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World Gazetteer Results for Irbīn:
NameIrbīn
Alternate NamesIrbin
Original Namesعربين
Geographical TypeLocality
Population42474
Latitude
Longitude
CountrySyria
Administrative DivisionDamaskus
Dictionary Results for Syria:
1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)
Syria
    n 1: an Asian republic in the Middle East at the east end of the
         Mediterranean; site of some of the world's most ancient
         centers of civilization [syn: Syria, Syrian Arab
         Republic]

2. Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
Syria
   (Heb. Aram), the name in the Old Testament given to the whole
   country which lay to the north-east of Phoenicia, extending to
   beyond the Euphrates and the Tigris. Mesopotamia is called (Gen.
   24:10; Deut. 23:4) Aram-naharain (=Syria of the two rivers),
   also Padan-aram (Gen. 25:20). Other portions of Syria were also
   known by separate names, as Aram-maahah (1 Chr. 19:6),
   Aram-beth-rehob (2 Sam. 10:6), Aram-zobah (2 Sam. 10:6, 8). All
   these separate little kingdoms afterwards became subject to
   Damascus. In the time of the Romans, Syria included also a part
   of Palestine and Asia Minor.
   
     "From the historic annals now accessible to us, the history of
   Syria may be divided into three periods: The first, the period
   when the power of the Pharaohs was dominant over the fertile
   fields or plains of Syria and the merchant cities of Tyre and
   Sidon, and when such mighty conquerors as Thothmes III. and
   Rameses II. could claim dominion and levy tribute from the
   nations from the banks of the Euphrates to the borders of the
   Libyan desert. Second, this was followed by a short period of
   independence, when the Jewish nation in the south was growing in
   power, until it reached its early zenith in the golden days of
   Solomon; and when Tyre and Sidon were rich cities, sending their
   traders far and wide, over land and sea, as missionaries of
   civilization, while in the north the confederate tribes of the
   Hittites held back the armies of the kings of Assyria. The
   third, and to us most interesting, period is that during which
   the kings of Assyria were dominant over the plains of Syria;
   when Tyre, Sidon, Ashdod, and Jerusalem bowed beneath the
   conquering armies of Shalmaneser, Sargon, and Sennacherib; and
   when at last Memphis and Thebes yielded to the power of the
   rulers of Nineveh and Babylon, and the kings of Assyria
   completed with terrible fulness the bruising of the reed of
   Egypt so clearly foretold by the Hebrew prophets.", Boscawen.
   

3. CIA World Factbook 2002
Syria

   Introduction Syria
   ------------------
                            Background: Following the breakup of the Ottoman
                                        Empire during World War I, Syria was
                                        administered by the French until
                                        independence in 1946. In the 1967
                                        Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the
                                        Golan Heights to Israel. Since 1976,
                                        Syrian troops have been stationed in
                                        Lebanon, ostensibly in a
                                        peacekeeping capacity. In recent
                                        years, Syria and Israel have held
                                        occasional peace talks over the
                                        return of the Golan Heights.
  
   Geography Syria
   ---------------
                              Location: Middle East, bordering the
                                        Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon
                                        and Turkey
                Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 38 00 E
                        Map references: Middle East
                                  Area: total: 185,180 sq km
                                        note: includes 1,295 sq km of
                                        Israeli-occupied territory
                                        water: 1,130 sq km
                                        land: 184,050 sq km
                    Area - comparative: slightly larger than North Dakota
                       Land boundaries: total: 2,253 km
                                        border countries: Iraq 605 km,
                                        Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon
                                        375 km, Turkey 822 km
                             Coastline: 193 km
                       Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 41 NM
                                        territorial sea: 35 NM
                               Climate: mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny
                                        summers (June to August) and mild,
                                        rainy winters (December to February)
                                        along coast; cold weather with snow
                                        or sleet periodically in Damascus
                               Terrain: primarily semiarid and desert
                                        plateau; narrow coastal plain;
                                        mountains in west
                    Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location near
                                        Lake Tiberias -200 m
                                        highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m
                     Natural resources: petroleum, phosphates, chrome and
                                        manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore,
                                        rock salt, marble, gypsum,
                                        hydropower
                              Land use: arable land: 25.96%
                                        permanent crops: 4.08%
                                        other: 69.96% (1998 est.)
                        Irrigated land: 12,130 sq km (1998 est.)
                       Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms
          Environment - current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil
                                        erosion; desertification; water
                                        pollution from raw sewage and
                                        petroleum refining wastes;
                                        inadequate potable water
            Environment - international party to: Biodiversity, Climate
                            agreements: Change, Desertification, Hazardous
                                        Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
                                        Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
                                        Wetlands
                                        signed, but not ratified:
                                        Environmental Modification
                      Geography - note: there are 42 Israeli settlements and
                                        civilian land use sites in the
                                        Israeli-occupied Golan Heights
                                        (August 2001 est.)
  
