Head of state: Grand Duke Henri Prime minister: Jean-Claude Juncker
President: Bashar al-Assad
Population
509,074
22,530,746
Life Expectancy
79.750 years
74.920 years
Capital City
Luxembourg
Damascus
Largest city
Luxembourg (population: 76,684)
Aleppo (population: 1,602,260)
Human Development Index
0.956
0.736
GDP per capita
$81,100 US
$5,100 US
Literacy Rate
100%
79.6%
Corruption Perception Index
8.3
2.1
Percentage of Women in Parliament
23.3%
12.4%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
5.900%
12.300%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Legal
Political System
constitutional monarchy
republic under an authoritarian military-dominated regime
Independence date
1839 (from the Netherlands)
17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
Religions
Roman Catholic 87%, other (includes Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 13% (2000)
Sunni Muslim 74%, other Muslim (includes Alawite, Druze) 16%, Christian (various denominations) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Languages
Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative language), French (administrative language)
machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass
crude oil, minerals, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, textiles, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat
External Debt
$2,146,000,000,000 $
$7,074,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Syrian pounds (SYP) per US dollar - 46.5281 (2008 est.), 50.0085 (2007), 51.689 (2006), 50 (2005), 48.5 (2004) note: data for 2004-06 are the public sector rate; data for 2002-03 are the parallel market rate in 'Amman and Beirut; the official rate for repaying loans was 11.25 Syrian pounds per US dollars during 2004-06,
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.900%
5.900%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Western Europe, between France and Germany
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey
Area
2,586 km sq
185,180 km sq
Coastline
0 km
193 km
Climate
modified continental with mild winters, cool summers
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
