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PEOPLE

Language
Arabic is the official language. Minority groups speak their own languages.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population

2009	21.9 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009)
2007	19.7 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006	19.3 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2005	18.9 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2004	18.4 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2003	17.9 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2002	17.4 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2001	16.9 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2000	16.5 million	U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
36.9 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)

Ethnic groups
Mostly Arabs, with minorities of Kurds, Turks and Armenians as well as a large Palestinian refugees population.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Mainly Sunni Muslim, but also Alamites, Shia and Ismailites. Minority Christian denominations.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population

2007	51.0 percent	U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006	50.8 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2005	50.6 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2004	50.5 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2003	50.3 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2002	50.2 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2001	50.1 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2000	50.1 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1949 1953
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
No data available (2005)

Percentage of population under 15

2005	36.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	37.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	38 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	38.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	39.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	40.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

USEFUL INFORMATION

Time zone
GMT +2

Climate description
To the south there are semi-desert plateaus and to the north low plateaus along the basin of the Euphrates River. Western lowlands receive adequate rainfall for farming. Volcanic plateaus in the south are extremely fertile, as are the oases surrounding the desert, such as that of Damascus.

Currency
Syrian pound

Telephone dialling code
(+) 963

Driving (left/right)
Right

STANDARD OF LIVING

Average life expectancy

2005	73.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	73.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	73.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	71.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	71.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	71.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male

2005	71.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	71.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	71.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	70.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	70.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	70.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female

2005	75.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	75.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	75.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	73.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	72.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	72.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality

2007	15 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	12 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	14 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	15 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	16 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	23 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	23 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	24 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five

2007	17 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	14 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	15 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	16 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	18 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	28 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Births attended by skilled personnel

1997-2005	No data available percent
1996-2004	No data available percent
1995-2003	76 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	No data available percent
1995-2001	No data available percent
1995-2000	No data available percent

Maternal mortality

2005	130 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000	160 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)

2005	108	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	107	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	106	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	106	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	110	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	108	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)

2000-2007	10 percent	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2000-2006	10 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
1996-2005	7 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
1996-2004	7 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
1995-2003	7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2000	13 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of undernourished population

2003-2005	<5 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2008
2002-2004average	4 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average	4 percent	FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water

2006	89 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	93 percent	UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002	79 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	80 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Population with access to improved sanitation

2006	92 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	90 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002	77 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	90 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Literacy - average

2004	79.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	82.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	82.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	75.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	74.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male

2004	86.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	91.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	91.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	88.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	88.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female

2004	73.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	74.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	74.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	61.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	60.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones

2008	171 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	168 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	164 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	152 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	144 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	134 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	120 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	107 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	102 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Cellular telephone subscribers

2008	332 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	304 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	236 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	154 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	127 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	66 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	23 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	12 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	2 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Internet users

2008	174 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	174 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	79 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	57 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	43 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	34 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	21 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	4 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	2 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)

2008	147 (joint)	Transparency International 2008
2007	138 (joint)	Transparency International 2007
2006	93 (joint)	Transparency International
2005	70 (joint)	Transparency International
2004	71 (joint)	Transparency International
2003	66 (joint)	Transparency International
2002	Not ranked
2001	Not ranked
2000	Not ranked

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

ECONOMY & AID

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
No data available percent

GNI per capita, Atlas method

2007	1780 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	1560 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	1430 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	1330 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	1220 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	1170 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	1100 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	960 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP

2007	37.7 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	33.4 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	28.2 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	24.5 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	22.4 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	21.6 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	21.1 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	19.3 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Annual GDP growth

2006	5.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	4.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	5.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	1.6 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	4.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	5.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	2.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation

2007	3.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	9.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	12.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	8.3 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	2.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	0.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	4.6 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	9.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
No data available

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
No data available

HEALTH

Physicians

2000-2004	140 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004	140 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	142 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002	142 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
No data available percent

Malaria
Limited risk from P.vivax from May through October along the northern border especailly in the rural areas of El Hasaka Governorate.
Source: WHO

TB cases

2007	24 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2006	25 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2005	26 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2004	28 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2003	29 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2002	31 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2001	33 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2000	35 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009

CONFLICT & MIGRATION

Number of refugees originating here

2008	15186	UNHCR
2007	13668	UNHCR
2006	12337	Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005	16281	UNHCR
2004	21436	UNHCR
2003	20276	UNHCR
2002	18913	UNHCR
2001	4869	UNHCR
2000	5871	UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here

2008	1105698	UNHCR
2007	1503769	UNHCR
2006	702209	UNHCR
2005	26089	UNHCR
2004	15604	UNHCR
2003	3681	UNHCR
2002	2918	UNHCR
2001	3351	UNHCR
2000	3463	UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate

2007	433000	Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) 2008
2005	305000	Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) 2006

Landmine casualties per year

2007	2	Landmine Monitor Report 2008
2006	1	Landmine Monitor Report 2008
2004	3	Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003	1	Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
No
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military

2005	5.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	6.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	7.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005

Percentage of GDP spent on education

2002-2005	No data available percent
2002-2004	No data available percent
1999-2001	4.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000	4.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health

2004	2.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004	2.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002	2.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001	2.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000	1.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

PEOPLE

USEFUL INFORMATION

STANDARD OF LIVING

ECONOMY & AID

HEALTH

CONFLICT & MIGRATION

Countries

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