Geography:

Location: Middle East, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, Lebanon and Turkey.

Area: total: 185,180 sq km.

Climate: mostly desert
- Along the coast: hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February).
- In Damascus, the winters may be cold, with periodic snow or sleet.

Government:

Government type: Presidential Republic.

Capital: Damascus.

Administrative Divisions:
14 provinces (singular - muhafazah): Damascus , Aleppo , Al Ladhiqiyah , Hims , Hamah , Tartus , Dayr az Zawr , Al Haksa , Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda' , Al Qunaytirah , Dar'a, Idlib , Rif Dimashq.

Independence from France: 17 April, 1946 (by a League of Nations mandate).

Constitution: Based on a combination of French and Ottoman civil law.

People:

Population: 19,314,747.

Population by Age (2007 estimate):
- 0-14 years: 36.5% (male 3,633,562/female 3,423,435).
- 15-64 years: 60.1% (male 5,952,275/female 5,664,236).
- 65 years and older: 3.3% (male 303,346/female 337,893).

Median Age (2007 estimate):
- total: 21.1 years.
- male: 20.9 years.
- female: 21.2 years.

Population Growth Rate: 2.244% (2007 est.).

Birth Rate: 27.19 births/1,000 population (2007 est.).

Death rate: 4.74 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.).

Population by Gender (2007 estimate):
- at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female.
- under 15 years: 1.061 male(s)/female.
- 15-64 years: 1.051 male(s)/female.
- 65 years and older: 0.898 male(s)/female.
- total population: 1.049 male(s)/female.

Infant mortality rate(2007 estimate):
- total: 27.7 deaths/1,000 live births.
- male: 27.94 deaths/1,000 live births.
- female: 27.44 deaths/1,000 live births.

Life expectancy at birth(2007 estimate):
- total population: 70.61 years.
- male: 69.27 years.
- female: 72.02 years.

Economy:

Overview:
- The Syrian economy grew by an estimated 2.9% (absolute) in 2006.
- Total foreign assets of the Central Bank and domestic banking system rose to about $20 billion in 2006.
- The government strengthened the private sector foreign exchange rate by about 7% from the start of the year.
- The government of Syria has implemented modest economic reforms in the past few years, including cutting lending interest rates, opening private banks, and consolidating some of the multiple exchange rates.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $77.66 billion (2006 est.).

GDP (official exchange rate): $24.26 billion (2006 est.).

GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (2006 est.).

GDP - per capita (PPP): $4,100 (2006 est.).

Population below poverty line: 11.9% (2006 est.).

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (2006 est.).

Oil - production: 405,000 bbl/day (2006 est.).

Oil - proved reserves: 2.4 billion bbl (2006 est.).

Currency (code): Syrian pound (SYP).

Exchange rate: Syrian pounds per US dollar - 45 (2008).

Fiscal year: Calendar year.

Transportation:

Airports - with paved runways: 26.

Ports and terminals: Baniyas, Latakia.

Syria’s Health System Statistics:

Total Number of Pharmacies in Syria: approx. 12,000.

Total Number of Medical Doctors in Syria: approx. 20,000.

Number of Private Hospitals in Syria: approx. 700.

Number of Public Hospitals in Syria: approx. 45.