conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic
conventional short form: Syria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah
local short form: Suriyah
former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
Data code: SY
Government type: republic under military regime since March 1963
National capital: Damascus
Administrative divisions: 14 provinces (muhafazat,
singular-muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar
Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims,
Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus
Independence: 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under
French administration)
National holiday: National Day, 17 April (1946)
Constitution: 13 March 1973
Legal system: based on Islamic law and civil law system; special
religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Hafiz al-ASAD (since 22 February 1971);
note-President ASAD seized power in the November 1970 coup, assumed
presidential powers 22 February 1971, and was confirmed as president
in the 12 March 1971 national elections; Vice Presidents 'Abd al-Halim
ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA
(since 11 March 1984)
head of government: Prime Minister Mahmud ZUBI (since 1 November
1987), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March
1984), Dr. Salim YASIN (since NA December 1981), and Rashid AKHTARINI
(since 4 July 1992)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 2 December 1991 (next to be held NA December 1998);
vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy
prime ministers appointed by the president
election results: Hafiz al-ASAD reelected president; percent of
vote-Hafiz al-ASAD 99.98%
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-shaab
(250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 24-25 August 1994 (next to be held NA 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-National
Progressive Front 167, independents 83
Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court, justices are appointed
for four-year terms by the president; High Judicial Council; Court of
Cassation; State Security Courts
Political parties and leaders:
National Progressive Front includes: the ruling Arab Socialist
Renaissance (Ba'th) Party, Hafiz al-ASAD, president of the republic,
secretary general of the party, and chairman of the National
Progressive Front; Syrian Arab Socialist Party (ASP), Ghassan
'Abd-al-Aziz UTHMAN; Arab Socialist Union (ASU), Fayiz ISMAIL; Syrian
Communist Party (SCP), Yusuf FAYSAL; Arab Socialist Unionist Party,
Safwan QUDSI; Socialist Union Democratic Party, Ahmad al-ASAD
Political pressure groups and leaders: non-Ba'th parties have little
effective political influence; Communist party ineffective;
conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood
International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU,
CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO,
ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Walid MUALEM
chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313
FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Ryan CROCKER
embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus
mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus
telephone: [963] (11) 333-2814, 333-0788, 332-0783
FAX: [963] (11) 224-7938
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white,
and black with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line
centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a
plain white band and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an
Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band;
also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a symbolic eagle centered
in the white band
@Syria:Economy
Economy-overview: Syria's predominantly statist economy is on a shaky
footing because of Damascus's failure to implement extensive economic
reform. The dominant agricultural sector remains underdeveloped, with
roughly 80% of agricultural land still dependent on rain-fed sources.
Although Syria has sufficient water supplies in the aggregate at
normal levels of precipitation, the great distance between major water
supplies and population centers poses serious distribution problems.
The water problem is exacerbated by rapid population growth,
industrial expansion, and increased water pollution. Private
investment is critical to the modernization of the agricultural,
energy, and export sectors. Oil production is leveling off, and the
efforts of the nonoil sector to penetrate international markets have
fallen short. Syria's inadequate infrastructure, outmoded
technological base, and weak educational system make it vulnerable to
future shocks and hamper competition with neighbors such as Jordan and
Israel.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$106.1 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 4.6% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$6,600 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 28%
industry: 14%
services: 58% (1995)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 15%-20% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 4.7 million (1995 est.)
by occupation: services 40%, agriculture 40%, industry 20% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 12% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $3.9 billion
expenditures: $4.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.9
billion (1996 est.)
Industries: petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco,
phosphate rock mining
Industrial production growth rate: 0.2% (1996 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 4.157 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 14.9 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 970 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas; beef,
lamb, eggs, poultry, milk
Exports:
total value: $4.2 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
commodities: petroleum 70%, textiles 12%, food and live animals 10%,
manufactures 5% (1997 est.)
partners: EU 57% (Germany 17%, Italy 16%, France 11%), Lebanon 14%,
Saudi Arabia 7% (1995 est.)
Imports:
total value: $5.7 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
commodities: machinery and equipment 40%, foodstuffs/animals 15%,
metal and metal products 15%, textiles 10%, chemicals 10%, consumer
goods 5% (1997 est.)
partners: EU 33% (Italy 9%, Germany 8%, France 4%), South Korea 5%, US
4%, Japan 4% (1995 est.)
Debt-external: $20 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: $4.2 billion (1990-92)
Currency: 1 Syrian pound (£S) = 100 piastres
Exchange rates: Syrian pounds (£S) per US$1-41.9 (January 1997);
official fixed rate 11.225
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 541,465 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: fair system currently undergoing significant
improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network
international: satellite earth stations-1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and
1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial
cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey;
participant in Medarabtel
Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 3.392 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 17
Televisions: 700,000 (1993 est.)
@Syria:Transportation
Railways:
total: 1,998 km
broad gauge: 1,766 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 232 km 1.050-m gauge
Highways:
total: 40,480 km
paved: 9,310 km (including 866 km of expressways)
unpaved: 31,170 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 870 km; minimal economic importance
Pipelines: crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km
Ports and harbors: Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus
Merchant marine:
total: 125 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 376,903 GRT/555,679 DWT
ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 110, livestock carrier 3,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1997 est.)
Airports: 104 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 24
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 80
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 63 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1997 est.)
@Syria:Military
Military branches: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air
Force, Syrian Arab Air Defense Forces, Police and Security Force
Military manpower-military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 3,899,714 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 2,182,608 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 177,946 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $800 million-$1 billion (1997
est.); note-based on official budget data that understate actual
spending
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 8% (1995 est.)
@Syria:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; Hatay
question with Turkey; dispute with upstream riparian Turkey over
Turkish water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers;
Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October
1976
Illicit drugs: a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for
regional and Western markets
______________________________________________________________________
TAIWAN
@Taiwan:Geography
Location: Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea,
Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the
Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China
Geographic coordinates: 23 30 N, 121 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 35,980 sq km
land: 32,260 sq km
water: 3,720 sq km
note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,448 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June
to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Terrain: eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently
rolling plains in west
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Yu Shan 3,997 m
Natural resources: small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone,
marble, and asbestos
Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 55%
other: 15%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: earthquakes and typhoons
Environment-current issues: air pollution; water pollution from
industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water
supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste
disposal
Environment-international agreements:
party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
@Taiwan:People
Population: 21,908,135 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22% (male 2,543,524; female 2,367,077)
15-64 years: 69% (male 7,730,185; female 7,472,525)
65 years and over: 9% (male 963,797; female 831,027) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.94% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 14.79 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.42 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.16 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.34 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.82 years
male: 73.82 years
female: 80.05 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Chinese (singular and plural)
adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups: Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%,
aborigine 2%
Religions: mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian
4.5%, other 2.5%
Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka
dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86%
male: 93%
female: 79% (1980 est.)
note: literacy for the total population increased to 92.65% in 1997
@Taiwan:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Taiwan
local long form: none
local short form: T'ai-wan
Data code: TW
Government type: multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly
elected president
National capital: Taipei
Administrative divisions: since in the past the authorities claimed to
be the government of all China, the central administrative divisions
include the provinces of Fu-chien (some 20 offshore islands of Fujian
Province including Quemoy and Matsu) and Taiwan (the island of Taiwan
and the Pescadores islands); note-the more commonly referenced
administrative divisions are those of Taiwan Province - 16 counties
(hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities* (shih, singular and
plural), and 2 special municipalities** (chuan-shih, singular and
plural); Chang-hua, Chia-i, Chia-i*, Chi-lung*, Hsin-chu, Hsin-chu*,
Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung, Kao-hsiung**, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou,
P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-chung*, T'ai-nan, T'ai-nan*,
T'ai-pei, T'ai-pei**, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin; the
provincial capital is at Chung-hsing-hsin-ts'un
note: Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for romanization
National holiday: National Day, 10 October (1911) (Anniversary of the
Chinese Revolution)
Constitution: 1 January 1947, amended in 1992, 1994, and 1997
Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President LEE Teng-hui (succeeded to the presidency
following the death of President CHIANG Ching-kuo 13 January 1988,
elected by the National Assembly 21 March 1990, elected by popular
vote in the first-ever direct elections for president 23 March 1996);
Vice President LIEN Chan (since 20 May 1996)
head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) Vincent
SIEW (since 1 September 1997) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the
Executive Yuan) LIU Chao-shiuan (since 10 December 1997)
cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 23 March 1996
(next to be held NA 2000); premier appointed by the president; vice
premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the
premier
election results: LEE Teng-hui elected president; percent of vote-LEE
Teng-hui 54%, PENG Ming-min 21%, LIN Yang-kang 15%, and CHEN Li-an 10%
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Yuan (164 seats-128 elected
by popular vote, 36 indirectly elected on the basis of proportional
representation; members serve three-year terms; note-in 1997, the
National Assembly passed an amendment to increase the membership of
the Legislative Yuan to 225 seats, of which 168 are to be elected by
popular vote, 41 by proportional representation, and 16 from
aboriginal and Chinese groups) and unicameral National Assembly (334
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Legislative Yuan-last held 2 December 1995 (next to be held
NA December 1998); National Assembly-last held 23 March 1996 (next to
be held NA 2000)
election results: Legislative Yuan-percent of vote by party-KMT 46%,
DPP 33%, CNP 13%, independents 8%; seats by party-KMT 85, DPP 54, CNP
21, independents 4; note-since the election, there has been a change
in the distribution of seats, the new distribution is as follows-KMT
81, DPP 46, CNP 19, independents 8, other 5, vacant 5; National
