 25.96%


permanent crops: 4.08%


other: 69.96% (1998 est.)
arable land: 0.77%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.23% (2001)
Languages Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)
Legal system based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction blend of Soviet, German, and US systems that combine "continental" or "civil" code and case-precedent; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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%, 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
unicameral State Great Hural 76 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms


elections: last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - MPRP 48.78%, MDC 44.8%, independents 3.5%, Republican Party 1.5%, others 1%; seats by party - MPRP 36, MDC 34, others 4; note - following the June 2004 election, two seats in dispute and unoccupied
Life expectancy at birth total population: 69.08 years


male: 67.9 years


female: 70.32 years (2002 est.)
total population: 64.17 years


male: 61.97 years


female: 66.48 years (2004 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: 97.8%


male: 98%


female: 97.5% (2002)
Location Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey Northern Asia, between China and Russia
Map references Middle East Asia
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 41 NM


territorial sea: 35 NM
none (landlocked)
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.)
total: 65 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 339,423 GRT/533,853 DWT


by type: bulk 4, cargo 53, chemical tanker 1, container 2, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, specialized tanker 1


foreign-owned: Belize 1, Cambodia 1, China 4, Cuba 1, Hong Kong 2, Indonesia 1, Japan 1, North Korea 1, Lebanon 1, Malaysia 1, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 5, Moldova 1, Panama 3, Romania 1, Russia 14, Singapore 13, Syria 4, Thailand 1, Turkey 1, Ukraine 1, United States 3, Vietnam 4 (2004 est.)
Military branches Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force (includes Air Defense Forces), Police and Security Force Mongolian People's Army (comprising Ground Forces, Air Defense Forces), Border Guards, Internal Security Forces, Construction Corps Forces, Civil Defense Authority
Military expenditures - dollar figure $921 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending $23.1 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 5.9% (FY98) 2.2% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 4,550,496 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 818,977 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 2,539,342 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 530,594 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - military age 19 years of age (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 200,859 (2002 est.) males: 33,718 (2004 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 17 April (1946) Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)
Nationality noun: Syrian(s)


adjective: Syrian
noun: Mongolian(s)


adjective: Mongolian
Natural hazards dust storms, sandstorms dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud," which is harsh winter conditions
Natural resources petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km -
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, 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] Citizens' Will Republican Party or CWRP (also called Civil Courage Republican Party or CCRP) [Sanjaasurengiin OYUN]; Democratic Party or DP [R. GONCHIKDORJ]; Motherland-Mongolian New Socialist Democratic Party or M-MNSDP [B. ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR]; Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [B. JARGALSAIKHAN]


note: DP and M-MNSDP formed Motherland-Democracy Coalition (MDC) in 2003 and with CWRP contested June 2004 elections as single party; MDC's leadership dissolved coalition in December 2004
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 NA
Population 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.)
2,751,314 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 15%-25% 33% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate 2.5% (2002 est.) 1.43% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus none
Radio broadcast stations AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 7, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2001)
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 (2001)
1,810 km


broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2004)
Religions Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo) Buddhist Lamaist 50%, none 40%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim 4% (2004)
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: 0.94 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 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: very low density: about 3.5 telephones for each thousand persons


domestic: NA


international: country code - 976; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)
Telephones - main lines in use 1.313 million (1997) 128,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 216,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995) 9 (plus 18 provincial repeaters and many low power repeaters) (2004)
Terrain primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central
Total fertility rate 3.84 children born/woman (2002 est.) 2.27 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 20% (2000 est.) 4.6% (2001)
Waterways 870 km (minimal economic importance) 580 km


note: only waterway in operation is Lake Khovsgol (135 km); Selenge River (270 km) and Orkhon River (175 km) are navigable but carry little traffic; lakes and rivers freeze in winter, are open from May to September (2004)
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