(1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
43.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
66.12 years
male:
65.07 years
female:
67.22 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.75 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Syrian(s)
adjective:
Syrian
Ethnic divisions:
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:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
64%
male:
78%
female:
51%
Labor force:
2.951 million (1989)
by occupation:
miscellaneous and government services 36%, agriculture 32%, industry and
construction 32%; note - shortage of skilled labor (1984)

*Syria, Government

Names:
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)
Digraph:
SY
Type:
republic under leftwing 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)
Constitution: 13 March 1973
Legal system:
based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
National Day, 17 April (1946)
Political parties and leaders:
ruling party is the Arab Socialist Resurrectionist (Ba'th) Party; the
Progressive National is dominated by Ba'thists but includes independents and
members of the Syrian Arab Socialist Party (ASP); Arab Socialist Union
(ASU); Syrian Communist Party (SCP); Arab Socialist Unionist Movement; and
Democratic Socialist Union Party
Other political or pressure groups:
non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence; Communist party
ineffective; conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Elections:
President: