| Country (long form) |
Syrian Arab Republic |
| Capital |
Damascus |
| Total Area |
32,888.18 sq mi
85,180.00 sq km
(slightly larger than North Dakota) |
| Population |
16,305,659 (July 2000 est.) |
| Estimated Population in 2050 |
34,437,235 |
| Languages |
Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood |
| Literacy |
70.8% total, 85.7% male, 55.8% female (1997 est.) |
| Religions |
Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo) |
| Life Expectancy |
67.35 male, 69.64 female (2000 est.) |
| Government Type |
republic under military regime since March 1963 |
| Currency |
1 Syrian pound = 100 piastres |
| GDP (per capita) |
$2,500 (1999 est.) |
| Industry |
petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining |
| Agriculture |
wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk |
| Arable Land |
28% |
| Natural Resources |
petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower |
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