2005)

Imports:
$6.634 billion f.o.b. (2006 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 11.6%, China 6.1%, Egypt 5.9%, Italy 5.8%, UAE 5.7%,
Ukraine 4.6%, Germany 4.5%, Iran 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$5.5 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$8.355 billion; note - excludes military debt and debt to Russia
(2006 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$180 million (2002 est.)

Currency (code):
Syrian pound (SYP)

Currency code:
SYP

Exchange rates:
Syrian pounds per US dollar - (public sector rate): 50 (2006), 50
(2005), 48.5 (2004), (parallel market rate in 'Amman and Beirut): NA
(2005), NA (2004), 52.8 (2003), 52.4 (2002), 50.4 (2001), (official
rate for repaying loans): 11.25 (2004-06)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Syria

Telephones - main lines in use:
2.903 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
3,128,470 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant
improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 963; 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 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 hosts:
66 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
1.1 million (2005)

Transportation Syria

Airports:
92 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 26
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 66
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 54 (2006)

Heliports:
7 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 2,764 km; oil 2,000 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 2,711 km
standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2005)

Roadways: