CCBLA - Arab-Belgium-Luxemburg Chamber of Commerce - ABLCC

Country name : Syrian Arab Republic

Capital : Damascus

Area : 185,180 km²

Population : 19,314,747 (July 2007)

Density : 104 inhabitants/km²

Population growth rate : 2.244% (2007)

Age structure : 0-14 years : 36.5% - 15-64 years : 60.1% - 65 years and over : 3.3%

Life expectancy at birth : 70.61 years

Labour force : 5.457 million

Gross Domestic Product : US$86.59 billion (2007)

GDP – real growth rate : 3.5% (2007)

GDP – composition by sector : agriculture : 24.6% - industry : 24.4% - services : 51%

GDP – per capita : US$4,500 (2007)

Budget : revenues : US$8.45 billion - expenditures : US$10.38 billion (2007)

Industries : petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining, cement, oil seeds crushing

Industrial production growth rate : -0.4% (2007)

Land use : arable land : 24.8% - permanent crops : 4.47% - other : 70.73%

Agricultural products : wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beet, beef, mutton, dairy products

Exports : US$10.9 billion (2007)

Exports – commodities : crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat

Exports – partners : Iraq (27.3%), Germany (12%), Lebanon (9.5%), Italy (6.6%), Egypt (5.3%), Saudi Arabia (4.8%) (2006)

Imports : US$11.49 billion (2007)

Imports – commodities : machinery and transport equipment, electrical equipment, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals, plastics, yarn, paper

Imports – partners : Saudi Arabia (12.3%), China (7.9%), Egypt (6.2%), UAE (6%), Germany (4.9%), Italy (4.9%), Ukraine (4.8%), Iran (4.5%) (2006)

Current account balance : US$ -2.16 billion (2007)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold : US$6.039 billion (31 December 2007)

External debt : US$6.61 billion (31 December 2007)