SYRIA
LOCATION
SYRIA Capital : Damascus Population : 22,457,336 Area : 185,180 sq km (71,498 sq miles) Official Language : Arabic Major Religions : Islam, Christianity Currency : Syrian pound (SYP) Home to: Arabs, Greeks, Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds,Circas sians Turks.
Administrative Divisions 1 Latakia 2 IdlibI 3 Aleppo 4 Al-Raqqah 5 Al-Hasakah 6 Tartus 7 Hama 8 Deir ez-zor 9 Homs 10 Damascus 11 Rif Dimashq 12 Quneitra 13 Daraa 14 Al-Suwayda They are dsubdivided into 61 districts
Economy : Before Syrian War Contribution to GDP sector wise 60.2% 17.6% 22.2% Agriculture Industry Services Agricultural Products wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk Industries petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, ph osphate rock mining, cement, oil seeds crushing, automobile assembly Oil sector provided 40% of import earnings!
Started in March 2011 Exteneded till three years. The Syrian War By August 2014, almost half of the Syrian population was forced to leave their homes and 3 million Syrian refugees were registered
Economy : Effects of Syrian War "lower middle income country classified by the World Bank the economy shrank by 35% Syrian pound fallen to one-sixth of its prewar value. Governemnt relies on credit from Iran, Russia and China.
Effect on GDP of the country
Syrian Agriculture: Post War Displaced farming populations, disru pted trade, and caused untold damage to the ecology. Syria suffers a drought.(cumulat ive rainfall from September 2013 to mid-february 2014 was recorded at less than half of the long-term average.) NASA s image of droght affected area
However, agriculture still remains a source of livelihood in Syria. Marine line to export Syrian agricultural products to Russia will be operative in 2015. Two dams will be constructed in Tartous province starting from 2015.
Syrian Oil Industry : Post War Syria's oil sector has been in a state of disarray since 2011.
Exploration and Production : Post War Syria's oil production, which averaged over 400,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) between 2008 and 2010, was less than 25,000 bbl/d in January 2014.
Imports and Exports : Post War Syria's crude oil exports have declined significantly since 2011, and the country is having difficulties importing refined petroleum products
Education Literacy Rate: 90.7% for males 82.2% for females Important for University Admission Schooling 6 yrs primary education (free + compulsary) 3-year general or vocational t raining period 3-year academic or vocational program
DAMASCUS UNIVERSITY 6 state universities in Syria 15 private universities The top two state universities are University of Damascus and University of Aleppo.
Education : Post War School dropout rates have reached an estimate 52 percent at the end of 2013
Employement & Poverty : Post War Unemployment is estimated to have reached almost 54 percent of the labour force by the end of 2013. number of employed people declined by 55 percent between 2011 and the end of 2013. unemployment rate is increased from 10 to 54 percent during the same period. Poverty Not under poverty 25% Under poverty 75% 13.6 million people living in extreme poverty
Tourist Attractions in Syria Foreign tourism made up 14 percent of Syria s gross domestic product in 2010 and was bringing in about $8 billion a year! The National Museum of Damascus The museum was founded in 1919 at Madrasseh al Adiliyeh. [ The current building was constructed in 1936, with wings being added in 1956 and 1975.
Azm Palace is a palace in Damascus, Syria wh ich was originally built in 1750 as a residence for the governor of DamascusAs'ad Pasha al-azm.
Temple of Bel is an ancient stone ruin located inpalmyra, Syria. The temple, consecrated to the Semitic god Bel, worshipped at Palmyra in triad with the lunar god Aglibol and the sun godyarhibol, formed the center of religious life in Palmyra.
Norias of Hama or wheels of pots It is along the Orontes River in the city of Hama, Syria. They are mostly unused now and serve an aesthetic purpose. They were called "the most splendid norias ever constructed.
The SHERATON HOTEL in Damascus
Tourism : Post War The Syrian war has rendered almost all of the country highly dangerous and hazardous to all international visitors. Year 2013-14, some 465,000 tourists visited the country down from the 8 million before fighting started in 2011. All major international airlines have naturally suspended flights into and out of Syria.
The Umayyad Mosque in Damascus is the only one of six UNESCO sites that has not been damaged in the civil war.