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Compare Syria (2003) - Malaysia (2008)

Compare Syria (2003) z Malaysia (2008)

 Syria (2003)Malaysia (2008)
 SyriaMalaysia
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 13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, and Terengganu; and one federal territory (wilayah persekutuan) with three components, city of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya
Age structure 0-14 years: 38.6% (male 3,494,473; female 3,290,699)


15-64 years: 58.2% (male 5,238,026; female 4,991,588)


65 years and over: 3.2% (male 274,744; female 296,010) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 32.2% (male 4,118,086/female 3,884,403)


15-64 years: 62.9% (male 7,838,166/female 7,785,833)


65 years and over: 4.8% (male 526,967/female 667,831) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah - subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak - rubber, pepper, timber
Airports 92 (2002) 116 (2007)
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: 36


over 3,047 m: 5


2,438 to 3,047 m: 9


1,524 to 2,437 m: 8


914 to 1,523 m: 8


under 914 m: 6 (2007)
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: 80


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 72 (2007)
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: 329,750 sq km


land: 328,550 sq km


water: 1,200 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than North Dakota slightly larger than New Mexico
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. During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain established colonies and protectorates in the area of current Malaysia; these were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore and the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo joined the Federation. The first several years of the country's history were marred by a Communist insurgency, Indonesian confrontation with Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession from the Federation in 1965. During the 22-year term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy from dependence on exports of raw materials, to expansion in manufacturing, services, and tourism.
Birth rate 29.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 22.65 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $6 billion


expenditures: $7 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.6 billion (2002 est.)
revenues: $41.01 billion


expenditures: $46.96 billion (2007 est.)
Capital Damascus name: Kuala Lumpur


geographic coordinates: 3 10 N, 101 42 E


time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


note: Putrajaya is referred to as administrative center not capital; Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur
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 tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons
Coastline 193 km 4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)
Constitution 13 March 1973 31 August 1957 (amended many times, latest in 2007)
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: Malaysia


local long form: none


local short form: Malaysia


former: Federation of Malaya
Currency Syrian pound (SYP) -
Death rate 5.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 5.05 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $22 billion (2002 est.) $57.83 billion (30 June 2007)
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 James KEITH


embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur 50400


mailing address: US Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152


telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000


FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador (acting) Imad MUSTAFA


chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313


FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548
chief of mission: Ambassador RAJMAH binti Hussain


chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700


FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Disputes - international 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; Turkey is quick to rebuff any perceived Syrian claim to Hatay province Malaysia has asserted sovereignty over the Spratly Islands together with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; while the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties; Malaysia was not party to the March 2005 joint accord among the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on conducting marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; disputes continue over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in November 2007, the ICJ will hold public hearings in response to the Memorials and Countermemorials filed by the parties in 2003 and 2005 over sovereignty of Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge; ICJ awarded Ligitan and Sipadan islands, also claimed by Indonesia and Philippines, to Malaysia but left maritime boundary and sovereignty of Unarang rock in the hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea in dispute; separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompts measures to close and monitor border with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo; Brunei and Malaysia are still considering international adjudication over their disputed offshore and deepwater seabeds, where hydrocarbon exploration was terminated in 2003; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in dispute; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait
Economic aid - recipient $199 million (1997 est.) $31.6 million (2005)
Economy - overview Syria's predominantly statist economy has been growing, on average, more slowly than its 2.4% annual population growth rate, causing a persistent decline in per capita GDP. Recent legislation allows private banks to operate in Syria, although a private banking sector will take years and further government cooperation to develop. External factors such as the international war on terrorism, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the war between the US-led coalition and Iraq probably will drive real annual GDP growth levels back below their 3.5% spike in 2002. A long-run economic constraint is the pressure on water supplies caused by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution. Malaysia, a middle-income country, has transformed itself since the 1970s from a producer of raw materials into an emerging multi-sector economy. Since coming to office in 2003, Prime Minister ABDULLAH has tried to move the economy farther up the value-added production chain by attracting investments in high technology industries, medical technology, and pharmaceuticals. The Government of Malaysia is continuing efforts to boost domestic demand to wean the economy off of its dependence on exports. Nevertheless, exports - particularly of electronics - remain a significant driver of the economy. As an oil and gas exporter, Malaysia has profited from higher world energy prices, although the rising cost of domestic gasoline and diesel fuel forced Kuala Lumpur to reduce government subsidies. Malaysia "unpegged" the ringgit from the US dollar in 2005 and the currency appreciated 6% per year against the dollar in 2006-07. Although this has helped to hold down the price of imports, inflationary pressures began to build in 2007. Healthy foreign exchange reserves and a small external debt greatly reduce the risk that Malaysia will experience a financial crisis over the near term similar to the one in 1997. The government presented its five-year national development agenda in April 2006 through the Ninth Malaysia Plan, a comprehensive blueprint for the allocation of the national budget from 2006-10. With national elections expected within the year, ABDULLAH has unveiled a series of ambitious development schemes for several regions that have had trouble attracting business investment. Real GDP growth has averaged about 6% per year under ABDULLAH, but regions outside of Kuala Lumpur and the manufacturing hub Penang have not fared as well.
Electricity - consumption 21.63 billion kWh (2001) 78.72 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 23.26 billion kWh (2001) 82.36 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 57.6%


