Infant mortality rate: 40 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.13 years male: 65.94 years female: 68.38 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.91 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality: noun: Syrian(s) adjective: Syrian
Ethnic divisions: Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Languages: Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic,
Circassian, French widely understood
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 70.8%
male: 85.7%
female: 55.8%
Government —————
Name of country:
conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic
conventional short form: Syria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah
local short form: Suriyah
former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)