   People Syria
   ------------
                            Population: 17,155,814 (July 2002 est.)
                                        note: in addition, about 40,000
                                        people live in the Israeli-occupied
                                        Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000
                                        Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and about
                                        20,000 Israeli settlers (August 2001
                                        est.)
                         Age structure: 0-14 years: 39.3% (male 3,467,267;
                                        female 3,264,639)
                                        15-64 years: 57.5% (male 5,052,841;
                                        female 4,817,662)
                                        65 years and over: 3.2% (male
                                        267,803; female 285,602) (2002 est.)
                Population growth rate: 2.5% (2002 est.)
                            Birth rate: 30.11 births/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                            Death rate: 5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                    Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                             Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
                                        under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
                                        15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
                                        65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/
                                        female
                                        total population: 1.05 male(s)/
                                        female (2002 est.)
                 Infant mortality rate: 32.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
                                        est.)
              Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.08 years
                                        female: 70.32 years (2002 est.)
                                        male: 67.9 years
                  Total fertility rate: 3.84 children born/woman (2002 est.)
      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (1999 est.)
     HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ NA
                                  AIDS:
                     HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
                           Nationality: noun: Syrian(s)
                                        adjective: Syrian
                         Ethnic groups: 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 widely
                                        understood; French, English somewhat
                                        understood
                              Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
                                        and write
                                        total population: 70.8%
                                        male: 85.7%
                                        female: 55.8% (1997 est.)
  
   Government Syria
   ----------------
                          Country name: conventional long form: Syrian Arab
                                        Republic
                                        conventional short form: Syria
                                        local short form: Suriyah
                                        former: United Arab Republic (with
                                        Egypt)
                                        local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al
                                        Arabiyah as Suriyah
                       Government type: republic under military regime since
                                        March 1963
                               Capital: Damascus
              Administrative divisions: 14 provinces (muhafazat, singular -
                                        muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al
                                        Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar
                                        Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az
                                        Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims,
                                        Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus
                          Independence: 17 April 1946 (from League of
                                        Nations mandate under French
                                        administration)
                      National holiday: Independence Day, 17 April (1946)
                          Constitution: 13 March 1973
                          Legal system: based on Islamic law and civil law
                                        system; special religious courts;
                                        has not accepted compulsory ICJ
                                        jurisdiction
                              Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
                      Executive branch: chief of state: President Bashar al-
                                        ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice
                                        Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said
                                        KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and
                                        Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11
                                        March 1984)
                                        head of government: Prime Minister
                                        Muhammad Mustafa MIRU (since 13
                                        March 2000), Deputy Prime Ministers
                                        Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11
                                        March 1984), Farouk al-SHARA (since
                                        13 December 2001), Dr. Muhammad al-
                                        HUSAYN (since 13 December 2001)
                                        cabinet: Council of Ministers
                                        appointed by the president
                                        elections: president elected by
                                        popular vote for a seven-year term;
                                        referendum/election last held 10
                                        July 2000 - after the death of
                                        President Hafez al-ASAD, father of
                                        Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held NA
                                        2007); vice presidents appointed by
                                        the president; prime minister and
                                        deputy prime ministers appointed by
                                        the president
                                        note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June
                                        2000; on 20 June 2000, the Ba'th
                                        Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for
                                        president and presented his name to
                                        the People's Council on 25 June 2000
  