hydro: 42.4%


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: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires
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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
Ethnic groups Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7% Malay 50.4%, Chinese 23.7%, indigenous 11%, Indian 7.1%, others 7.8% (2004 est.)
Exchange rates Syrian pounds per US dollar - (Official rate): 11.23 (2002), 11.23 (2001), 11.23 (2000), 11.23 (1999), 11.23 (1998), (Free market rate): 49.65 (2001), 49.4 (2000), 51.7 (1999), 52 (1998) ringgits per US dollar - 3.46 (2007), 3.6683 (2006), 3.8 (2005), 3.8 (2004), 3.8 (2003)
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 Naji al-UTRI (since 10 September 2003), 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: Paramount Ruler Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin (since 13 December 2006)


head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since 31 October 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak (since 7 January 2004)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler


elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held on 3 November 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister


election results: Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin elected paramount ruler


note: position of paramount ruler is primarily ceremonial; in practice, selection is based on principle of rotation among rulers of states
Exports NA (2001) 611,200 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities crude oil 70%, petroleum products 7%, fruits and vegetables 5%, cotton fiber 4%, clothing 3%, meat and live animals 2% (2000 est.) electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals
Exports - partners Germany 19.1%, Italy 17.5%, Turkey 7.8%, France 7.5%, Lebanon 5.2% (2002) US 18.8%, Singapore 15.4%, Japan 8.9%, China 7.2%, Thailand 5.3%, Hong Kong 4.9% (2006)
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 14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US
GDP purchasing power parity - $63.48 billion (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 27%


industry: 23%


services: 50% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 8.6%


industry: 47.8%


services: 43.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2002 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 3.6% (2002 est.) 5.7% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 35 00 N, 38 00 E 2 30 N, 112 30 E
Geography - note there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (February 2002 est.) strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea
Heliports 7 (2002) 2 (2007)
Highways 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%: 1.4%


highest 10%: 39.2% (2003 est.)
Illicit drugs a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and Western markets drug trafficking prosecuted vigorously and carries severe penalties; heroin still primary drug of abuse, but synthetic drug demand remains strong; continued ecstasy and methamphetamine producer for domestic users and, to a lesser extent, the regional drug market
Imports NA (2001) 278,600 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment 21%, food and livestock 18%, metal and metal products 15%, chemicals and chemical products 10% (2000 est.) electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals
Imports - partners Italy 8.3%, Germany 7.4%, China 5.7%, South Korea 4.8%, France 4.6%, US 4.4%, Turkey 4.1% (2002) Japan 13.3%, US 12.6%, China 12.2%, Singapore 11.7%, Thailand 5.5%, Taiwan 5.5%, South Korea 5.4%, Germany 4.4% (2006)
Independence 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration) 31 August 1957 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 2.6% (2007 est.)
Industries petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging, timber processing; Sabah - logging, petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging
Infant mortality rate total: 31.67 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 31.89 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 31.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
total: 16.62 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 19.26 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 13.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 0.9% (2002 est.) 2.1%


note: approximately 30% of goods are price-controlled (2007 est.)
International organization participation AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, 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, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land 12,130 sq km (1998 est.) 3,650 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Supreme Constitutional Court (justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president); High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts Civil Courts include Federal Court, Court of Appeal, High Court of Malaya on peninsula Malaysia, and High Court of Sabah and Sarawak in states of Borneo (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the prime minister); Sharia Courts include Sharia Appeal Court, Sharia High Court, and Sharia Subordinate Courts at state-level and deal with religious and family matters such as custody, divorce, and inheritance, only for Muslims; decisions of Sharia courts cannot be appealed to civil courts
Labor force 5.2 million (2000 est.) 10.91 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture, industry, services NA (2002) agriculture: 13%


industry: 36%


services: 51% (2005 est.)
Land boundaries total: 2,253 km


border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km
total: 2,669 km


border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km
Land use arable land: 25.96%


permanent crops: 4.08%


other: 69.96% (1998 est.)
arable land: 5.46%


permanent crops: 17.54%


other: 77% (2005)
Languages Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai


note: in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
Legal system based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; Islamic law is applied to Muslims in matters of family law and religion; 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 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
bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of Senate or Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 appointed by paramount ruler, 26 elected by 13 state legislatures; to serve three-year terms with limit of two terms) and House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (219 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - after next election House will have 222 seats


elections: House of Representatives - last held on 21 March 2004 (next to be held on 8 March 2008)


election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by coalition/party - BN 63.9%, BA 24.1%, DAP 9.9%, others 2.1%; seats by coalition/party - BN 199, BA 8, DAP 12
Life expectancy at birth total population: 69.39 years


male: 68.18 years


female: 70.67 years (2003 est.)
total population: 72.76 years


male: 70.05 years


female: 75.65 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 76.9%


male: 89.7%


female: 64% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 88.7%


male: 92%


female: 85.4% (2000 census)
Location Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam
Map references Middle East Southeast Asia
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 41 NM


territorial sea: 35 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea
Merchant marine total: 129 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 450,135 GRT/645,296 DWT


ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 109, container 2, livestock carrier 3, refrigerated cargo 1, 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: 304 ships (1000 GRT or over) 6,154,877 GRT/8,364,578 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 16, cargo 98, chemical tanker 30, container 47, liquefied gas 30, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 68, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 4


foreign-owned: 43 (China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 14, Japan 4, Singapore 22)


registered in other countries: 67 (Bahamas 11, Kiribati 1, Marshall Islands 3, Mongolia 1, Panama 14, Philippines 2, Singapore 28, Thailand 3, US 4, unknown 1) (2007)
Military branches Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force (includes Air Defense Forces), Police and Security Force Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM): Malaysian Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Navy (Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia, TLDM), Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia, TUDM) (2008)
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) 2.03% (2005 est.)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 4,715,386 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 2,629,148 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - military age 19 years of age (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 210,941 (2003 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day, 17 April (1946) Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)
Nationality noun: Syrian(s)


adjective: Syrian
noun: Malaysian(s)


adjective: Malaysian
Natural hazards dust storms, sandstorms flooding, landslides, forest fires
Natural resources petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal immigrants from other countries in the region (2007 est.)
Pipelines gas 2,300 km; oil 2,183 km (2003) condensate 282 km; gas 5,273 km; oil 1,750 km; oil/gas/water 19 km; refined products 114 km (2007)
Political parties and leaders National Progressive Front or NPF (includes Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party (governing party) [President Bashar al-ASAD, secretary general], Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Ahmad al ASAD], Syrian Communist Party [leader NA], Unionist Socialist Party [leader NA], Arab Socialist Party [Abd al-Ghani QANNUT], and Arab Socialist Unionist Movement [Sami SUFAN]) [President Bashar al-ASAD, chairman]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan QUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party or SCP [Yusuf FAYSAL]; Syrian Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI] National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN (ruling coalition) consists of the following parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party or PGRM [KOH Tsu Koon - acting]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [LIEW Vui Keong]; Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [ONG Ka Ting]; Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy VELLU]; Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu or PBB [Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Parti Rakyat Sarawak or PRS [James MASING]; Sabah Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]; Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam]; United Malays National Organization or UMNO [ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi]; United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard DOMPOK]; People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk Malaysia) or PPP [M.Kayveas]; Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party or SPDP [William MAWAN]); opposition parties: Alternative Front (Barisan Alternatif) or BA (consists of PAS and PKR); Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh]; Islamic Party of Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang]; People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismael]; Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DUNDANG]
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 17,585,540 (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.) (July 2003 est.)
24,821,286 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 15%-25% 5.1% (2002 est.)
Population growth rate 2.45% (2003 est.) 1.759% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus -
Radio broadcast stations AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)
Railways total: 2,743 km


standard gauge: 2,425 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 318 km 1.050-m gauge (2002)
total: 1,890 km


standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 1,833 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2006)
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 60.4%, Buddhist 19.2%, Christian 9.1%, Hindu 6.3%, Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 2.6%, other or unknown 1.5%, none 0.8% (2000 census)
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: 0.93 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.007 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.789 male(s)/female


total population: 1.012 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 21 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: modern system; international service excellent


domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations; combined fixed-line and mobile cellular teledensity approaching 100 per 100 persons


international: country code - 60; landing point for several major international submarine cable networks that provide connectivity to Asia, Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001)
Telephones - main lines in use 1.313 million (1997) 4.342 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 19.464 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995) 88 (mainland Malaysia 51, Sabah 16, and Sarawak 21) (2006)
Terrain primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Total fertility rate 3.72 children born/woman (2003 est.) 3.01 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 20% (2002 est.) 3.1% (2007 est.)
Waterways 870 km (minimal economic importance) 7,200 km


note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km; Sabah 1,500 km; Sarawak 2,500 km (2005)
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