# The World Factbook (1982)/Syria
## SYRIASYRIA

* (See reference map VI)

### LANDLAND

186,480 km$^2$ (including 1,295 km 2 of Israeli-occupied territory); 48% arable, 29% grazing, 2% forest, 21% desert
Land boundaries: 2,196 km (1967) (excluding occupied area 2,156 km)

### WATERWATER

Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 35 nm
Coastline: 193 km

### PEOPLEPEOPLE

Population: 9,423,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 3.4%
Nationality: noun—Syrian(s); adjective—Syrian
Ethnic divisions: 90.3% Arab; 9.7% Kurds, Armenians, and other
Religion: 74% Sunni Muslim, 16% Alawites, Druze, and other Muslim sects, 10% Christians of various sects
Language: Arabic, Kurdish, Armenian; French and English widely understood
Literacy: about 40%
Labor force: 2.2 million; 32% agriculture, 29% industry (including construction), 39% miscellaneous services; majority unskilled; shortage of skilled labor
Organized labor: 5% of labor force

### GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

Official name: Syrian Arab Republic
Type: republic; under leftwing military regime since March 1963
Capital: Damascus
Political subdivisions: 13 provinces and city of Damascus administered as separate unit
Legal system: based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; constitution promulgated in 1973; legal education at Damascus University and University of Aleppo; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
​National holiday: Independence Day, 17 April
Branches: executive powers vested in President and Council of Ministers; legislative power rests in the People's Assembly; seat of power is the Ba'th Party Regional (Syrian) Command
Government leader: President Hafiz al-ASSAD
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: People's Assembly election November 1981; presidential election February 1978
Political parties and leaders: ruling party is the Arab Socialist Resurrectionist (Ba'th) Party; the "national front" cabinet is dominated by Ba'thists but includes independents and members of the Syrian Arab Socialist Party (ASP), Arab Socialist Union (ASU), Socialist Unionist Movement, and Syrian Communist Party (SCP)
Communists: mostly sympathizers, numbering about 5,000
Other political or pressure groups: non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence; Communist Party ineffective; greatest threat to Assad regime lies in factionalism in the military; conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood
Member of: Arab League, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMCO, IMF, IOOC, IPU, ISCON, ITU, IWC—International Wheat Council, NAM, OAPEC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WSG, WTO

### ECONOMYECONOMY

GDP: $12.9 billion (1980), $960 per capita; real GDP growth rate 9.7% (1980)
Agriculture: main crops—cotton, wheat, barley and tobacco; sheep and goat raising; self-sufficient in most foods in years of good weather
Major industries: textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco; petroleum—166,000 b/d production (1980), 220,000 b/d refining capacity
Electric power: 1,971,500 kW capacity (1980); 3.638 billion kWh produced (1980), 406 kWh per capita
Exports: $2.11 billion (f.o.b., 1980); petroleum, textiles and textile products, tobacco, fruits and vegetables, cotton
Imports: $4.01 billion (f.o.b., 1980); machinery and metal products, textiles, fuels, foodstuffs
Major trade partners: exports—Italy, Romania, US, USSR; imports—Iraq, West Germany, Italy, France
Budget: 1981—revenues $3.5 billion (excluding Arab aid payments), expenditures $7.8 billion
Monetary conversion rate: 3.925 Syrian pounds=US$1 (official rate; a parallel market was established in April 1981 with the rate determined by the government guided by supply and demand)
Fiscal year: calendar year

### COMMUNICATIONSCOMMUNICATIONS

Railroads: 1,543 km total; 1,281 km standard gauge, 262 km narrow gauge (1.050 m)
Highways: 16,939 km total; 12,051 km paved, 2,625 km gravel or crushed stone, 2,263 km improved earth
Inland waterways: 672 km; of little importance
Pipelines: 1,304 km crude oil; 515 km refined products
Ports: 3 major (Tartus, Latakia, Baniyas), 2 minor
Civil air: 14 major transport aircraft
Airfields: 53 total, 49 usable; 23 with permanent-surface runways; 21 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: good international and fair domestic service; 193,000 telephones (2.3 per 100 popl.); 9 AM, no FM, and 21 TV stations; 1 Indian Ocean satellite station

### DEFENSE FORCESDEFENSE FORCES

Military manpower: males 15-49, 2,040,000; 1,145,000 fit for military service; about 102,000 reach military age (19) annually
Military budget: for fiscal year ending 31 December 1981, $2,389 million; 31% of central government budget