Compare Syria (2006) - Philippines (2002)

Compare Syria (2006) z Philippines (2002)

	Syria (2006)	Philippines (2002)

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	73 provinces and 61 chartered cities; Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Angeles, Antique, Aurora, Bacolod, Bago, Baguio, Bais, Basilan, Basilan City, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Batangas City, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Butuan, Cabanatuan, Cadiz, Cagayan, Cagayan de Oro, Calbayog, Caloocan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Canlaon, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cavite City, Cebu, Cebu City, Cotabato, Dagupan, Danao, Dapitan, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Eastern Samar, General Santos, Gingoog, Ifugao, Iligan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Iloilo City, Iriga, Isabela, Kalinga-Apayao, La Carlota, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Laoag, Lapu-Lapu, La Union, Legaspi, Leyte, Lipa, Lucena, Maguindanao, Mandaue, Manila, Marawi, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain, Naga, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Olongapo, Ormoc, Oroquieta, Ozamis, Pagadian, Palawan, Palayan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Pasay, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, Quezon City, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Roxas, Samar, San Carlos (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos* (in Pangasinan), San Jose, San Pablo, Silay, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tacloban, Tagaytay, Tagbilaran, Tangub, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Toledo, Trece Martires, Zambales, Zamboanga*, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur
Age structure	0-14 years: 37% (male 3,592,915/female 3,384,722) 15-64 years: 59.7% (male 5,779,257/female 5,500,887) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 296,070/female 327,510) (2006 est.)	0-14 years: 36.6% (male 15,731,451; female 15,169,264) 15-64 years: 59.7% (male 24,990,500; female 25,478,245) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 1,399,862; female 1,756,317) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products	wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk	rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish
Airports	92 (2006)	275 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 26 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2006)	total: 82 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 13 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 66 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 54 (2006)	total: 175 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 71 under 914 m: 99 (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: 300,000 sq km land: 298,170 sq km water: 1,830 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than North Dakota	slightly larger than Arizona
Background	Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, France administered Syria until its independence in 1946. The country lacked political stability, however, and experienced a series of military coups during its first decades. Syria united with Egypt in February 1958 to form the United Arab Republic, but in September 1961 the two entities separated and the Syrian Arab Republic was reestablished. In November 1970, Hafiz al-ASAD, a member of the Socialist Ba'th Party and the minority Alawite sect, seized power in a bloodless coup and brought political stability to the country. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel, and over the past decade Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over its return. Following the death of President al-ASAD in July 2000, his son, Bashar al-ASAD, was approved as president by popular referendum. Syrian troops - stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role - were withdrawn in April of 2005.	The Philippines were ceded by Spain to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. They attained their independence in 1946 after Japanese occupation in World War II. The 21-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986 when a widespread popular rebellion forced him into exile. In 1992, the US closed its last military bases on the islands. The Philippines has had two electoral presidential transitions since Marcos' removal by "people power." In January 2001, the Supreme Court declared Joseph ESTRADA unable to rule in view of mass resignations from his government and administered the oath of office to Vice President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO as his constitutional successor. The government continues to struggle with ongoing Muslim insurgencies in the south.
