A Country Study: Syria

• Syria
• Foreword
• Acknowledgments
• Preface
• Country Profile - Visit updated Profile (PDF)
  • Country
  • Geography
  • Society
  • Economy
  • Transportation and Communications
  • Government and Politics
  • National Security
• Introduction

• Chapter 1 - Historical Setting (Afaf Sabeh McGowan)
  • Ancient Syria
  • Muslim Empires
    • Umayyad Caliphate
    • Succeeding Caliphates and Kingdoms
    • Ottoman Empire
  • World War I and Arab Nationalism
  • The French Mandate
  • World War II and Independence
  • After Independence
    • Shishakli Dictatorship
    • Radical Political Influence
    • United Arab Republic
    • Coups and Countercoups, 1961-70
    • Neo-Baath Dominance, 1963-66
    • The Baath Redirections of 1966 and 1970
  • The Assad Era

• Chapter 2 - The Society and Its Environment (Robert Scott Mason)
  • Geography and Population
    • Land, Water, and Climate
    • Population
    • Density, Distribution, and Settlement
    • Vital Statistics
  • The People
    • Arabs
    • Kurds
    • Armenians
    • Others
  • Structure of Society
    • Towns
    • Villages
    • Tribes
  • The Individual, the Family, and the Sexes
  • Religious Life
    • Islam
      • Sunnis
      • Shia
      • Ismailis
    • Alawis
    • Druzes
    • Christianity
    • Other Minorities
      • Jews
      • Yazidis
  • Education
  • Health

• Chapter 3 - The Economy (Rhonda E. Boris)
  • Growth and Structure of the Economy
  • Labor force
  • Role of Government
    • Budget
    • Revenues
    • Expenditures
    • Development Planning
  • Agriculture
    • Water Resources
    • Land Use
    • Land Reform
    • Role of Government in Agriculture
    • Cropping and Production
    • Animal Products
    • Agricultural Potential
  • Industry
    • Energy and Natural Resources
    • Electric Power
    • Industrial Development Policy
  • Foreign Trade
    • Imports
    • Exports
  • Balance of Payments
  • Banking and Monetary Policy
  • Transportation, Telecommunications, and Construction
  • Period of Economic Retrenchment, 1986-90

• Chapter 4 - Government and Politics (Robert Scott Mason)
  • Constitutional Framework
  • Government
    • The President and the Cabinet
    • The People's Council
    • The Judiciary
    • Local Administration
  • Political Dynamics
    • Background
    • The Baath Party Apparatus
    • The Syrian Communist Party
    • The Power Elite
    • Post-1982 Political Developments
  • Political Orientations
    • Attitudes Toward Politics, Political Parties, and Government
    • Concepts of Nationalism, Unity, and the Arab Nation
    • Attitudes Toward Foreign Ideologies and Systems
  • Foreign Policy
    • Regional Foreign Relations
      • Israel
      • Lebanon
      • Jordan
      • The Palestinians
      • Iran and Iraq
    • Syrian-United States Relations
    • Syrian-Soviet Relations

• Chapter 5 - National Security (Joshua Sinai)
  • National Security Doctrine and Concerns
  • Syria and the Middle East Conflict
    • Historical Background
    • Development of the Syrian Military
    • Syrian-Israeli Hostility
    • Syria and the Lebanese Crisis, 1975-87
    • Syrian-Iraqi Hostility
    • Syrian-Palestinian Tensions
    • Syrian-Jordanian Tensions
    • Syrian-Turkish Tensions
  • Anti-Regime Opposition Movements
    • Ideologically Based Opposition Movements
    • Ethnic and Religious Opposition Movements
  • The Regular Armed Forces
    • Size, Equipment, Command Structure and Organization
      • Army
      • Navy
      • Air Force
    • Manpower, Recruitment, and Conscription
    • Military Training
    • Conditions of Service, Morale, and Military Justice
    • Uniforms and Rank Insignia
    • Foreign Influences in the Development of the Armed Forces
    • Special and Irregular Armed Forces
      • Defense Companies (Saraya ad Difa)
      • Republican Guard
      • As Saiqa
  • Sponsorship of Terrorism
  • The Armed Forces and Society
  • Civil Police and Internal Security Apparatus
  • Crime and Punishment

• Appendix. Tables
• Bibliography
• Glossary