Political leadership
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
| Iraq |
599 km |
Israel |
83 km |
Jordan |
379 km |
| Lebanon |
403 km |
Turkey |
899 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.)
