the president); national level - Supreme Constitutional Court
(adjudicates electoral disputes and rules on constitutionality of
laws and decrees; justices appointed for four-year terms by the
president); Court of Cassation; Appeals Courts (Appeals Courts
represent an intermediate level between the Court of Cassation and
local level courts); local level - Magistrate Courts; Courts of
First Instance; Juvenile Courts; Customs Courts; specialized courts
- Economic Security Courts (hear cases related to economic crimes);
Supreme State Security Court (hear cases related to national
security); Personal Status Courts (religious; hear cases related to
marriage and divorce)
Political parties and leaders:
legal parties: National Progressive Front or NPF [President Bashar
al-ASAD, Dr. Suleiman QADDAH] (includes Arab Socialist Renaissance
(Ba'th) Party [President Bashar al-ASAD]; Socialist Unionist
Democratic Party [Fadlallah Nasr Al-DIN]; Syrian Arab Socialist
Union or ASU [Safwan QUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party (two branches)
[Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yusuf Rashid FAYSAL]; Syrian Social
Nationalist Party [Ali QANSU]; Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez
ISMAIL])
opposition parties not legally recognized: Arab Democratic Socialist
Union Party [Hasan Abdul AZIM]; Arab Socialist Movement; Democratic
Ba'th Party [Ibrahim MAHKOS]; National Democratic Front [Hasan Abdul
AZIM, spokesman] (includes five parties - Arab Democratic Socialist
Union Party [Hasan Abdul AZIM], Arab Socialist Movement, Democratic
Ba'th Party [Ibrahim MAHKOS], People's Democratic Party [Riad al
TURK], Revolutionary Workers' Party [Abdul Hafeez al HAFEZ]);
People's Democratic Party; Revolutionary Workers' Party [Abdul
Hafeez al HAFEZ]
Kurdish parties (considered illegal): Azadi Party [Kheirudin MURAD];
Future Party [Masha'l TAMMO]; Kurdish Democratic Alliance (includes
four parties); Kurdish Democratic Front (includes three parties);
Yekiti Party [Hasan SALEH, Fu'ad ALEYKO]
other parties: Nahda Party [Abdul Aziz al MISLET]; Syrian Democratic
Party [Mustafa QALAAJI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Damascus Declaration National Council [Riyad SEIF, secretary
general] (a broad alliance of opposition groups and individuals
including: Committee for Revival of Civil Society [Michel KILO,
Riyad SEIF]; Communist Action Party [Fateh JAMOUS]; Kurdish
Democratic Alliance; Kurdish Democratic Front; Liberal Nationalists'
Movement; National Democratic Rally; and Syrian Human Rights Society
or HRAS [Fawed FAWUZ]); National Salvation Front (alliance between
former Vice President Abd al-Halim KHADDAM, the SMB, and other small
opposition groups); Syrian Muslim Brotherhood or SMB [Sadr al-Din
al-BAYANUNI] (operates in exile in London; endorsed the Damascus
Declaration, but is not an official member)
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Imad MOUSTAPHA
chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313
FAX: [1] (202) 265-4585
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Maura
CONNELLY
embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansour Street, No. 2, Damascus
mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus
telephone: [963] (11) 3391-4444
FAX: [963] (11) 3391-3999
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, colors
associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small, green,
five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band;
former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars
represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to
the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has an
Arabic inscription centered in the white band, and that of Egypt,
which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the
current design dates to 1980
Economy ::Syria
Economy - overview:
The Syrian economy grew by an estimated 2.4% in real terms in 2008
led by the petroleum and agricultural sectors, which together
account for about one-half of GDP. Higher crude oil prices countered
declining oil production and led to higher budgetary and export
receipts. Damascus has implemented modest economic reforms in the
past few years, including cutting lending interest rates, opening
private banks, consolidating all of the multiple exchange rates,
raising prices on some subsidized items, most notably gasoline and
cement, and establishing the Damascus Stock Exchange - which is set
to begin operations in 2009. In October 2007, for example, Damascus
raised the price of subsidized gasoline by 20%, then instituted a
rationing system in 2008. In addition, President ASAD signed
legislative decrees to encourage corporate ownership reform, and to
allow the Central Bank to issue Treasury bills and bonds for
government debt. Nevertheless, the economy remains highly controlled
by the government. Long-run economic constraints include declining
oil production, high unemployment and inflation, rising budget
deficits, and increasing pressure on water supplies caused by heavy
use in agriculture, rapid population growth, industrial expansion,
and water pollution.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$99.06 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
$94.26 billion (2007 est.)
$88.65 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$55.02 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.1% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
6.3% (2007 est.)
5.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,600 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
$4,600 (2007 est.)
$4,600 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 18.5%
industry: 26.9%
services: 54.6% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
5.593 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 19.2%
industry: 14.5%
services: 66.3% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
8.6% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
9% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
11.9% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
21.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
Budget:
revenues: $11.23 billion
expenditures: $12.85 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
25.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
32% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15.7% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
12.2% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 101
5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA% (31 December 2008)
Stock of money:
$73.54 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 17
$15.21 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$73.93 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 24
$12.29 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$84.31 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 41
$15.19 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets;
beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk
Industries:
petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate
rock mining, cement, oil seeds crushing, car assembly
Industrial production growth rate:
2.3% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
Electricity - production:
36.5 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
Electricity - consumption:
27.35 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
1.4 billion kWh (2007)
Oil - production:
426,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
Oil - consumption:
256,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
Oil - exports:
155,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
Oil - imports:
58,710 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
Oil - proved reserves:
2.5 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
Natural gas - production:
6.04 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
Natural gas - consumption:
6.18 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m
country comparison to the world: 109
Natural gas - imports:
140 million cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
Natural gas - proved reserves:
240.7 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
Current account balance:
-$791 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
$402 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$13.97 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
$11.75 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
crude oil, minerals, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables,
cotton fiber, textiles, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat
Exports - partners:
Iraq 30.9%, Germany 9.8%, Lebanon 9.7%, Italy 6.4%, France 5.5%,
Egypt 5.4%, Saudi Arabia 5.1% (2008)
Imports:
$15.97 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
$12.27 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food
and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical
products, plastics, yarn, paper
Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 11.7%, China 8.7%, Russia 6.4%, Italy 5.9%, Egypt 5.8%,
UAE 5.8%, Turkey 4.3%, Iran 4.2% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$6.765 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76
$6.507 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$7.167 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
$6.633 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
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,
Communications ::Syria
Telephones - main lines in use:
3.633 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 42
Telephones - mobile cellular:
7.056 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 71
Telephone system:
general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant
improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology
domestic: the number of fixed-line connections has increased
markedly since 2000; mobile-cellular service growing with telephone
subscribership reaching 40 per 100 persons in 2008;
international: country code - 963; submarine cable connection to
Egypt, Lebanon, and Cyprus; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); coaxial
cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and
Turkey; participant in Medarabtel
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)
Internet country code:
.sy
Internet hosts:
7,879 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 125
Internet users:
3.565 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 54
Transportation ::Syria
Airports:
104 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 58
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 29
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 75
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 59 (2009)
Heliports:
7 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 2,900 km; oil 2,000 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 2,052 km
country comparison to the world: 72
standard gauge: 1,801 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 97,401 km
country comparison to the world: 43
paved: 19,490 km (includes 1,103 km of expressways)
unpaved: 77,911 km (2006)
Waterways:
900 km (not economically significant) (2008)
country comparison to the world: 69
Merchant marine:
total: 77
country comparison to the world: 58
by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 65, carrier 4, container 1, petroleum
tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 7 (Jordan 2, Lebanon 3, Romania 2)
registered in other countries: 196 (Barbados 1, Bolivia 2, Cambodia
48, Comoros 4, Cyprus 2, Dominica 2, Georgia 49, Hong Kong 1, North
Korea 1, Lebanon 2, Libya 2, Malta 6, Moldova 1, Panama 32, Saint
Kitts and Nevis 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 13, Sierra Leone
18, Slovakia 2, Togo 2, unknown 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Latakia, Tartus
Military ::Syria
Military branches:
Syrian Armed Forces: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab
Air and Air Defense Forces (includes Air Defense Command) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
obligation - 30 months (18 months in the Syrian Arab Navy); women
are not conscripted but may volunteer to serve (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,251,875
females age 16-49: 4,966,367 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,360,934
females age 16-49: 4,344,895 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 213,513
female: 201,055 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
5.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
Transnational Issues ::Syria
Disputes - international:
Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied with the almost 1,000-strong UN
Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) patrolling a buffer zone since
1964; lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the
boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with
several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shabaa
farms in the Golan Heights; 2004 Agreement and pending demarcation
settles border dispute with Jordan; approximately two million Iraqis
have fled the conflict in Iraq with the majority taking refuge in
Syria and Jordan
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 1-1.4 million (Iraq); 522,100
(Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA))
IDPs: 305,000 (most displaced from Golan Heights during 1967
Arab-Israeli War) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Syria is a destination and transit country for
women and children trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and
forced labor; a significant number of women and children in the
large and expanding Iraqi refugee community in Syria are reportedly
forced into commercial sexual exploitation by Iraqi gangs or, in
some cases, their families; women from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the
Philippines, Ethiopia, and Sierra Leone are recruited for work in
Syria as domestic servants, but some face conditions of involuntary
servitude, including long hours, non-payment of wages, withholding
of passports, restrictions on movement, threats, and physical or
sexual abuse
tier rating: Tier 3 - Syria again failed to report any law
enforcement efforts to punish trafficking offenses in 2007; in
addition, the government did not offer protection services to
victims of trafficking and may have arrested, prosecuted, or
deported some victims for prostitution or immigration violations;
Syria has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
Illicit drugs:
a transit point for opiates, hashish, and cocaine bound for regional
and Western markets; weak anti-money-laundering controls and bank
privatization may leave it vulnerable to money laundering
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Taiwan (East & Southeast Asia)
Introduction ::Taiwan
Background:
In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan.
Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the
Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists
fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1946
constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades,
the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the
local population within the governing structure. In 2000, Taiwan
underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist
to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the
island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers."
The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship
between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of Taiwan's
eventual status - as well as domestic political and economic reform.
Geography ::Taiwan
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
country comparison to the world: 138
land: 32,260 sq km
water: 3,720 sq km
note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy islands
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
1,566.3 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 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 3,952 m
Natural resources:
small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 75% (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
67 cu km (2000)
Natural hazards:
earthquakes; 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 because of Taiwan's
international status
Geography - note:
strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon
Strait
People ::Taiwan
Population:
22,974,347 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.7% (male 1,996,905/female 1,844,611)
15-64 years: 72.6% (male 8,416,300/female 8,267,675)
65 years and over: 10.7% (male 1,183,382/female 1,265,474) (2009
est.)
Median age:
total: 36.5 years
male: 35.9 years
female: 37.1 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.227% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
Birth rate:
8.99 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210
Death rate:
6.76 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
Net migration rate:
0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.35 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 185
male: 5.64 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.96 years
country comparison to the world: 52
male: 75.12 years
female: 81.05 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.14 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 220
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Taiwan (singular and plural)
note: example - he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan
adjective: Taiwan
Ethnic groups:
Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, indigenous 2%
Religions:
mixture of Buddhist 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: 96.1%
male: NA
female: NA (2003)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Taiwan
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Taiwan
local long form: none
local short form: T'ai-wan
former: Formosa
Government type:
multiparty democracy
Capital:
name: Taipei
geographic coordinates: 25 03 N, 121 30 E
time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby and off
coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 18 counties
(hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities (shih, singular and
plural), and 2 special municipalities (chih-hsia-shih, singular and
plural)
note: Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems; while a
modified Wade-Giles system still dominates, the city of Taipei has
adopted a Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its
boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization
systems; names for administrative divisions that follow are taken
from the Taiwan Yearbook 2007 published by the Government
Information Office in Taipei.
counties: Changhua, Chiayi [county], Hsinchu [county], Hualien,
Kaohsiung [county], Kinmen, Lienchiang, Miaoli, Nantou, Penghu,
Pingtung, Taichung [county], Tainan [county], Taipei [county],
Taitung, Taoyuan, Yilan, and Yunlin
municipalities: Chiayi [city], Hsinchu [city], Keelung, Taichung
[city], Tainan [city]
special municipalities: Kaohsiung [city], Taipei [city]
National holiday:
Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October
(1911)
Constitution:
adopted on 25 December 1946; effective 25 December 1947; amended in
1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005
Legal system:
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President MA Ying-jeou (since 20 May 2008); Vice
President Vincent SIEW (since 20 May 2008)
head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) WU
Den-yih (since 10 September 2009); Vice Premier (Vice President of
Executive Yuan) Eric Liluan CHU (since 10 September 2009)
cabinet: Executive Yuan - (ministers appointed by president on
recommendation of premier)
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);
election last held 22 March 2008 (next to be held in March 2012);
premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the
president on the recommendation of the premier
election results: MA Ying-jeou elected president; percent of vote -
MA Ying-jeou 58.45%, Frank HSIEH 41.55%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Yuan (113 seats - 73 district members elected
by popular vote, 34 at-large members elected on basis of proportion
of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, 6
elected by popular vote among aboriginal populations; to serve
four-year terms); parties must receive 5% of vote to qualify for
at-large seats
elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 12 January 2008 (next to be
held in December 2011 or January 2012)