Part 719

Telephone system: excellent domestic and international services domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 265, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 18 (repeaters 1,322)

Televisions: 2.513 million (1994 est.)

Defense -------

Branches: Army, Air Force and Antiaircraft Command, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 1,893,587 males fit for military service: 1,623,414 males reach military age (20) annually: 41,425 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $3.74 billion, 1.4% of GDP (1995)

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@Syria -----

Map ---

Location: 35 00 N, 38 00 E -- Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey

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 symbolic eagle centered in the white band

Geography ---------

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 area: 185,180 sq km land area: 184,050 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than North Dakota note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

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

International disputes: Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; Hatay question with Turkey; dispute over Turkey's water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976

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 hitting Damascus

Terrain: primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west 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

Land use: arable land: 28% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 46% forest and woodland: 3% other: 20%