3 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 21% (1991); accounts for 19% of GDP, including petroleum
Electricity:
capacity:
3,205,000 kW
production:
11.9 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
830 kWh (1992)
Industries:
textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining,
petroleum
Agriculture:
accounts for 30% of GDP and one-third of labor force; all major crops
(wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas) grown mainly on
rain-watered land causing wide swings in production; animal products -
beef, lamb, eggs, poultry, milk; not self-sufficient in grain or
livestock products
Illicit drugs:
a transit country for Lebanese and Turkish refined cocaine going to
Europe and heroin and hashish bound for regional and Western markets
Economic aid:
recipient:
no US aid; aid from other countries (Western and Arab) totals $1.358
billion (1993 est.); no Ex-Im, OPEC programs in place; almost $5
billion in loans and grants from Arab and Western donors from 1990-92
as a result of Gulf war stance
Currency:
1 Syrian pound (#S) = 100 piastres
Exchange rates:
Syrian pounds (#S) per US$1 - 11.2 (official fixed rate), 26.6
(blended rate used by the UN and diplomatic missions), 42.0
(neighboring country rate - applies to most state enterprise imports),
46.0 - 53.0 (offshore rate) (yearend 1993)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

@Syria, Communications

Railroads:
1,998 km total; 1,766 km standard gauge, 232 km 1.050-meter (narrow)
gauge
Highways:
total:
29,000 km
paved:
22,680 km (including 670 km of expressways) (1988)
unpaved:
6,320 km
Inland waterways:
870 km; minimal economic importance
Pipelines:
crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km
Ports:
Tartus, Latakia, Baniyas, Jablah
Merchant marine:
57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 151,519 GRT/243,910 DWT, bulk 7,
cargo 48, vehicle carrier 2
Airports:
total:
104
usable:
100
with permanent-surface runways:
24
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
21
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
3
Telecommunications:
fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital
upgrades, including fiber optic technology; 512,600 telephones (37
telephones per 1,000 persons); broadcast stations - 9 AM, 1 FM, 17 TV;
satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Intersputnik;
1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq,