Syria

Syrian economic growth slowed to 1.8% in 2009 as the global economic crisis affected oil prices and the economies of Syria’s key export partners and sources of investment. Damascus has implemented modest economic reforms in the past few years, including cutting lending interest rates, opening private banks, consolidating all of the multiple exchange rates, raising prices on some subsidized items, most notably gasoline and cement, and establishing the Damascus Stock Exchange - which began operations in 2009. In addition, President ASAD signed legislative decrees to encourage corporate ownership reform, and to allow the Central Bank to issue Treasury bills and bonds for government debt. Nevertheless, the economy remains highly controlled by the government. Long-run economic constraints include declining oil production, high unemployment, rising budget deficits, and increasing pressure on water supplies caused by heavy use in agriculture, rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and water pollution.

$106.4 billion (2010 est.)

$102.4 billion (2009 est.)

$97.48 billion (2008 est.)

$59.63 billion (2010 est.)

4% (2010 est.)

5% (2009 est.)

4.3% (2008 est.)

$4,800 (2010 est.)

$4,700 (2009 est.)

$4,600 (2008 est.)

5.527 million (2010 est.)

8.3% (2010 est.)

8.5% (2009 est.)

11.9% (2006 est.)

16.6% of GDP (2010 est.)

29.8% of GDP (2010 est.)

28.1% of GDP (2009 est.)

5.9% (2010 est.)

2.6% (2009 est.)

5% (31 December 2009)

5% (31 December 2008)

10.04% (31 December 2009 est.)

10.19% (31 December 2008 est.)

$21.6 billion (31 December 2010 est)

$19.53 billion (31 December 2009 est)

$161 billion (31 December 2009)

$147.5 billion (31 December 2008)

$27.14 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$23.58 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$NA

wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk

petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining, cement, oil seeds crushing, car assembly

6% (2010 est.)

36.5 billion kWh (2007 est.)

27.35 billion kWh (2007 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

1.4 billion kWh (2007)

400,400 bbl/day (2009 est.)

252,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

155,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

58,710 bbl/day (2007 est.)

2.5 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

6.04 billion cu m (2008 est.)

6.18 billion cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

140 million cu m (2008 est.)

240.7 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

$649 million (2010 est.)

$394 million (2009 est.)

$12.84 billion (2010 est.)

$11.76 billion (2009 est.)

crude oil, minerals, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, textiles, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat

Iraq 30.22%, Lebanon 12.21%, Germany 8.89%, Egypt 6.8%, Saudi Arabia 5.04%, Italy 4.55% (2009)

$13.57 billion (2010 est.)

$12.62 billion (2009 est.)

machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical products, plastics, yarn, paper

Saudi Arabia 10.1%, China 9.95%, Turkey 6.97%, Egypt 6.44%, UAE 4.97%, Italy 4.93%, Russia 4.92%, Germany 4.38%, Lebanon 4.12% (2009)

$17.96 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$17.44 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$7.682 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$7.359 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Syrian pounds (SYP) per US dollar - 46.456 (2010), 46.7082 (2009), 46.5281 (2008), 50.0085 (2007), 51.689 (2006)