Middle East- Syria

Geography, Culture and Social Situations Syria is located in the Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea. It is situated between Lebanon and Turkey.

Syria mostly has dessert plateaus and a narrow coastal plain, since it is bordering the sea. There are also mountains situated at the west. Capital of Syria: Damascus. The demonym for Syria: Syrian(s). Syria’s President: Bashar Al-Assad

The approximate population of Syria is 22,530,746 Official languages: Arabic, Kurdish and Armenian. Major Ethnic Groups: Arab – 90.3% Kurds+Armenians+others – 9.7% Sunni Muslim=74% Christian=10% Other Muslim=16%

Sometimes there tends to be segregation between landlords and tenants, urban dwellers and rural peasants and also between the Sunni and minority groups. Literacy rate of total population: 79.6% Climate: Mostly dessert; hot, dry and very sunny summers (June to August), Mild, rainy winters (December to February) Average life span: Male years, Female – years, Total – years Syrian Flag 

Politics and Government Form of government: Republic under an authoritarian regime Prime Minister Wael al-HALQUI is the current head of state in Syria. Assad is currently ruling the government, but the country doesn’t want him to. They want to overthrow him, so they are basically going through a revolution. National Symbol: Hawk

Current ruling parties: Syrian-Social Nationalist Party (SSNP), Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party,, Socialist Unionist Democratic Party; Syrian Arab Socialist Union or ASU, Syrian Communist Party (two branches); Syrian Social Nationalist Party; Unionist Socialist Party etc. There is no monarchy in Syria; the Arab Socialist Ba’ath party is currently the ruling party.

Economy Unemployment rate: 13.1% = male, 49.1% = female, Total = 12.3% Natural Resources: Petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron, ore, rock, salt, marble, gypsum and hydropower. Main exports: Crude oil, minerals, petroleum products, textiles and clothing. Main imports: Machinery and transport equipment, food and livestock.

GNP per capita: 2,750$ Agricultural products :

Environment Energy consumption: 1.Electricity -> billion kWh 2.Oil ->292,000 bbl/day 3.Natural gas -> 7.1 billion cu m

Defense The Army, Navy and Air force are the members of the defense in Syria. Foreign suppliers: Russia, Belarus, Iran, China and North Korea. Iran, Persia, Russia, China = Syria’s Allies Israel, Lebanon= Syria’s enemy

Contains 400,000 troops. Syria is currently in a civil war against Turkey, who was once an alley for Syria. Has a large arsenal of surface to surface missiles

Influences Syria joined the UN on the 24 th October, Main opposition states of Syria: Turkey, Lebanon, Israel Main Allies of Syria: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar

Syria is a member of many international organizations, such as, Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, Arab Common Market, Arab League etc.”

Problems and Challenges of Syria Like every other country, Syria also faces many problems and Challenges. These problems and Challenges are divided in to 4 categories. They are: 1. Environmental problems 2. Political problems 3. Social problems 4. Economic problems

Environmental problems Major environmental issues in Syria include deforestation, overgrazing, soil erosion, desertification, water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage and wastes from petroleum refining and inadequate supplies of portable water.

Social problems Syrian society is also stratified along tense social and economic class divisions. The class structure is characterized by a high degree of misdistribution of wealth, meaning that much of the wealth is concentrated in the hands of the few, while large numbers of people live in poverty.

Economic problems Firstly, successive seasons of drought have led to a 25% decline in the agricultural sector's output. Secondly, the importance of oil revenues as a share of GDP is declining, as are the rents redistributed by the state.

Political problems Not every person in Syria wants President Assad to be ruling their country. There have been protesters and rebels against this issue. And many violence's have happened. Protesters 

By: Anagha Suresh