                                        election results: Bashar al-ASAD
                                        elected president; percent of vote -
                                        Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%
                    Legislative branch: unicameral People's Council or
                                        Majlis al-shaab (250 seats; members
                                        elected by popular vote to serve
                                        four-year terms)
                                        election results: percent of vote by
                                        party - NPF 67%, independents 33%;
                                        seats by party - NPF 167,
                                        independents 83; note - the
                                        constitution guarantees that the
                                        Ba'th Party (part of the NPF
                                        alliance) receives one-half of the
                                        seats
                                        elections: last held 30 November-
                                        1 December 1998 (next to be held NA
                                        2002)
                       Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court
                                        (justices are appointed for four-
                                        year terms by the president); High
                                        Judicial Council; Court of
                                        Cassation; State Security Courts
         Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Front or NPF
                                        (includes the Ba'th Party, ASU, Arab
                                        Socialist Party, Socialist Unionist
                                        Democratic Party, ASP, SCP)
                                        [President Bashar al-ASAD,
                                        chairman]; Arab Socialist
                                        Renaissance (Ba'th) Party (governing
                                        party) [President Bashar al-ASAD,
                                        secretary general]; Syrian Arab
                                        Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan
                                        KOUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party or
                                        SCP [Yusuf FAYSAL]; Syrian Social
                                        National Party [Jubran URAYJI]
          Political pressure groups and conservative religious leaders;
                               leaders: Muslim Brotherhood (operates in
                                        exile in Jordan and Yemen); non-
                                        Ba'th parties have little effective
                                        political influence
             International organization AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA,
                         participation: FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
                                        ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
                                        IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
                                        IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN,
                                        UN Security Council (temporary),
                                        UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU,
                                        WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO
   Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rustum
                                        al-ZU'BI
                                        chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW,
                                        Washington, DC 20008
                                        FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548
                                        telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313
     Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador
                                    US: Theodore H. KATTOUF
                                        embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur
                                        Street, No. 2, Damascus
                                        mailing address: P. O. Box 29,
                                        Damascus
                                        telephone: [963] (11) 333-1342
                                        FAX: [963] (11) 331-9678
                      Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red
                                        (top), white, and black, with two
                                        small green five-pointed stars in a
                                        horizontal line centered in the
                                        white band; similar to the flag of
                                        Yemen, which has a plain white band,
                                        and of Iraq, which has three green
                                        stars (plus an Arabic inscription)
                                        in a horizontal line centered in the
                                        white band; also similar to the flag
                                        of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle
                                        centered in the white band
  
   Economy Syria
   -------------
                    Economy - overview: Syria's predominantly statist
                                        economy has been growing slower than
                                        its 2.5% annual population growth
                                        rate, causing a persistent decline
                                        in per capita GDP. President Bashar
                                        AL-ASAD has made little progress on
                                        the economic front after one year in
                                        office, but does appear willing to
                                        permit a gradual strengthening of
                                        the private sector. His most obvious
                                        accomplishment to this end was the
                                        recent passage of legislation
                                        allowing private banks to operate in
                                        Syria, although a private banking
                                        sector will take years and further
                                        government cooperation to develop.
                                        ASAD's recent cabinet reshuffle may
                                        improve his chances of implementing
                                        further growth-oriented policies,
                                        although external factors such as
                                        the international war on terrorism,
                                        the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,
                                        and downturn in oil prices could
                                        weaken the foreign investment and
                                        government revenues Syria needs to
                                        flourish. A long-run economic
                                        constraint is the pressure on water
                                        supplies caused by rapid population
                                        growth, industrial expansion, and
                                        increased water pollution.
                                   GDP: purchasing power parity - $54.2
                                        billion (2001 est.)
                GDP - real growth rate: 2% (2001 est.)
                      GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,200
                                        (2001 est.)
           GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 27%
                                        industry: 23%
                                        services: 50% (2000 est.)
         Population below poverty line: 15%-25%
     Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
                      percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
      Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.3% (2001 est.)
                           Labor force: 4.7 million (1998 est.)
           Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 40%, industry 20%,
                                        services 40% (1996 est.)
                     Unemployment rate: 20% (2000 est.)
                                Budget: revenues: $5 billion
                                        expenditures: $7 billion, including
                                        capital expenditures of $NA (2001
                                        est.)
                            Industries: petroleum, textiles, food
                                        processing, beverages, tobacco,
                                        phosphate rock mining
     Industrial production growth rate: NA%
              Electricity - production: 19.7 billion kWh (2000)
    Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 64.47%
                                        hydro: 35.53%
                                        other: 0% (2000)
                                        nuclear: 0%
             Electricity - consumption: 17.671 billion kWh (2000)
                 Electricity - exports: 650 million kWh (2000)
                 Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
                Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, cotton, lentils,
                                        chickpeas, olives, sugar beets;
                                        beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk
                               Exports: $5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
                 Exports - commodities: crude oil 68%, textiles 7%, fruits
                                        and vegetables 6%, raw cotton 4%
                                        (1998 est.)
                    Exports - partners: Germany 27%, Italy 12%, France 10%,
                                        Turkey 10%, Saudi Arabia 7% (2000
                                        est.)
                               Imports: $4 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
                 Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment
                                        21%, food and livestock 18%, metal
                                        and metal products 15%, chemicals
                                        and chemical products 10% (2000
                                        est.)
                    Imports - partners: Italy 9%, Germany 7%, France 5%,
                                        Lebanon 5%, China 4%, South Korea
                                        4%, Turkey 4%, US 4% (2000 est.)
                       Debt - external: $22 billion (2001 est.)
              Economic aid - recipient: $199 million (1997 est.)
                              Currency: Syrian pound (SYP)
                         Currency code: SYP
                        Exchange rates: Syrian pounds per US dollar - 51
                                        (December 2001), 46 (2000), 46
                                        (1998), 41.9 (January 1997)
                           Fiscal year: calendar year
  
