President of the High Transitional Authority: Andry Rajoelina
Population
22,457,336
22,599,098
Life Expectancy
75.140 years
64.850 years
Capital City
Damascus
Largest city
Aleppo (population: 1,602,260)
Antananarivo (population: 1,391,430)
Human Development Index
0.736
0.533
GDP per capita
$5,100 US
Literacy Rate
79.6%
68.9%
Corruption Perception Index
2.1
3.4
Percentage of Women in Parliament
12.4%
9.4%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
18.000%
Death Penalty
Legal
Abolished in practice
Political System
republic under an authoritarian military-dominated regime
republic
Independence date
17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 74%, other Muslim (includes Alawite, Druze) 16%, Christian (various denominations) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
English (official), French (official), Malagasy (official)
Exports
crude oil, minerals, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, textiles, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat
External Debt
$8,818,000,000 $
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,
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
3.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
Area
185,180 km sq
587,041 km sq
Coastline
193 km
4,828 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
tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
