Country Profile
| Official
name |
: Syrian Arab
Republic |
| Location |
: Middle East,
bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Lebanon and Turkey |
| Capital |
: Damascus |
| Population |
: 16,728,808 million
(2001 est.) |
| 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 |
| Area |
: 185,180 sq km |
| Languages |
: Arabic (official),French,
English somewhat spoken |
| Religions |
Muslim, Christian,
Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al
Qamishli, and Aleppo) |
| National
holidays |
: Independence Day
(17April 1946) |
| Religious
holidays |
: Ramadan, Id al
Fitr (end of Ramadan), Id al Adha (Feast of
the Sacrifice), Hegira Day (Islamic New
Year), Id al-Mawled (Prophet's Birthday).
Dates vary according to the Islamic lunar
calendar. |
| Political
system |
: Republic |
| Legal system |
: based on Islamic
law and civil law system; special religious
courts |
| National
government |
: People's Council
or Majlis al-shaab (250 seats, members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms) |
| Head of
state |
: President Bashar
Al-Assad |
| Head of
government |
: Prime Minister
Mohammed Mustafa Miro (since 13 March 2000) |
| Last
elections |
: November 1998 |
| Next
elections |
: November 2002 |
| Suffrage |
: 18 years of age,
universal |
Arab Bank for Economical
Development in Africa (ABEDA), Arab Fund for
Economical and Social Development (AFESD), Leegue of
Arab States, Arab Monetary Fund (AMF), Council of
Arab Economic Unity (CAEU), Economic and Social
Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United-Nations (FAO),
G-24, G-77, International Atomic Enerygy Agency (IAEA),
International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (IBRD), International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO), International Fund for
Agricultural Developement ( IFAD), International
Labour Organization (ILO), International Monetary
Fund (IMF), International Maritime Organization
(IMO), Intelsat, Interpol, International
telecommunications Union (ITU), Organization of Arab
Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), Organization
of the Islamic Conference (OIC), United-Nations
(UN), United-Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United-Nations
Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO),
United-Nations Relief and Works Agency for Pa;estine
Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Universal Postal
Union (UPU), World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU),
World Health Organization (WHO), World
Meteorological Organization (WMO)
| Gross
domestic product (GDP) |
: US$ 16.3 billion |
| GDP
structure |
: Agriculture 29%,
Industry 22%, Services 49% |
| GDP growth |
: 3.5% (2001 est) |
| Inflation |
: 1.5% |
| Foreign debt |
: US$ 23.0 billion
(2000 est.) |
| National
currency |
: Syria Pound (SYP) |
| Exchange
rate |
: $ 1 CAD = 32.2925
SYP (2002) |
| Natural
resources |
: petroleum,
phosphates, chrome and manganese ores,
asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble,
gypsum, hydropower |
| Agricultural
production |
: wheat, barley,
cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar
beets, beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk |
| Main
industries |
: petroleum,
textiles, food processing, beverages,
tobacco, phosphate rock mining |
| Exports |
: US$ 4.8 billion
(2001 est.) |
| Imports |
: US$ 3.5 billion
(2001 est.) |
| Main exports |
: petroleum,
textiles, manufactured goods, fruits and
vegetables, raw cotton, live sheep,
phosphates |
| Main imports |
: machinery and
equipment, foodstuffs/animals, metal and
metal products, textiles, chemicals |
TRADE
BETWEEN CANADA AND SYRIA
- in thousands CAD$ -
| |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
| Exports |
21 347 |
24 251 |
27 324 |
21 222 |
12 347 |
|
| Imports |
29 155 |
1 367 |
11 554 |
2 442 |
45 390 |
|
| Main
Canadian exports: |
: machinery, wood,
iron and steel products, books, newspaper |
| Main
Canadian imports: |
: knit apparel,
preserved food, woven apparel |
| Population |
: 16,728,808 ( 2001
est.) |
| Population
growth |
: 2.54% (2001 est.) |
| Fertility
rate |
: 3.95 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate |
: 33.80 deaths/1,000
live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy |
: 68.77 years |
| Literacy
Rate |
: 70.8% |
| Human
development index |
: 97th out of 174
countries worldwide (2000) |
| HIV/AIDS -
people living with the disease |
: n/a |
| HIV/AIDS -
deaths |
: n/a |
| Airports |
: 100 airports (24
with paved runways) |
| Railway |
: 2,750 km |
| Roadways |
: 41,451km |
| Main ports |
: Baniyas, Jablah,
Latakia, Tartus |
| Gas
pipelines |
: crude oil 1,304
km; petroleum products 515 km |
|