| |
|
|
| |
Home
>
World
> Middle East
> Syrian Arab Republic
|
General Information
Area: 185,180 sq km (71,498 sq miles).
Population: 16,110,000 (1999).
Population Density: 87.0 per sq km (1999).
Capital: Damascus. Population: 1,431,821 (1998).
GEOGRAPHY: The country can be divided geographically into four main areas: the fertile plain in the northeast, the plateau, coastal and mountain areas in the west, the central plains, and the desert and steppe region in the central and southeastern areas. The Euphrates flows from Turkey in the north, through Syria, down to Iraq in the southeast. It is the longest river in Syria, the total length being 2330km (1450 miles), of which 600km (370 miles) pass through Syria. The Khabur River supports the al-Khabur Basin in the northeast.
Government: Republic since 1973. Gained independence in 1946. Head of State: President Bashar al-Assad since 2000. Head of Government: Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa Mero since 2000.
Language: Arabic, French and English. Kurdish is spoken by a small minority.
Religion: Over 80 per cent Muslim (mostly Sunni), with sizeable Christian (mostly Orthodox and Catholic) groups and Jewish minorities.
Time: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from 30 March to 30 September).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. European-style two-pin plugs.
Telephone
IDD is available. Country code: 963. Outgoing international code: 00.
Mobile telephone
GSM 900/1800 network. Network operators include Syrian Telecommunications Establishment and Mobile Syria (website: www.syriatel.com).
Fax
Available at post offices and major hotels.
Internet
Access to Internet services is available in universities and public offices. Syrian Telecommunication Establishments (website: www.ste.net.sy) is the main ISP.
Telegram
Service available from the main telegraph office in Damascus, most hotels and post offices.
Post
Airmail to Western Europe takes up to ten days. Parcels sent from Syria should be packed at the post office. There are post offices in virtually all towns. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1500; larger branches will be open all day.
Press
The Syria Times is published daily in English. All other newspapers are in Arabic (the most important ones being Al-Baath, Tishrin and Ath-Thawra). International papers are also widely available.
BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change.
BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice):
Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov):
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
Terms and Conditions apply.
|
|
|
|
|
