ugust 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 MASHARIQ