replaced in 2000 (2001) narrow gauge:
327 km 1.050-m gauge

Highways: total: 41,451 km paved: 9,575 km (including 877 km of
expressways) unpaved: 31,876 km (1997)

Waterways: 870 km (minimal economic importance)

Pipelines: crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km

Ports and harbors: Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus

Merchant marine: total: 143 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 482,985
GRT/702,590 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as
a flag of convenience: Egypt 1, Greece 2, Italy 1, Lebanon 10 (2002 est.)
ships by type: bulk 12, cargo 126, livestock carrier 4, roll on/roll off 1

Airports: 99 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047
m: 16 under 914 m: 1 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 2

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 75 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to
1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 62 (2001)

Heliports: 2 (2001)

Military Syria

Military branches: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air
Force (includes Air Defense Forces), Police and Security Force

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 4,550,496 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,539,342
(2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 200,859
(2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $921 million (FY00 est.); note -
based on official budget data that may understate actual spending

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.9% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Syria

Disputes - international: Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied; dispute
with upstream riparian Turkey over Turkish water development plans for
the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; Syrian troops in northern, central,
and eastern Lebanon since October 1976; Turkey is quick to rebuff any
perceived Syrian claim to Hatay province

Illicit drugs: a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional
and Western markets

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Switzerland

Introduction

Switzerland

Background: Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been
honored by the major European powers and Switzerland was not involved in
either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of
Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzer