Chapter 109
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or German - Bundesversammlung, French - Assemblee Federale, Italian - Assemblea Federale consists of the Council of States or German - Standerat, French - Conseil des Etats, Italian - Consiglio degli Stati (46 seats; members are elected two from each canton and one from each half canton to serve four-year terms) and the National Council or German - Nationalrat, French - Conseil National, Italian - Consiglio Nazionale (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Council of States - last held throughout 1995 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 20 October 1995 (next to be held NA October 1999) election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 17, PDC 16, UDC 5, PSS 5, LPS 2, LdU 1; National Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 45, PSS 55, PDC 34, UDC 29, Greens 10, LPS 7, FPS 6, LdU/EVP 5, SD 3, PdAdS 3, Ticino League 2, EDU 1
Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court, judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Franz STEINEGGER, president]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Peter BODENMANN, president]; Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Anton COTTIER, president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica da Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Verena DIENER, president]; Freedom Party or FPS [Roland BORER]; Liberal Party (Liberale Partei der Schweiz or LPS, Parti Liberal Suisse or PLS, Partito Liberale Svizzero or PLS) [Francois Jeanneset, president]; Alliance of Independents' Party (Landesring der Unabhaengigen or LdU, Alliance des Independants or AdI) [Daniel ANDRES, president]; Ticino League (Lega dei Ticinesi) [Giuliano BIGNASCA, president]; and other minor parties including Swiss Democratic Party (Schweizer Demokraten or SD, Democrates Suisses or DS, Democratici Svizzeri or DS), Workers' Party (Parti Suisse du Travail or PST, Partei der Arbeit der Schweiz or PdAdS, Partito Svizzero del Lavoro or PSdL), Evangelical People's Party (Evangelische Volkspartei der Schweiz or EVP, Parti Evangelique Suisse or PEV, Partito Evangelico Svizzero or PEV), and the Union of Federal Democrats (Eidgenossisch-Demokratische Union or EDU, Union Democratique Federale or UDF, Unione Democratica Federale or UDF); note - see elections
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alfred DEFAGO (since April 1997) chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900 FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564 consulate(s) general : Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Pago Pago (American Samoa), and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Madeleine May KUNIN (since 8 August 1996) embassy: Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3005 Bern mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [41] (31) 357 70 11 FAX: [41] (31) 357 73 44
Flag description: red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag
Economy
Economy - overview: Switzerland, a fundamentally prosperous and stable modern economy with a per capita GDP roughly 10% above that of the big West European economies, is experiencing continued economic difficulties. GDP has dropped for five consecutive quarters, unemployment is reaching record levels, and the fiscal deficit is again above 3% of GDP. In 1997, growth may reach barely 0.6%; a recovery is not likely before mid to late 1997. Weak domestic consumer demand is partly at fault; declining real disposable income is combining with a reluctance to reduce saving rates in the face of an uncertain employment outlook. Switzerland's leading sectors, including financial services, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and special-purpose machines, will therefore be more reliant on export markets at the same time they are being squeezed by the strong franc. Consequently, growth in machinery and equipment investment, for example, is expected to taper off. On the other side, import growth in 1997 also is likely to be lower than the 1995 rate of 6.6%, but higher than 1996's expected 1.9%.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $161.3 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -0.75% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $22,600 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.8% industry: 31.1% services: 66.1% (1995)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 0.8% (1996)
Labor force: total: 3.776 million (939,000 foreign workers, mostly Italian) by occupation: services 67%, manufacturing and construction 29%, agriculture and forestry 4% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 5.3% (December 1996)
Budget: revenues: $31 billion expenditures : $36.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)
Industries: machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments
Industrial production growth rate: -2% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 14.27 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 62.2 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 6,810 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs
Exports: total value: $81.35 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: manufactures 94.74%, agricultural products 2.99%, raw materials 2.05%, fuels 0.15% (1995) partners: EU countries 62.1%, US 8.7%, Japan 4.0% (1996 est.)
