Part 83

Long-form name: Syrian Arab Republic Type: republic; under leftwing 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); formerly United Arab Republic Constitution: 13 March 1973 Legal system: based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: National Day, 17 April (1946) Executive branch: president, three vice presidents, prime minister, three deputy prime ministers, Council of Ministers (cabinet) Legislative branch: unicameral People's Council (Majlis al-Chaab) Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court, High Judicial Council, Court of Cassation, State Security Courts Leaders: Chief of State: President Hafiz al-ASAD (since 22 February 1971); Vice Presidents `Abd al-Halim KHADDAM, Vice President Rif`at al-ASAD, and Vice President Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984) Head of Government: Prime Minister Mahmud ZU`BI (since 1 November 1987); Deputy Prime Minister Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March 1984); Deputy Prime Minister Salim YASIN (since NA December 1981); Deputy Prime Minister Mahmud QADDUR (since NA May 1985) Political parties and leaders: ruling party is the Arab Socialist Resurrectionist (Ba`th) Party; the Progressive National Front is dominated by Ba`thists but includes independents and members of the Syrian Arab Socialist Party (ASP), Arab Socialist Union (ASU), Syrian Communist Party (SCP), Arab Socialist Unionist Movement, and Democratic Socialist Union Party Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: President: last held 2 December 1991 (next to be held December 1998); results - President Hafiz al-ASAD was reelected for a fourth seven-year term with 99.98% of the vote People's Council: last held 22-23 May 1990 (next to be held NA May 1994); results - Ba`th 53.6%, ASU 3.2%, SCP 3.2%, Arab Socialist Unionist Movement 2.8%, ASP 2%, Democratic Socialist Union Party 1.6%, independents 33.6%; seats - (250 total) Ba`th 134, ASU 8, SCP 8, Arab Socialist Unionist Movement 7, ASP 5, Democratic Socialist Union Party 4, independents 84; note - the People's Council was expanded to 250 seats total prior to the May 1990 election

:Syria Government

Communists: Syrian Communist Party (SCP) Other political or pressure groups: non-Ba`th parties have little effective political influence; Communist party ineffective; conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood Member of: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Walid MOUALEM; Chancery at 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 232-6313 US: Ambassador Christopher W. S. ROSS; Embassy at Abu Rumaneh, Al Mansur Street No. 2, Damascus (mailing address is P. O. Box 29, Damascus); telephone [963] (11) 333052 or 332557, 330416, 332814, 332315, 714108, 337178, 333232; FAX [963] (11) 718-687 Flag: 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

:Syria Economy

Overview: Syria's state-dominated Ba`thist economy has benefited from the Gulf war, increased oil production, good weather, and economic deregulation. Economic growth averaged nearly 12% annually in 1990-91, buoyed by increased oil production and improved agricultural performance. The Gulf war of early 1991 provided Syria an aid windfall of several billion dollars from Arab, European, and Japanese donors. These inflows more than offset Damascus's war-related costs and will help Syria cover some of its debt arrears, restore suspended credit lines, and initiate selected military and civilian purchases. For the long run, Syria's economy is still saddled with a large number of poorly performing public sector firms; investment levels remain low; and industrial and agricultural productivity is poor. A major long-term concern is the additional drain of upstream Euphrates water by Turkey when its vast dam and irrigation projects are completed by mid-decade. GDP: exchange rate conversion - $30 billion, per capita $2,300; real growth rate 11% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 25% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $5.4 billion; expenditures $7.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.9 billion (1991 est.) Exports: $3.6 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: petroleum 40%, farm products 13%, textiles, phosphates (1989) partners: USSR and Eastern Europe 42%, EC 31%, Arab countries 17%, US/Canada 2% (1989) Imports: $2.7 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: foodstuffs and beverages 21%, metal and metal products 16%, machinery 14%, textiles, petroleum products (1989) partners: EC 42%, USSR and Eastern Europe 13%, other Europe 13%, US/Canada 8%, Arab countries 6% (1989) External debt: $5.2 billion in hard currency (1990 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 6% (1991 est.); accounts for 17% of GDP Electricity: 3,005,000 kW capacity; 8,800 million kWh produced, 680 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining, petroleum Agriculture: accounts for 27% of GDP and one-third of labor force; all major crops (wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas) grown mainly on rainfed land causing wide swings in production; animal products - beef, lamb, eggs, poultry, milk; not self-sufficient in grain or livestock products Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $538 million; Western (non-US) ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.23 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $12.3 billion; former Communist countries (1970-89), $3.3 billion Currency: Syrian pound (plural - pounds); 1 Syrian pound (#S) = 100 piasters

:Syria Economy

Exchange rates: Syrian pounds (#S) per US$1 - 22.0 (promotional rate since 1991), 11.2250 (fixed rate 1987-90), 3.9250 (fixed rate 1976-87) Fiscal year: calendar year

:Syria Communications

Railroads: 2,350 km total; 2,035 km standard gauge, 315 km 1.050-meter (narrow) gauge Highways: 28,000 km total; 22,000 km paved, 3,000 km gravel or crushed stone, 3,000 km improved earth Inland waterways: 672 km; minimal economic importance Pipelines: crude oil 1,304 km, petroleum products 515 km Ports: Tartus, Latakia, Baniyas Merchant marine: 29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 85,417 GRT/138,078 DWT; includes 25 cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 vehicle carrier, 2 bulk Civil air: 35 major transport aircraft Airports: 104 total, 100 usable; 24 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 21 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: fair system currently undergoing significant improvement; 512,600 telephones; broadcast stations - 9 AM, 1 FM, 17 TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Intersputnik, 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey

:Syria Defense Forces

Branches: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force, Syrian Arab Air Defense Forces, Police and Security Force Manpower availability: males 15-49, 3,012,671; 1,691,660 fit for military service; 145,976 reach military age (19) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $2.5 billion, 8% of GDP (1989)

:Taiwan Geography

Total area: 35,980 km2 Land area: 32,260 km2; includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy Comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut Land boundaries: none Coastline: 1,448 km Maritime claims: Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai) claimed by China and Taiwan Climate: tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year Terrain: eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west Natural resources: small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos Land use: arable land 24%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 5%; forest and woodland 55%; other 15%; irrigated 14% Environment: subject to earthquakes and typhoons

:Taiwan People

Population: 20,878,556 (July 1992), growth rate 1.0% (1992) Birth rate: 16 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Chinese (singular and plural); adjective - Chinese Ethnic divisions: Taiwanese 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2% Religions: mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5% Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official); Taiwanese (Miu) and Hakka dialects also used Literacy: 91.2% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990) Labor force: 7,900,000; industry and commerce 53%, services 22%, agriculture 15.6%, civil administration 7% (1989) Organized labor: 2,728,000 or about 44% (1991)

:Taiwan Government

Long-form name: none Type: multiparty democratic regime; opposition political parties legalized in March, 1989 Capital: Taipei Administrative divisions: the authorities in Taipei claim to be the government of all China; in keeping with that claim, the central administrative divisions include 2 provinces (sheng, singular and plural) and 2 municipalities* (shih, singular and plural) - Fu-chien (some 20 offshore islands of Fujian Province including Quemoy and Matsu), Kao-hsiung*, T'ai-pei*, and Taiwan (the island of Taiwan and the Pescadores islands); the more commonly referenced administrative divisions are those of Taiwan Province - 16 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities* (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities** (chuan-shih, singular and plural); Chang-hua, Chia-i, Chia-i*, Chi-lung*, Hsin-chu, Hsin-chu*, Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung, Kao-hsiung**, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-chung*, T'ai-nan, T'ai-nan*, T'ai-pei, T'ai-pei**, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin; the provincial capital is at Chung-hsing-hsin-ts'un; note - Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for romanization Constitution: 25 December 1947, presently undergoing revision Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations National holiday: National Day (Anniversary of the Revolution), 10 October (1911) Executive branch: president, vice president, premier of the Executive Yuan, vice premier of the Executive Yuan, Executive Yuan Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Yuan, unicameral National Assembly Judicial branch: Judicial Yuan Leaders: Chief of State: President LI Teng-hui (since 13 January 1988); Vice President LI Yuan-zu (since 20 May 1990) Head of Government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) HAO Po-ts'un (since 2 May 1990); Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) SHIH Ch'i-yang (since NA July 1988) Political parties and leaders: Kuomintang (Nationalist Party), LI Teng-hui, chairman; Democratic Socialist Party and Young China Party controlled by Kuomintang; Democratic Progressive Party (DPP); Labor Party; 27 other minor parties Suffrage: universal at age 20 Elections: President: last held 21 March 1990 (next to be held NA March 1996); results - President LI Teng-hui was reelected by the National Assembly Vice President: last held 21 March 1990 (next to be held NA March 1996); results - LI Yuan-zu was elected by the National Assembly

:Taiwan Government

Legislative Yuan: last held 2 December 1989 (next to be held NA December 1992); results - KMT 65%, DPP 33%, independents 2%; seats - (304 total, 102 elected) KMT 78, DPP 21, independents 3 Elections: National Assembly: first National Assembly elected in November 1947 with a supplementary election in December 1986; second National Assembly elected in December 1991 Member of: expelled from UN General Assembly and Security Council on 25 October 1971 and withdrew on same date from other charter-designated subsidiary organs; expelled from IMF/World Bank group April/May 1980; seeking to join GATT; attempting to retain membership in INTELSAT; suspended from IAEA in 1972, but still allows IAEA controls over extensive atomic development; APEC, AsDB, ICC, ICFTU, IOC Diplomatic representation: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through a private instrumentality, the Coordination Council for North American Affairs (CCNAA) with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 10 other US cities with all addresses and telephone numbers NA US: unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of Taiwan are maintained through a private institution, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which has offices in Taipei at #7, Lane 134, Hsiu Yi Road, Section 3, telephone [886] (2) 709-2000, and in Kao-hsiung at #2 Chung Cheng 3d Road, telephone [886] (7) 224-0154 through 0157, and the American Trade Center at Room 3207 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei 10548, telephone [886] (2) 720-1550 Flag: red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

:Taiwan Economy

Overview: Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with considerable government guidance of investment and foreign trade and partial government ownership of some large banks and industrial firms. Real growth in GNP has averaged about 9% a year during the past three decades. Export growth has been even faster and has provided the impetus for industrialization. Agriculture contributes about 4% to GNP, down from 35% in 1952. Taiwan currently ranks as number 13 among major trading countries. Traditional labor-intensive industries are steadily being replaced with more capital- and technology-intensive industries. Taiwan has become a major investor in China, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia. The tightening of labor markets has led to an influx of foreign workers, both legal and illegal. GNP: purchasing power equivalent - $150.8 billion, per capita $7,380; real growth rate 5.2% (1990) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.1% (1990); 3.8% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: 1.7% (1990); 1.5% (1991 est.) Budget: revenues $30.3 billion; expenditures $30.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY91 est.) Exports: $67.2 billion (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: electrical machinery 18.2%, textiles 15.6%, general machinery and equipment 14.8%, basic metals and metal products 7.8%, foodstuffs 1.7%, plywood and wood products 1.6% (1989) partners: US 36.2%, Japan 13.7% (1989) Imports: $54.7 billion (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: machinery and equipment 15.3%, basic metals 13.0%, chemical and chemical products 11.1%, crude oil 5%, foodstuffs 2.2% (1989) partners: Japan 31%, US 23%, FRG 5% (1989) External debt: $1.1 billion (December 1990 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 6.5% (1991 est.) Electricity: 17,000,000 kW capacity; 76,900 million kWh produced, 3,722 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: electronics, textiles, chemicals, clothing, food processing, plywood, sugar milling, cement, shipbuilding, petroleum Agriculture: accounts for 4% of GNP and 16% of labor force (includes part-time farmers); heavily subsidized sector; major crops - vegetables, rice, fruit, tea; livestock - hogs, poultry, beef, milk, cattle; not self-sufficient in wheat, soybeans, corn; fish catch increasing, 1.4 million metric tons (1988) Economic aid: US, including Ex-Im (FY46-82), $4.6 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $500 million Currency: New Taiwan dollar (plural - dollars); 1 New Taiwan dollar (NT$) = 100 cents

:Taiwan Economy

Exchange rates: New Taiwan dollars per US$1 - 25.000 (February 1992), 25.748 (1991), 27.108 (1990), 26.407 (1989) 28.589 (1988), 31.845 (1987) Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

:Taiwan Communications

Railroads: about 4,600 km total track with 1,075 km common carrier lines and 3,525 km industrial lines; common carrier lines consist of the 1.067-meter gauge 708 km West Line and the 367 km East Line; a 98.25 km South Link Line connection was completed in late 1991; common carrier lines owned by the government and operated by the Railway Administration under Ministry of Communications; industrial lines owned and operated by government enterprises Highways: 20,041 km total; 17,095 km bituminous or concrete pavement, 2,371 km crushed stone or gravel, 575 km graded earth Pipelines: petroleum products 615 km, natural gas 97 km Ports: Kao-hsiung, Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Su-ao, T'ai-tung Merchant marine: 213 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,491,539 GRT/9,082,118 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 42 cargo, 15 refrigerated cargo, 73 container, 17 petroleum tanker, 3 combination ore/oil, 1 specialized tanker, 58 bulk, 1 roll-on/roll-off, 2 combination bulk Airports: 40 total, 39 usable; 36 with permanent-surface runways; 3 with runways over 3,659 m; 16 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 8 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: best developed system in Asia outside of Japan; 7,800,000 telephones; extensive microwave transmission links on east and west coasts; broadcast stations - 91 AM, 23 FM, 15 TV (13 repeaters); 8,620,000 radios; 6,386,000 TVs (5,680,000 color, 706,000 monochrome); satellite earth stations - 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT; submarine cable links to Japan (Okinawa), the Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe

:Taiwan Defense Forces

Branches: Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, Taiwan General Garrison Headquarters, Ministry of National Defense Manpower availability: males 15-49, 5,982,717; 4,652,586 fit for military service; about 180,706 currently reach military age (19) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $9.16 billion, 4.5% of GNP (FY92)

:Tajikistan Geography

Total area: 143,100 km2 Land area: 142,700 km2 Comparative area: slightly smaller than Wisconsin Land boundaries: 3,651 km total; Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km Coastline: none - landlocked Maritime claims: none - landlocked Disputes: boundary with China under dispute Climate: midlatitude semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains Terrain: Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kafirnigan and Vakhsh Valleys in southeast Natural resources: significant hydropower potential, petroleum, uranium, mercury, small production of petroleum, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten Land use: 6% arable land; NA% permanent crops; NA% meadows and pastures; NA% forest and woodland; NA% other; includes NA% irrigated Environment: NA Note: landlocked

:Tajikistan People

Population: 5,680,242 (July 1992), growth rate 3.0% (1992) Birth rate: 40 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: -1 migrant/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 74 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 64 years male, 70 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 5.3 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Tajik(s); adjective - Tajik Ethnic divisions: Tajik 62%, Uzbek 24%, Russian 8%, Tatar 2%, other 4% Religions: Sunni Muslim approximately 80%, Shi`a Muslim 5% Languages: Tajik (official) NA% Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write Labor force: 1,938,000; agriculture and forestry 43%, industry and construction 22%, other 35% (1990) Organized labor: NA

:Tajikistan Government