Syria

1
Syria
By Thomas Martecchini, Eric Lindahl, and Tory
Wylie
2
Thesis
Syria, although it has established a definite
political and social structure and a strong
system of domestic trade, remains politically
bound by a bureaucratic regime and economically
limited by the absence of a well-diversified
economy and a strong international trade system
thus, Syria has achieved some modernity, but is
still lacking it in several ways.
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Leaders

• President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000)
• The president has the most power in the country,
  and he is required to be Muslim.
• Vice President Farouk al-SHARA (since 11
  February 2006)
• Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10
  September 2003)
• Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah al-DARDARI (since
  14 June 2005)

Bashar al-Asad
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Government

• Government is a Republic but is under a military
  regime.
• The Peoples Council is 250 elected
  representatives.
• The Prime Minister and the President have more
  power than the Peoples Counsel

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Political Parties

• Arab Socialist Unionist Movement
• National Progressive Front
• Socialist Unionist Democratic Party
• Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP(BaAth)
• Syrian Communist Party

6
Syrian Social Identity

• Syria is a mid-Eastern country that was ruled by
  France until April 17, 1946, which is now their
  Independence day. Syrian culture is greatly
  influenced by France due to their rule. Even
  though the official language is Arabic most
  Syrians speak French and English along with
  Arabic.
• Syria used to be like many Middle Eastern
  countries and was oppressive to women but now
  that there are higher rates of literacy and
  theyre more politically active women have a more
  positive cultural perception.
• Syrias population is approximately 11 million
  people. Their growth rate is estimated at 3.7
  each year which makes them their population one
  of the fastest growing.
• Regarding national health malaria is prevalent in
  the country including all gastro-intestinal
  problems and there is an extreme shortage of
  medical personnel.
• Children attend public schools in Syria and the
  literacy rate in adults is 60 and constantly
  improving.
• About 85 of the population is Muslim, about 19
  are Alawis, Shias and Sunnis, and a smaller
  persent are Druzes, Jews, Yazidis and others.

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Economic Shift

• 1950s to 1980s agricultural production goes from
  nearly 40 to the GDP in 1953 to about 25 in
  2004
• Industry/construction 10 in 1953 to 23 in 2004
• Government services greatest growth 14.1 GDP
  in 1976 to 51.9 in 2004, and nearly 57 in 1984
• Shift from agricultural production to government
  serviceincreasing role of government

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Anti-Agrarian Shift

• In mid-1950s, agricultural production began to
  suffer from lack of supplyfurther growth would
  require government support in irrigating and
  draining new land
• Government expended little, and agricultural
  sector production has plummeted (see previous
  slide)
• Only 25 of Syrias land is arable, and of that
  arable land, only 4.47 has permanent crops
• Of 184,050 sq km of land, only 13,300 sq km are
  irrigatedonly 7.2
• Serious land problems, including water pollution,
  desertification, deforestation, and overgrazing,
  as well as the reliance on rain for sustenance,
  have adversely affected crops

Harvesting Cotton (Embassy of Syria)
Apricot paste drying (Embassy of Syria)
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Government Role

• By 1986, most banks and large businesses had been
  nationalized
• Today, government accounts for more than half of
  the national GDP, and has sizeable control over
  private industries and agriculture
• Economic policies have been liberalized, but
  government still controls broad economic reforms
  in every economic sector
• Has been criticized as inefficient and
  excessively bureaucratic for its poor selection
  of competent officials, poor organization, and
  its limitation of private sector organization

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Transportation, Trade, and Communication

• Although government spent nearly 600 million in
  past on paving roadways, two-lanedtraffic
  difficulties about 80 of roads are unpaved, but
  the paved roads create domestic trade
• Trade through two ports, Baniyas (crude oil and
  petroleum products) and Latakia (general cargo)
• Railroads, including the Hijaz and Northern
  Railways, increase trade of agricultural freight
  products (e.g. cotton, wheat, and barley)
• Only 92 airports, most of which service shorter
  routes to destinations within the Middle East
• Because of limitations on aviation, Syria is not
  a major player in the world economy however,
  trade is high within Middle Eastprimary
  countries of export are Iraq (18.9), Turkey
  (14.8), and Saudi Arabia (13)

Beirut-Damascus Highway (Murhaf Jouejati)
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Foreign Involvement/Interest

• In many of its foreign transactions, Syria has
  been either aided or completely covered by
  foreign contributions
• Since 1982, Iran has contributed more than 1
  billion (including oil) in support of economy
• Since late 1950s, East Europe has noticeably
  aided Syrian structural development (e.g. Soviet
  loan of 185 million to finance construction of
  Sad al Furat (Euphrates Dam)
• Czechoslovakia aided in linking Syrian oil field
  with old pipeline, and Syrian refinery workers
  often trained in Romanianearly 13 billion debt
  for Syria, and influence of other nations

Assad Reservoir
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Works Cited
All information from the following

• CIA World Factbook https//www.cia.gov/cia/public
  ations/factbook/index.html
•  Library of Congress http//lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs
  /list.html