Imports: total value : $80.05 billion (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: manufactures 86.81%, agricultural products 6.44%, raw materials 3.65%, fuels 2.93% (1995) partners: EU 80.2%, US 6.6% (1996 est.)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid: donor: ODA, $1.034 billion (1995)
Currency: 1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SFR) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi
Exchange rates: Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SFR) per US$1 - 1.3936 (January 1997), 1.2360 (1996), 1.1825 (1995), 1.3677 (1994), 1.4776 (1993), 1.4062 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Switzerland:Communications
Telephones: 4.573 million (1993 est.)
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: 2.727 million (1994 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 18 (repeaters 1,322)
Televisions: 2.513 million (1994 est.)
@Switzerland:Transportation
Railways: total: 5,719 km (1,432 km double track) standard gauge: 3,283 km 1.435-m gauge (99% electrified; 310 km nongovernment owned) narrow gauge: 1,255 km 1.000-m gauge (99% electrified; 1,181 km nongovernment owned) other gauge : 1,181 km NA-m gauge (1995)
Highways: total: 71,055 km (including 1,540 km of expressways) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 65 km; Rhine (Basel to Rheinfelden, Schaffhausen to Bodensee); 12 navigable lakes
Pipelines: crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km
Ports and harbors: Basel
Merchant marine: total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 378,871 GRT/665,519 DWT ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 1, chemical tanker 6, oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, specialized tanker 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 67 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 66 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m : 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 40 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m : 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force and Antiaircraft Command, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards
Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,889,213 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 1,617,691 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 41,038 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3.74 billion (1995)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (1995)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: money-laundering center; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin ______________________________________________________________________
SYRIA
@Syria: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: 185,180 sq km land: 184,050 sq km water: 1,130 sq km note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory
Area - comparative: slightly larger than North Dakota
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
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
Elevation extremes: 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 : 4% permanent pastures: 43% forests and woodland: 3% other: 22% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 9,060 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms
Environment - current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from dumping of raw sewage and wastes from petroleum refining; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Environmental Modification
Geography - note: there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 1996 est.)
@Syria:People
Population: 16,137,899 (July 1997 est.) note: in addition, there are 32,600 people living in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 17,600 Arabs (16,000 Druze and 1,600 Alawites) and 15,000 Israeli settlers (August 1996 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years : 46% (male 3,839,369; female 3,654,350) 15-64 years: 51% (male 4,174,734; female 3,997,666) 65 years and over : 3% (male 234,127; female 237,653) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.3% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 38.7 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.7 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 38.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.44 years male: 66.21 years female : 68.74 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.73 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Syrian(s) adjective: Syrian
Ethnic groups: Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Languages: Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian, French widely understood
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 70.8% male : 85.7% female: 55.8% (1995 est.)
@Syria:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic conventional short form: Syria local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah local short form : Suriyah former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
Data code: SY
Government type: republic under military regime since March 1963
National 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)
National holiday: National Day, 17 April (1946)
Constitution: 13 March 1973
Legal system: based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Hafiz al-ASAD (since 22 February 1971); note - President ASAD seized power in the November 1970 coup, assumed presidential powers 22 February 1971, and was confirmed as president in the 12 March 1971 national elections; Vice Presidents 'Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984), Rifaat al-ASAD (since 11 March 1984), and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984) head of government: Prime Minister Mahmud ZUBI (since 1 November 1987), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March 1984), Salim YASIN (since NA December 1981), and Rashid AKHTARINI (since 4 July 1992) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 2 December 1991 (next to be held NA December 1998); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Hafiz al-ASAD reelected president; percent of vote - Hafiz al-ASAD 99.98%
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 24-25 August 1994 (next to be held NA 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - National Progressive Front 167, independents 83
Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court, justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president; High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts
Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Front includes : the ruling Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party, Hafiz al-ASAD, president of the republic, secretary general of the party, and chairman of the National Progressive Front; Syrian Arab Socialist Party (ASP), 'Abd al-Ghani KANNUT; Arab Socialist Union (ASU), Jamal ATASSI; Syrian Communist Party (SCP), Yusuf FAYSAL; Arab Socialist Unionist Party, Safwan QUDSI; Democratic Socialist Union Party, Ahmad al-ASAD
Political pressure groups and leaders: non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence; Communist party ineffective; conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood
International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Walid MUALEM chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313 FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher W. S. ROSS embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street No. 2, Damascus mailing address : P. O. Box 29, Damascus telephone: [963] (11) 333-2814, 333-0788, 332-0783 FAX: [963] (11) 224-7938
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
Economy
Economy - overview: Sheltered from the pressures of the international marketplace for almost three decades, Syria's predominantly statist economy is on a weak footing because of Damascus's failure to implement extensive economic reform. After an economic rebound in the early 1990s in the wake of the Persian Gulf war, economic growth has slowed as the traditionally volatile economy has once again slumped. Current account and budget deficits and inflation are increasing. The dominant agricultural sector remains underdeveloped, with roughly 80% of agricultural land still dependent on rain-fed sources. Although Syria has sufficient water supplies in the aggregate at normal levels of precipitation, the great distance between major water supplies and population centers poses serious distribution problems, and the water problem is exacerbated by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution. Unemployment remains a nagging problem because about 60% of the population is under the age of 20, ensuring a steady flow of job seekers into the already tight labor market. Private investment is critical to the modernization of the agricultural, energy, and export sectors, particularly because Damascus is saddled with a heavy foreign debt. Oil production is leveling off, and the efforts of the nonoil sector to penetrate international markets have fallen short. Syria's inadequate infrastructure, outmoded technological base, and weak educational system hamper competition with neighbors such as Jordan and Israel. The dominant public sector continues to be plagued by labor, financial, and management problems, and much of the private sector is hobbled by a shortage of capital. The economic benefits of any peace treaty with Israel will depend in large part on the pace of economic reform.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $98.3 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.2% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,300 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28% industry: 18% services: 54% (1994)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 20% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 4.7 million (1995 est.) by occupation: services 40%, agriculture 40%, industry 20% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 9% (1994 est.)
Budget: revenues: $3 billion expenditures : $3.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)
Industries: petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining
Industrial production growth rate: 4.3% (1994)
Electricity - capacity: 4.16 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 14.25 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 902 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas; beef, lamb, eggs, poultry, milk
Exports: total value: $4.4 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: petroleum 56%, food and live animals 16%, textiles 16% (1994 est.) partners: EU 57% (Germany 17%, Italy 16%, France 11%), Lebanon 14%, Saudi Arabia 7% (1995 est.)
Imports: total value : $5.2 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: machinery 25%, food and live animals 15%, transport equipment 12%, chemicals 8% (1994 est.) partners: EU 33% (Italy 9%, Germany 8%, France 4%), South Korea 4.5%, US 4%, Japan 3% (1995 est.)
Debt - external: $22 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: $4.2 billion (1990-92)
Currency: 1 Syrian pound (£S) = 100 piastres
Exchange rates: Syrian pounds (£S) per US$1 - 41.9 (January 1997); official fixed rate 11.225
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Syria:Communications
Telephones: 541,465 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel
Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 3.392 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 17
Televisions: 700,000 (1993 est.)
@Syria:Transportation
Railways: total : 1,998 km broad gauge: 1,766 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 232 km 1.050-m gauge
Highways: total: 39,243 km paved : 27,862 km (including 850 km of expressways) unpaved: 11,381 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 870 km; minimal economic importance
Pipelines: crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km
Ports and harbors: Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus
Merchant marine: total: 125 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 381,408 GRT/565,225 DWT ships by type: bulk 12, cargo 109, livestock carrier 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 99 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 84 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m : 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 62 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m : 2 914 to 1,523 m: 13 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force, Syrian Arab Air Defense Forces, Police and Security Force
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,742,851 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 2,095,933 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 170,328 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $875 million (1994 est.); note - based on official budget data that understate actual spending
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 8% (1994 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; Hatay question with Turkey; dispute with upstream riparian Turkey over Turkish water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976
Illicit drugs: a transit point for Lebanese and Turkish refined cocaine going to Europe and heroin and hashish bound for regional and Western markets ______________________________________________________________________
TAJIKISTAN
Introduction