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