   Communications Syria
   --------------------
        Telephones - main lines in use: 1.313 million (1997)
          Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
                      Telephone system: general assessment: fair system
                                        currently undergoing significant
                                        improvement and digital upgrades,
                                        including fiber-optic technology
                                        domestic: coaxial cable and
                                        microwave radio relay network
                                        international: satellite earth
                                        stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
                                        and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean
                                        region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial
                                        cable and microwave radio relay to
                                        Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey;
                                        participant in Medarabtel
              Radio broadcast stations: AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
                                Radios: 4.15 million (1997)
         Television broadcast stations: 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)
                           Televisions: 1.05 million (1997)
                 Internet country code: .sy
     Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
                        Internet users: 32,000 (2001)
  
   Transportation Syria
   --------------------
                              Railways: total: 2,750 km
                                        standard gauge: 2,423 km 1.435-
                                        m gauge
                                        note: rail link between Syria and
                                        Iraq replaced in 2000 (2001)
                                        narrow gauge: 327 km 1.050-m gauge
                              Highways: total: 41,451 km
                                        paved: 9,575 km (including 877 km of
                                        expressways)
                                        unpaved: 31,876 km (1997)
                             Waterways: 870 km (minimal economic importance)
                             Pipelines: crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum
                                        products 515 km
                     Ports and harbors: Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus
                       Merchant marine: total: 143 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
                                        totaling 482,985 GRT/702,590 DWT
                                        note: includes some foreign-owned
                                        ships registered here as a flag of
                                        convenience: Egypt 1, Greece 2,
                                        Italy 1, Lebanon 10 (2002 est.)
                                        ships by type: bulk 12, cargo 126,
                                        livestock carrier 4, roll on/roll
                                        off 1
                              Airports: 99 (2001)
         Airports - with paved runways: total: 24
                                        over 3,047 m: 5
                                        2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
                                        under 914 m: 1 (2001)
                                        914 to 1,523 m: 2
       Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 75
                                        1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
                                        914 to 1,523 m: 11
                                        under 914 m: 62 (2001)
                             Heliports: 2 (2001)
  
   Military Syria
   --------------
                     Military branches: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy,
                                        Syrian Arab Air Force (includes Air
                                        Defense Forces), Police and Security
                                        Force
      Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)
      Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 4,550,496 (2002
                                        est.)
   Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 2,539,342 (2002
                               service: est.)
           Military manpower - reaching males: 200,859 (2002 est.)
                 military age annually:
         Military expenditures - dollar $921 million (FY00 est.); note -
                                figure: based on official budget data that
                                        may understate actual spending
     Military expenditures - percent of 5.9% (FY98)
                                   GDP:
  
   Transnational Issues Syria
   --------------------------
              Disputes - international: Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied;
                                        dispute with upstream riparian
                                        Turkey over Turkish water
                                        development plans for the Tigris and
                                        Euphrates rivers; Syrian troops in
                                        northern, central, and eastern
                                        Lebanon since October 1976; Turkey
                                        is quick to rebuff any perceived
                                        Syrian claim to Hatay province
                         Illicit drugs: a transit point for opiates and
                                        hashish bound for regional and
                                        Western markets
  
                                       



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