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August 22nd, 2010 / May 27th, 2019

Facts & Figures of Syria

Syria

Political leadership

Syria Bashar al-Assad

President Bashar al-Assad (Since 17 July 2000)

Prime Minister Imad Khamis (since 3 July 2016)

Land

Total 185,180 sq km (note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory); Land 183,630 sq km; Water 1,550 sq Km; (country comparison to the world: 90)

Boundaries

total: 2,363 km

Border countries

Iraq599 kmIsrael83 kmJordan379 km
Lebanon403 kmTurkey899 km

Coastline

193 km

Population

17,064,854 (2014 est.) (country comparison to the world: 65)

Age structure

0-14 years: 32.5% 15-64 years: 63.5% 65+ 4% (2015 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.16% (2015 est.)

Urbanisation

Urban population: 57.7% of total population (2015) rate of urbanisation: 1.37% annual rate of change (2010-2015 est.)

Major cities

Aleppo 3.56 million, Damascus (capital) 2.6 million, Homs 1.6 million, Hamah 1.2 million, Latakia 781,000 (2015 est.)

Ethnic groups

Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians and other 9.7%

Religions

Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Ismaili and Shia 13%, Christian (various denominations) 10%, Druze 3%

Languages

Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian (widely understood), French, English (somewhat understood)

Literacy

(Age 15+ Can Read and Write) total population: 86.4% male: 91.7% female: 81% (2015 est.)

GDP

$50.28 billion (2015 est.); $55.80 billion (2014 est.)

GDP growth

-9.9% (2015); -9.9 (2014)

GDP per capita (PPP)

$2,900 (2015 est.); $3,300 (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

50% (2017 est.); 50% (2016 est.)

Population below poverty line

82.5% (2014 est.)

Public debt

94.8% of GDP (2017 est.); 91.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Inflation rate

28.1% (2017 est.)

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