general information
- Total Area: 185,180 sq km
- Land Area: 183,630 sq km
- Water Area: 1,550 sq km
- Climate Description: 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 in Damascus
- Terrain Description: primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west
- Arable Land Use: 25.4%
- Permanent Crop Land Use: 5.8%
- Irrigated Land: 14,280 sq km
- Total Renewable Water Resources: 7 billion cubic meters
- Total Freshwater Withdrawal: 16.8 billion cubic meters
- Per Person Freshwater Withdrawal: 380 cubic meters
- Natural Hazards Description: dust storms, sandstorms
volcanism: Syria's two historically active volcanoes, Es Safa and an unnamed volcano near the Turkish border have not erupted in centuries - Environmental Current Issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water
- Total Labor Force: 3.37 million
- % of Labor Force in Agriculture: 17%
- Agricultural Products Description: wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk