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Full
country name: Syrian Arab Republic |
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Borders:
Turkey (N), Lebanon and the Mediterranean (W), Iraq (E), Jordan (S) and
Palestine (SW) |
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Area: 185,000 sq km (72,150 sq mi)
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Population: 17 million
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Capital city: Damascus (pop 6 million)
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Main
cities: Damascus, Aleppo, Latakia,
Homs and Hama |
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Climate:
Syria’s climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and fairly cold winters.
Nights are often cool. |
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Language:
Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, English widely understood.
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Religion:
Islam (85%) and Christianity (15%) |
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Government:
Republic. |
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President:
Bashar al-Assad. |
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National
Day: 17 April |
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Currency
Unit: Syrian Pound (Lira)= 100 Piasters
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GDP:
US$17 billion |
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GDP per head: US$1000 |
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Annual growth: 6% |
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Inflation: 22%
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Education
and Literacy: Education is compulsory for six years. The adult literacy rate
is 75 percent. |
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Major industries: Oil, agriculture, textiles |
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Major trading partners: Germany, Italy, France
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Time:
GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from April 1 to September 30). |
