(16,000 Druze and 1,600
Alawites) and 15,000 Israeli settlers (August 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years : 46% (male 3,839,369; female 3,654,350)
15-64 years: 51% (male 4,174,734; female 3,997,666)
65 years and over : 3% (male 234,127; female 237,653) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.3% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 38.7 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 5.7 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years : 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 38.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.44 years
male: 66.21 years
female : 68.74 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.73 children born/woman (1997 est.)

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,
French widely understood

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.8%
male : 85.7%
female: 55.8% (1995 est.)

@Syria:Government

Country name:
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