Overview:
Syria's state-dominated Ba'thist economy has benefited from the Gulf
war of early 1991, increased oil production, good weather, and
economic deregulation. Economic growth averaged roughly 10% in
1990-93. The Gulf war provided Syria an aid windfall of nearly $5
billion dollars from Arab, European, and Japanese donors. These
inflows more than offset Damascus's war-related costs and will help
Syria cover some of its debt arrears, restore suspended credit lines,
and initiate selected military and civilian purchases. In 1992 the
government spurred economic development by loosening controls on
domestic and foreign investment while maintaining strict political
controls. For the long run, Syria's economy is still saddled with a
large number of poorly performing public sector firms, and industrial
productivity remains to be improved. Another major long-term concern
is the additional drain of upstream Euphrates water by Turkey when its
vast dam and irrigation projects are completed by mid-decade.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $81.7 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
7.6% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
$5,700 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
16.3% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate:
7.5% (1993 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$7.13 billion
expenditures:
$9.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $4 billion (1993 est.)
Exports:
$3.4 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
petroleum 53%, textiles 22%, cotton, fruits and vegetables
partners:
EC 48%, former CEMA countries 24%, Arab countries 18% (1991)
Imports:
$4.1 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.)
commodities:
foodstuffs 21%, metal products 17%, machinery 15%
partners:
EC 37%, former CEMA countries 15%, US and Canada 10% (1991)
External debt:
$19.4 billion (1993 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 21% (1991); accounts for 19% of GDP, including petroleum
Electricity:
capacity:
3,205,000 kW
production:
11.9 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
830 kWh (1992)
Industries:
textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining,
petroleum
Agriculture:
accounts for 30% of GDP and one-third of labor force; all major crops
(wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas) grown mainly on
rain-watered land causing wide swings in production; animal products -
beef, lamb, eggs, poultry, milk; not self-sufficient in grain or
livestock products
Illicit drugs:
a transit country for Lebanese and Turkish refined cocaine going to
Europe and heroin and hashish bound for regional and Western markets
Economic aid:
recipient:
no US aid; aid from other countries (Western and Arab) totals $1.358
billion (1993 est.); no Ex-Im, OPEC programs in place; almost $5
billion in loans and grants from Arab and Western donors from 1990-92
as a result of Gulf war stance
Currency:
1 Syrian pound (#S) = 100 piastres
Exchange rates:
Syrian pounds (#S) per US$1 - 11.2 (official fixed rate), 26.6
(blended rate used by the UN and diplomatic missions), 42.0
(neighboring country rate - applies to most state enterprise imports),
46.0 - 53.0 (offshore rate) (yearend 1993)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
@Syria, Communications
Railroads:
1,998 km total; 1,766 km standard gauge, 232 km 1.050-meter (narrow)
gauge
Highways:
total:
29,000 km
paved:
22,680 km (including 670 km of expressways) (1988)
unpaved:
6,320 km
Inland waterways:
870 km; minimal economic importance
Pipelines:
crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km
Ports:
Tartus, Latakia, Baniyas, Jablah
Merchant marine:
57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 151,519 GRT/243,910 DWT, bulk 7,
cargo 48, vehicle carrier 2
Airports:
total:
104
usable:
100
with permanent-surface runways:
24
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
21
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
3
Telecommunications:
fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital
upgrades, including fiber optic technology; 512,600 telephones (37
telephones per 1,000 persons); broadcast stations - 9 AM, 1 FM, 17 TV;
satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Intersputnik;
1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq,
Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey
@Syria, Defense Forces
Branches:
Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force, Syrian Arab
Air Defense Forces
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 3,300,397; fit for military service 1,850,545; reach
military age (19) annually 155,569 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $2.2 billion, 6% of GDP (1992)
@Taiwan, Geography
Location:
Eastern Asia, off the southeastern coast of China, between Japan and
the Philippines
Map references:
Asia, Oceania, Southeast Asia
Area:
total area:
35,980 sq km
land area:
32,260 sq km
comparative area:
slightly larger than Maryland and Delaware combined
note:
includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
1,448 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China,
Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; Paracel Islands
occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan;
Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai)
claimed by China and Taiwan
Climate:
tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to
August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Terrain:
eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling
plains in west
Natural resources:
small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Land use:
arable land:
24%
permanent crops:
1%
meadows and pastures:
5%
forest and woodland:
55%
other:
15%
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
water pollution from industrial emissions, untreated sewage; air
pollution; contamination of drinking water supplies
natural hazards:
subject to earthquakes and typhoons
international agreements:
signed, but not ratified - Marine Life Conservation
@Taiwan, People
Population:
21,298,930 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.96% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
15.6 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
5.63 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
5.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
75.25 years
male:
72.01 years
female:
78.66 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.81 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Chinese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Chinese
Ethnic divisions:
Taiwanese 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%
Religions:
mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other
2.5%
Languages:
Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
86%
male:
93%
female:
79%
Labor force:
7.9 million
by occupation:
industry and commerce 53%, services 22%, agriculture 15.6%, civil
administration 7% (1989)
@Taiwan, Government