CWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO,
ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 232-6313
FAX: (202) 234-9548

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan C. CROCKER
embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus
mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus
telephone: (11) 333-2814, 333-0788, 332-0783
FAX: (11) 224-7938

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white,
and black, with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal
line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which
has a plain white band, and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus
an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white
band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle
centered in the white band

@Syria:Economy

Economy - overview: Syria's predominantly statist economy is on a
shaky footing because of Damascus's failure to implement extensive
economic reform. The dominant agricultural sector remains
underdeveloped, with roughly 80% of agricultural land still dependent
on rain-fed sources. Although Syria has sufficient water supplies in
the aggregate at normal levels of precipitation, the great distance
between major water supplies and population centers poses serious
distribution problems. The water problem is exacerbated by rapid
population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water
pollution. Private investment is critical to the modernization of the
agricultural, energy, and export sectors. Oil production is leveling
off, and the efforts of the nonoil sector to penetrate international
markets have fallen short. Syria's inadequate infrastructure, outmoded
technological base, and weak educational system make it vulnerable to
future shocks and hamper competition with neighbors such as Jordan and
Israel.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $42.2 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 0% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 29%
industry: 22%
services: 49% (1997)

Population below poverty line: 15%-25%

Household income or consumption by percentage