occupied briefly by Argentina in 1982; islands continue to be claimed
by Argentina
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Syria
Introduction
Syria
Background: Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War
I, Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946. In the
1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. Since 1976,
Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon, ostensibly in a peacekeeping
capacity. In recent years, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace
talks over the return of the Golan Heights.
Geography Syria
Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon
and Turkey
Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 38 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 185,180 sq km note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied
territory water: 1,130 sq km land: 184,050 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than North Dakota
Land boundaries: total: 2,253 km border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel
76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km
Coastline: 193 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 41 NM territorial sea: 35 NM
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
Terrain: primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain;
mountains in west
Elevation extremes: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m highest
point: Natural resources: petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese
ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 26% permanent crops: 4% other: 70% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 12,130 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms
Environment - current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion;
desertification; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining
wastes; inadequate potable water
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification
Geography - note: there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land
use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 2001 est.)
People Syria
Population: 17,155,814 (July 2002 est.) note: in addition, about
40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs
(18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli settlers
(August 2001 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 39.3% (male 3,467,267; female 3,264,639)
15-64 years: 57.5% (male 5,052,841; female 4,817,662) 65 years and over:
3.2% (male 267,803; female 285,602) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.5% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 30.11 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 32.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 70.32 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 3.84 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Syrian(s) adjective: Syrian
Ethnic groups: Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%,
Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus,
Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Languages: Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian
widely understood; French, English somewhat understood
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 70.8% male: 85.7% female: 55.8% (1997 est.)
Government Syria
Country name: Syrian Arab Republic conventional short form: local
long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah
Government type: republic under military regime since March 1963
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: Independence 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 Bashar al-ASAD (since 17
July 2000); Vice Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11
March 1984) and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984) head
of government: Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March
1984), Farouk al-SHARA (since 13 December 2001), Dr. Muhammad al-HUSAYN
(since 13 December 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year
term; referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of
President Hafez al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held NA
2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister and
deputy prime ministers appointed by the president note: Hafiz al-ASAD
died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June 2000, the Ba'th Party nominated Bashar
al-ASAD for president and presented his name to the People's Council
on 25 June 2000 election results: Bashar al-ASAD elected president;
percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-shaab
(250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: NPF 167, independents 83; note - the constitution
guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receives
one-half of the seats elections: last held 30 November-1 December 1998
(next to be held NA 2002)
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 or NPF
(includes the Ba'th Party, ASU, Arab Socialist Party, Socialist Unionist
Democratic Party, ASP, SCP) [President Bashar al-ASAD, chairman];
Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party (governing party) [President
Bashar al-ASAD, secretary general]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP
[Safwan KOUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party or SCP [Yusuf FAYSAL]; Syrian
Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI]
Political pressure groups and leaders: conservative religious leaders;
Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile in Jordan and Yemen); non-Ba'th
parties have little effective political influence
International organization participation: 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, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC,
OIC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rustum
al-ZU'BI chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX:
[1] (202) 234-9548 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Theodore H. KATTOUF embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2,
Damascus mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus telephone: [963] (11)
333-1342 FAX: [963] (11) 331-9678
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 heraldic eagle centered
in the white band
Economy Syria
Economy - overview: Syria's predominantly statist economy has been
growing slower than its 2.5% annual population growth rate, causing a
persistent decline in per capita GDP. President Bashar AL-ASAD has made
little progress on the economic front after one year in office, but does
appear willing to permit a gradual strengthening of the private sector.
His most obvious accomplishment to this end was the recent passage
of legislation allowing private banks to operate in Syria, although a
private banking sector will take years and further government cooperation
to develop. ASAD's recent cabinet reshuffle may improve his chances of
implementing further growth-oriented policies, although external factors
such as the international war on terrorism, the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, and downturn in oil prices could weaken the foreign investment
and government revenues Syria needs to flourish. A long-run economic
constraint is the pressure on water supplies caused by rapid population
growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $54.2 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 27% industry: 23% services:
50% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 15%-25%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.3% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 4.7 million (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40%
(1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 20% (2000 est.)
Budget: revenues: $5 billion expenditures: $7 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Industries: petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco,
phosphate rock mining
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 19.7 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 64.47% hydro: 35.53%
other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 17.671 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 650 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas,
olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk
Exports: $5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: crude oil 68%, textiles 7%, fruits and vegetables
6%, raw cotton 4% (1998 est.)
Exports - partners: Germany 27%, Italy 12%, France 10%, Turkey 10%,
Saudi Arabia 7% (2000 est.)
Imports: $4 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 21%, food
and livestock 18%, metal and metal products 15%, chemicals and chemical
products 10% (2000 est.)
Imports - partners: Italy 9%, Germany 7%, France 5%, Lebanon 5%, China
4%, South Korea 4%, Turkey 4%, US 4% (2000 est.)
Debt - external: $22 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $199 million (1997 est.)
Currency: Syrian pound (SYP)
Currency code: SYP
Exchange rates: Syrian pounds per US dollar - 51 (December 2001), 46
(2000), 46 (1998), 41.9 (January 1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Syria
Telephones - main lines in use: 1.313 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: general assessment: fair system currently undergoing
significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic
technology
coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network international: (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 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 4.15 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions: 1.05 million (1997)
Internet country code: .sy
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 32,000 (2001)
Transportation Syria
Railways: total: 2,750 km standard gauge: 2,423 km 1.435-m gauge note:
rail link between Syria and Iraq replaced in 2000 (2001) narrow gauge:
327 km 1.050-m gauge
Highways: total: 41,451 km paved: 9,575 km (including 877 km of
expressways) unpaved: 31,876 km (1997)
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: 143 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 482,985
GRT/702,590 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as
a flag of convenience: Egypt 1, Greece 2, Italy 1, Lebanon 10 (2002 est.)
ships by type: bulk 12, cargo 126, livestock carrier 4, roll on/roll off 1
Airports: 99 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047
m: 16 under 914 m: 1 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 2
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 75 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to
1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 62 (2001)
Heliports: 2 (2001)
Military Syria
Military branches: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air
Force (includes Air Defense Forces), Police and Security Force
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 4,550,496 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,539,342
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 200,859
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $921 million (FY00 est.); note -
based on official budget data that may understate actual spending
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.9% (FY98)
Transnational Issues Syria
Disputes - international: Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied; 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; Turkey is quick to rebuff any
perceived Syrian claim to Hatay province
Illicit drugs: a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional
and Western markets
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Switzerland
Introduction
Switzerland
Background: Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been
honored by the major European powers and Switzerland was not involved in
either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of
Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many
UN and international organizations has strengthened Switzerland's ties
with its neighbors. Switzerland is active in many UN and international
organizations, but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
Geography Switzerland
Location: Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy
Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 41,290 sq km water: 1,520 sq km land: 39,770 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Land boundaries: total: 1,852 km border countries: Austria 164 km,
France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy
winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers
Terrain: mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a
central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m highest point:
Dufourspitze 4,634 m
Natural resources: hydropower potential, timber, salt
Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% other: 89% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 250 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: avalanches, landslides, flash floods
Environment - current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions
and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of
agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber
94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Geography - note: landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern
Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, has the
highest elevations in Europe
People Switzerland
Population: 7,301,994 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.8% (male 629,513; female 597,472) 15-64
years: 67.7% (male 2,512,273; female 2,433,396) 65 years and over: 15.5%
(male 461,722; female 667,618) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.24% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 9.84 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 8.79 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 82.89 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.47 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.46% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 17,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 150 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Swiss (singular and plural) adjective: Swiss
Ethnic groups: German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%
Religions: Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9%
(1990)
Languages: German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian
(official) 7.6%, Romansch 0.6%, other 8.9%
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 99% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Government Switzerland
Country name: Swiss Confederation conventional short form: (Italian)
local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German), Confederation
Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)
Government type: federal republic
Capital: Bern
Administrative divisions: 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in
French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton
in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden,
Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden,
Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen,
Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich
Independence: 1 August 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation)
National holiday: Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)
Constitution: 29 May 1874
Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial
review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees
of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Kasper VILLIGER (since 1
January 2002); Vice President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2002);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2002); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet:
Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French),
Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly from
among its own members for a four-year term elections: president and vice
president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the
Federal Council for one-year terms that run concurrently; election last
held 5 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2002) election results:
Kasper VILLIGER elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote -
74.4%; Pascal COUCHEPIN elected vice president; percent of legislative
vote - 58.5%
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in
German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian)
consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil
des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats -
members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat
(in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in
Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular vote on the basis
of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections:
Council of States - last held NA 1999 (each canton determines when the
next election will be held); National Council - last held 24 October 1999
(next to be held NA October 2003) election results: Council of States -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 18, CVP 15, SVP 7,
SPS 6; National Council - percent of vote by party - SPS 22.5%, SVP 22.6%,
FDP 19.9%, CVP 15.8%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party -
SPS 51, SVP 44, FDP 43, CVP 35, Green Party 9, other small parties 18
Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year
terms by the Federal Assembly)
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic People's Party
(Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti
Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano
Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra
or PCD) [Philipp STAEHELIN, president]; Green Party (Grune Partei
der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito
Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La
Verda) [Ruth GENNER and Patrice MUGNY, co-presidents]; Radical Free
Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP,
Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale
Svizzero or PLR) [Gerold BUEHRER, president]; Social Democratic Party
(Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse
or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de
la Svizra or PSS) [Christiane BRUNNER, president]; Swiss People's Party
(Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC,
Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC)
[Ueli MAURER, president]; and other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest),
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN (observer),
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP,
UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Christian BLICKENSTORFER
consulate(s): New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564
telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900 chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008