Birth rate	27.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)	26.88 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget	revenues: $6.392 billion expenditures: $7.613 billion; including capital expenditures of $3.23 billion (2005 est.)	revenues: $10.9 billion expenditures: $13.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital	name: Damascus geographic coordinates: 33 30 N, 36 18 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins 1 April; ends 30 September	Manila
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 marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)
Coastline	193 km	36,289 km
Constitution	13 March 1973	2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987
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 the Philippines conventional short form: Philippines local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas local short form: Pilipinas
Currency	-	Philippine peso (PHP)
Death rate	4.81 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)	5.95 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external	$8.566 billion; note - excludes military debt and debt to Russia (2005 est.)	$50 billion (2001)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Michael CORBIN embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansour Street, No. 2, Damascus mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus telephone: [963] (11) 333-1342 FAX: [963] (11) 224-7938	chief of mission: Ambassador Francis J. RICCIARDONE embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita 1000 Manila mailing address: FPO 96515 telephone: [63] (2) 523-1001 FAX: [63] (2) 522-4361
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Imad MUSTAFA chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313 FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548	chief of mission: Ambassador Albert DEL ROSARIO chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, San Jose (Northern Mariana Islands), Tamuning (Guam)
Disputes - international	Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied with the almost 1,000-strong UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) patrolling a buffer zone since 1964; Lebanon claims Shaba'a farms in Golan Heights; international pressure prompts the removal of Syrian troops and intelligence personnel stationed in Lebanon since October 1976; 2004 Agreement and pending demarcation settles border dispute with Jordan	Sultanate of Sulu granted Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue his sovereignty claim over Malaysia's Sabah State, to which the Philippines have not fully revoked their claim; involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei
Economic aid - recipient	$180 million (2002 est.)	ODA, $1.1 billion (1998) (1998)
Economy - overview	The Syrian Government estimates the economy grew by 4.5 percent in real terms in 2005, led by the petroleum and agricultural sectors, which together account for about half of GDP. Economic performance and the exchange rate on the informal market were hit by international political developments following the assassination in February of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq al-HARIRI and the specter of international sanctions. Higher crude oil prices countered declining oil production and exports and helped to narrow the budget deficit and widen the current account surplus. The Government of Syria has implemented modest economic reforms in the last few years, including cutting interest rates, opening private banks, consolidating some of the multiple exchange rates, and raising prices on some subsidized foodstuffs. Nevertheless, the economy remains highly controlled by the government. Long-run economic constraints include declining oil production and exports, increasing pressure on water supplies caused by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and water pollution.	In 1998 the Philippine economy - a mixture of agriculture, light industry, and supporting services - deteriorated as a result of spillover from the Asian financial crisis and poor weather conditions. Growth fell to 0.6% in 1998 from 5% in 1997, but recovered to about 3% in 1999 and 4% in 2000. The government has promised to continue its economic reforms to help the Philippines match the pace of development in the newly industrialized countries of East Asia. The strategy includes improving infrastructure, overhauling the tax system to bolster government revenues, furthering deregulation and privatization of the economy, and increasing trade integration with the region. Prospects for 2002 depend heavily on the economic performance of two major trading partners, the US and Japan.
Electricity - consumption	28.26 billion kWh (2003 est.)	37.82 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2003)	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2003)	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production	29.53 billion kWh (2003 est.)	40.667 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source	-	fossil fuel: 58% hydro: 20% nuclear: 0% other: 23% (2000)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m	lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m
Environment - current issues	deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water	uncontrolled deforestation in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in Manila; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps which are important fish breeding grounds
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups	Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%	Christian Malay 91.5%, Muslim Malay 4%, Chinese 1.5%, other 3%
Exchange rates	Syrian pounds per US dollar - (public sector rate): 11.225 (2005), 11.225 (2004), 11.225 (2003), 11.225 (2002), 11.225 (2001), (parallel market rate in 'Amman and Beirut): NA (2005), NA (2004), 52.8 (2003), 52.4 (2002), 50.4 (2001), (official rate for repaying loans): 11.25 (2004)	Philippine pesos per US dollar - 51.201 (January 2002), 50.993 (2001), 44.192 (2000), 39.089 (1999), 40.893 (1998), 29.471 (1997)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice President Farouk al-SHARA (since 11 February 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10 September 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah al-DARDARI (since 14 June 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president approved by popular referendum for a seven-year term (no term limits); referendum last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of President Hafiz al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held 2007); vice president appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Bashar al-ASAD approved as president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29% note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June, the Ba'th Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name to the People's Council on 25 June; he was approved by a popular referendum on 10 July	chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Teofisto GUINGONA (since 20 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Teofisto GUINGONA (since 20 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with the consent of the Commission of Appointments elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for six-year terms; election last held 11 May 1998 (next to be held 16 May 2004) election results: results of the last presidential election - Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA elected president; percent of vote - approximately 40%; Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO elected vice president; percent of vote - 55%; note - on 20 January 2001, Vice President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was sworn in as the constitutional successor to President Joseph ESTRADA after the Supreme Court declared that ESTRADA was unable to rule in view of the mass resignations from his government; according to the Constitution, only in cases of death, permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of the president, can the vice president serve for the unexpired term
Exports	285,000 bbl/day (2004)	$37 billion f.o.b. (2000)
Exports - commodities	crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat	electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment, garments, coconut products
Exports - partners	Iraq 22.3%, Saudi Arabia 15.3%, Italy 8.4%, Germany 8.3%, Lebanon 7.7%, Egypt 4.3%, France 4.2% (2005)	US 30%, Japan 15%, Netherlands 8%, Singapore 8%, Taiwan 8%, Hong Kong 5% (2000)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, colors associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the current design dates to 1980	two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the center of the triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each containing three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle is a small yellow five-pointed star
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $335 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 24.9% industry: 23% services: 51.9% (2004 est.)	agriculture: 17% industry: 30% services: 53% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	2.8% (2005 est.)	2.8% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates	35 00 N, 38 00 E	13 00 N, 122 00 E
Geography - note	there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 2005 est.)	favorably located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, and Luzon Strait
Heliports	7 (2006)	2 (2002)
Highways	-	total: 199,950 km paved: 39,590 km unpaved: 160,360 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 39% (1998)
Illicit drugs	a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and Western markets; weak anti-money-laundering controls and bank privatization may leave it vulnerable to money-laundering	exports locally produced marijuana and hashish to East Asia, the US, and other Western markets; serves as a transit point for heroin and crystal methamphetamine
Imports	NA bbl/day	$30 billion f.o.b. (2000)
Imports - commodities	machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical products, plastics, yarn, paper	raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, consumer goods, fuels
Imports - partners	Saudi Arabia 10.6%, China 5.6%, Egypt 5.4%, Italy 5.3%, UAE 5.2%, Ukraine 4.2%, Germany 4.1% (2005)	Japan 19%, US 16%, EU 9%, South Korea 8%, Singapore 6%, Taiwan 6% (2000)
Independence	17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)	4 July 1946 (from US)
Industrial production growth rate	7% (2002 est.)	4% (2000 est.)
Industries	petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining	textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, electronics assembly, petroleum refining, fishing
Infant mortality rate	total: 28.61 deaths/1,000 live births male: 28.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 28.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)	27.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	5% (2005 est.)	6% (2001 est.)
International organization participation	ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO	APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	33 (2000)
Irrigated land	13,330 sq km (2003)	15,500 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Constitutional Court (adjudicates electoral disputes and rules on constitutionality of laws and decrees; justices appointed for four-year terms by the President); High Judicial Council (appoints and dismisses judges; headed by the President); Court of Cassation (national level); State Security Courts (hear cases related to national security); Personal Status Courts (religious; hear cases related to marriage and divorce); Courts of First Instance (local level; include magistrate, summary, and peace courts)	Supreme Court (justices are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and serve until 70 years of age)
Labor force	5.12 million (2004 est.)	32 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 30% industry: 27% services: 43% (2002 est.)	agriculture 40%, government and social services 19%, services 18%, manufacturing 10%, construction 6%, other 8% (1998 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 2,253 km border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 24.8% permanent crops: 4.47% other: 70.73% (2005)	arable land: 18.45% permanent crops: 14.76% other: 66.79% (1998 est.)
Languages	Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood	two official languages - Filipino (based on Tagalog) and English; eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocan, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense
Legal system	based on a combination of French and Ottoman civil law; religious law is used in the family court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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 in 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 Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24 seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (214 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - additional members may be appointed by the president but the Constitution prohibits the House of Representatives from having more than 250 members) elections: Senate - last held 14 May 2001 (next to be held 16 May 2004); House of Representatives - elections last held 14 May 2001 (next to be held 16 May 2004) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Lakas 13, PDP-Laban/LDP 11; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Lakas 86, NPC 51, LDP 21, LP 20, independents 10, other 26
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 70.32 years male: 69.01 years female: 71.7 years (2006 est.)	total population: 68.12 years male: 65.26 years female: 71.12 years (2002 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: 94.6% male: 95% female: 94.3% (1995 est.)
Location	Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey	Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam
Map references	Middle East	Southeast Asia
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 41 nm	continental shelf: to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 NM from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 NM in breadth
Merchant marine	total: 108 ships (1000 GRT or over) 386,603 GRT/563,506 DWT by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 93, container 1, livestock carrier 4, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 11 (Lebanon 7, Romania 3, UAE 1) registered in other countries: 130 (Cambodia 20, Comoros 4, Cyprus 3, Dominica 1, Georgia 43, Hong Kong 1, North Korea 14, Lebanon 1, Malta 7, Mongolia 1, Panama 18, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Sierra Leone 1, Slovakia 2, unknown 5) (2006)	total: 416 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,179,029 GRT/7,670,688 DWT ships by type: bulk 134, cargo 112, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 7, container 5, liquefied gas 9, livestock carrier 9, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 41, refrigerated cargo 20, roll on/roll off 14, short-sea passenger 29, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 18 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 2, Canada 1, Germany 3, Greece 8, Hong Kong 13, Japan 47, Malaysia 19, Netherlands 14, Norway 8, Panama 3, Singapore 12, South Korea 1, Taiwan 2, United Kingdom 7 (2002 est.)
Military branches	Syrian Armed Forces: Syrian Arab Army (includes Syrian Arab Navy), Syrian Arab Air and Air Defense Force (includes Air Defense Command) (2005)	Army, Navy (including Coast Guard and Marine Corps), Air Force, paramilitary units
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$858 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending	$995 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	5.9% (FY00)	1.5% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 21,718,304 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 15,285,248 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age	-	20 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 848,181 (2002 est.)
National holiday	Independence Day, 17 April (1946)	Independence Day (from Spain), 12 June (1898); note - 12 June 1898 is the date of independence from Spain, 4 July 1946 is the date of independence from the US
Nationality	noun: Syrian(s) adjective: Syrian	noun: Filipino(s) adjective: Philippine
Natural hazards	dust storms, sandstorms	astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis
Natural resources	petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower	timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)	-1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines	gas 2,764 km; oil 2,000 km (2006)	petroleum products 357 km
Political parties and leaders	Arab Socialist Unionist Movement [Ahmed al-AHMED]; National Progressive Front or NPF (includes Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party; the governing party) [President Bashar al-ASAD, secretary general]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallal Nasr Al-DIN]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan QUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party (two branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yuusuf Rashid FAYSAL]; Syrian Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI]; Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez ISMAIL]	Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (New Society Movement) [Imelda MARCOS]; Laban Ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino Democrats) or LDP [Eduardo ANGARA]; Lakas [Jose DE VENECIA, party president]; Liberal Party or LP [Florencio ABAD]; Nacionalista Party [Jose OLIVEROS]; National People's Coalition or NPC [Eduardo COJUANGCO]; PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL]; People's Reform Party or PRP [Miriam DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO]
Political pressure groups and leaders	Kurdish Democratic Alliance (includes several groups but has no designated leader); Kurdish Democratic Front (includes several groups but has no designated leader); Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile in London) [Sadr al-Din al-BAYANUNI]; National Democratic Front [Hassan Abd al-AZIM]	NA
Population	18,881,361 note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2006 est.)	84,525,639 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line	20% (2004 est.)	40% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate	2.3% (2006 est.)	1.99% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras Island, Iligan, Iloilo, Jolo, Legaspi, Manila, Masao, Puerto Princesa, San Fernando, Subic Bay, Zamboanga
Radio broadcast stations	AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)	AM 366, FM 290, shortwave 5 note: each shortwave station operates on multiple frequencies in the language of the target audience (2002)
Radios	-	11.5 million (1997)
Railways	total: 2,711 km standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2005)	total: 897 km narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (405 km are not in operation) (2001)
Religions	Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)	Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist and 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: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 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: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 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: country code - 963; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel	general assessment: good international radiotelephone and submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service adequate domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations international: 9 international gateways; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan
Telephones - main lines in use	2.903 million (2005)	3.1 million (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular	2.95 million (2005)	6.5 million (2000)
Television broadcast stations	44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)	75 (2000)
Terrain	primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west	mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands
Total fertility rate	3.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)	3.35 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate	12.3% (2004 est.)	10% (2001)
Waterways	900 km (not economically significant) (2005)	3,219 km note: limited to vessels with a draft of less than 1.5 m

Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.