+1hr, begins 1 April; ends 30 September

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 a combination of French and Ottoman civil law; religious
law is used in the family court system; 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
President Farouk al-SHARA (since 11 February 2006) oversees foreign
policy; Vice President Najah al-ATTAR (since 23 March 2006) oversees
cultural policy
head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10
September 2003); Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdallah
al-DARDARI (since 14 June 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president approved by popular referendum for a seven-year
term (no term limits); referendum last held 10 July 2000 after the
death of President Hafiz al-ASAD (next to be held July 2007); the
president appoints the vice presidents, prime minister and deputy
prime ministers
election results: Bashar al-ASAD approved as president; percent of
vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%
note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June, the Ba'th
Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name
to the People's Council on 25 June; he was approved by a popular
referendum on 10 July

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 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents
33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the
constitution reserves half the seats for workers and peasants and
declares the Ba'th Party the leading party of the state and it holds
135 seats

Judicial branch:
Supreme Judicial Council (appoints and dismisses judges; headed by
the President); national level - Supreme Constitutional Court
(adjudicates electoral disputes and rule