Assembly-percent of vote by party-KMT 55%, DPP 30%, CNP 14%, other 1%;
seats by party-KMT 183, DPP 99, CNP 46, other 6
Judicial branch: Judicial Yuan, justices appointed by the president
with the consent of the National Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Kuomintang (KMT, Nationalist Party),
LEE Teng-hui, chairman; Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), HSU
Hsin-Liang, chairman; Chinese New Party (CNP), leader NA; Taiwan
Independence Party (TAIP), HSU Shih-Kai; other various parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: Taiwan independence movement,
various environmental groups
note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the
mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization
and the increased representation of the opposition Democratic
Progressive Party in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on
the island's national identity; advocates of Taiwan independence,
including within the DPP, oppose the ruling party's traditional stand
that the island will eventually reunify with mainland China; goals of
the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign
nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting
Taiwan independence include the World United Formosans for
Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building
International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, IOC,
WCL, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none; unofficial commercial and
cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through a
private instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural
Representative Office (TECRO) with headquarters in Taipei and field
offices in Washington and 12 other US cities
Diplomatic representation from the US: none; unofficial commercial and
cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through a
private institution, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which has
its headquarters in Rosslyn, Virginia (telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474
and FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385) and offices in Taipei at #7 Lane 134,
Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, telephone [886] (22) 709-2000, FAX [886] (22)
702-7675, and in Kao-hsiung at #2 Chung Cheng 3d Road, telephone [886]
(7) 224-0154 through 0157, FAX [886] (7) 223-8237, and the American
Trade Center at Room 3207 International Trade Building, Taipei World
Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei 10548, telephone
[886] (22) 720-1550, FAX [886] 757-7162
Flag description: red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper
hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
@Taiwan:Economy
Economy-overview: Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with
gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by
government authorities and partial government ownership of some large
banks and industrial firms. Spillover from the Asian financial crisis
hit Taiwan in the fourth quarter of 1997, wreaking havoc on the stock
and currency markets. While the economy remains sound (the government
forecasts 6% GDP growth for 1998), the New Taiwan Dollar depreciated
20% in 1997. Real growth in GDP has averaged about 8.5% a year during
the past three decades. Export growth has been even faster and has
provided the impetus for industrialization. Inflation and unemployment
are low. Agriculture contributes only 3% to GDP, down from 35% in
1952. Traditional labor-intensive industries are steadily being moved
off-shore and replaced with more capital- and technology-intensive
industries. Taiwan has become a major investor in China, Thailand,
Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam. The tightening of
labor markets has led to an influx of foreign workers, both legal and
illegal.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$308 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 6.8% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$14,200 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.3%
industry: 35.7%
services: 61% (1996)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 0.9% (1997)
Labor force:
total: 9.4 million (1997)
by occupation: services 52%, industry 38%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2.7% (1997)
Budget:
revenues: $40 billion
expenditures: $55 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998
est.)
Industries: electronics, textiles, chemicals, clothing, food
processing, plywood, sugar milling, cement, shipbuilding, petroleum
refining
Industrial production growth rate: 7% (1997)
Electricity-capacity: 23.763 million kW (1996)
Electricity-production: 124.973 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 5,500 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: rice, wheat, corn, soybeans, vegetables, fruit,
tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish
Exports:
total value: $122.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 21.7%, electronic
products 14.8%, information/communications 11.8%, textile products
11.6% (1997)
partners: US 24.2%, Hong Kong 23.5%, Europe 15.1%, Japan 9.6% (1997)
Imports:
total value: $114.4 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 16.5%, electronic
products 16.3%, chemicals 10.0%, precision instrument 5.6% (1997)
partners: Japan 25.4%, US 20.3%, Europe 18.9%, Hong Kong 1.7% (1997)
Debt-external: $80 million (1997 est.)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 New Taiwan dollar (NT$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Taiwan dollars per US$1-32.45 (yearend 1997), 27.5
(1996), 27.4 (1995), 26.2 (1994), 26.6 (1993), 25.4 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Telephones: 10,010,614 (1996)
Telephone system:
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay trunk system on east and
west coasts
international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean
and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa), Philippines,
Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and
Western Europe
Radio broadcast stations: AM 91, FM 23, shortwave 0
Radios: 8.62 million
Television broadcast stations: 15 (repeaters 13)
Televisions: 10.8 million (1996 est.)
@Taiwan:Transportation
Railways:
total: 4,600 km (498 km electrified); note-1,108 km belongs to the
Taiwan Railway Administration and the remaining 3,492 km is dedicated
to industrial use
narrow gauge: 4,600 km 1.067-m
Highways:
total: 19,701 km
paved: 17,238 km (including 447 km of expressways)
unpaved: 2,463 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: petroleum products 615 km; natural gas 97 km
Ports and harbors: Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao,
T'ai-chung
Merchant marine:
total: 193 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,621,906 GRT/8,583,808
DWT
ships by type: bulk 49, cargo 30, combination bulk 2, container 81,
oil tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 11, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1997
est.)
Airports: 40 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 36
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 5 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)
@Taiwan:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, Coastal
Patrol and Defense Command, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined
Service Forces
Military manpower-military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 6,476,878 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 4,978,865 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 206,975 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $11.5 billion (FY96/97)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 3.6% (FY96/97)
@Taiwan:Transnational Issues