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Modern states /
Syria
Arabic Republic of Syria
Arabic: (OFFICIAL:) jumhūriyya sūriyyati l-¢arabiyya
Arabic: (SHORT:) sūriyyā
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All figures are 2005 estimates.
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STATUS
| Independent republic, divided into 14 provinces (muhafaza(t)).
Day of independence: April 17, 1946 (from the League of Nations mandate under French administration).
| GOVERNMENT
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Head of state: Bashar al-Assad.
There are 2 vice-presidents, one with responsibility for Political and Foreign affairs, the other for Internal and Party affairs.
Prime minister: Muhammad Naji al-Otari.
The government is made up of 30 ministeries, with 3 deputy prime ministers working together with the prime minister.
National Assembly: 250 members, where the Ba'th Party alone has majority. The national assembly has practically no power over the real political leadership of the country, the president and his closest men.
| GEOGRAPHY
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Inhabitants: 20 million (2005 estimate).
About 20,000 inhabitants in the occupied Golan Heights (by Israel), together with 20,000 illegal Jewish colonialists.
Population growth rate: 2.5%
Total area: 185,180 kmē
Water: 1,130 km²
Density: 102 per kmē
Border: 2,253 km (Lebanon 375 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Iraq 605 km, Turkey 822 km).
Coastline: 193 km.
Highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m
Lowest point: Sea of Galilee -200 m
Arable land: 26%
Capital: Damascus
| HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX
| World rank (of 177): 107
Index (1.0 max): 0.716
Explanation
| DEMOGRAPHY
| Ethnic groups: Arabs, Kurds, Armenians, Circassians and others.
Languages: Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian.
Religions: Sunni Islam, Alawites, Druze, Shi'i Islam, Christianity, Judaism.
| ECONOMY
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Currency: Pounds (SYP)
100 Pounds=US$1.96. US$1=51.00 Pounds (September 2008)
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Climate and Geography
Syria is arid, relying very much upon water coming down from the mountains in Turkey. Most of the country is flat, but has mountains towards the border of Lebanon. The east is desert, the western coast has a mediterranean climate.
Syria can get very cold in the winter, and snow in the mountains is normal. Summer can get very hot.
Syrian economy is relatively weak, but there has recently been many initiatives to open it up.
Syria has during the recent years become more open towards Western powers, and there has been ease on internal opposition. Still, Syria is a country with heavy state control on all sectors of life.
Parts of Syria remains under Israeli occupation: Golan Heights. Syria has also got a claim on parts of Turkey: the region of Antakya. Syrian foreign politics involve initiatives to get the Golan Heights back. Antakya region is not subject for any active politics.
© Copyright 1996-2009 LookLex Ltd. All rights reserved
By: Tore Kjeilen
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