Facts and Figures

Capital: Damascus Population (2011): 20.8 million Area: 185,180 sq km Major Language: Arabic Currency: Syrian Pound (SYP) GDP per Capita PPP (2010): USD 5,285 HDI Rank (2011): 119 of 187 Remittances (2011 estimate): USD 1,574 million Net Migration Rate (2010-2015): -5.1 migrants /1,000 population Immigrants (2010): 9.8% Women as a Percentage of Immigrants (2010): 49% Population under 15 (2011): 36.2% Adult HIV Prevalence (2009): not available

Sources and Definitions More Facts and Figures Population Growth Rate (2005-2010): 3.26% Urban Population (2010): 54.9% Life expectancy (2005-2010): 74.1% years; Male, 72.3 years; Female 76.1 years Adult Literacy Rate (2007 estimates): 83.1%; Female 76.5%, Male 89.7% Youth Literacy Rate (2007 estimates): 93.7%; Female 92.0%; Male 95.4% HPI-1 Rank (2007): 56 of 182 GDI Ranking (2007): 98 of 182 GDP (current US$, 2008): USD 55.2 billion 1.9%

Latest News

• Iraqi Women Complete Vocational Training Courses under EU-Funded IOM Programme
• Initiative Helps Vulnerable Iraqi Female-Headed Households and Victims of Trafficking in Syria
• Assistance to Iraqi-Female Headed Households and Victims of Trafficking
• IOM Director General Addresses OIC's Council of Foreign Ministers in Damascus

Overview

Syria continues to host the largest externally displaced Iraqi population in the region. A vast number remain in need of urgent assistance; their economic and social situation may be steadily worsening as existing resources are incrementally depleted, remittances are reduced and opportunities for lawful employment remain limited.

In parallel, Syria is currently witnessing the impact of a drought (linked to climate change), which has affected the country since 2006. In particular, over the past six months, internal migration has increased dramatically due to a loss of livelihoods. Estimates of the total magnitude of this phenomenon range from 40,000 to 60,000 families. Such population movements, coupled with existing pressures on key infrastructure stemming from the prolonged residence of a large Iraqi community in Syria, may severely affect social stability in the long run, hinder development in various ways, and exacerbate challenges associated with irregular migration.

In Damascus, IOM continues to work in partnership with the Syrian government, UN agencies and civil society to respond effectively to emerging migration-related issues – particularly in the fields of emergency and post-crisis migration management and regulating migration. IOM is also supporting relevant government entities to build a comprehensive policy framework for effective migration management.

Movement, Emergency and Post-crisis Migration Management

IOM continues to assist refugees resettling to the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Sweden and some Scandinavian countries. This activity also includes family reunification.

IOM Damascus has assisted the movement of more than 27,000 refugees in Syria since 2006 – majority of who are from Iraq – to 13 resettlement countries. IOM's role includes coordination, health assessment, treatment, cultural orientation, providing ground transportation and air transportation to the refugees’ final destination, providing escorts and airport assistance at the ports of departure, transit and arrival.

Main Project

• Movement under the United States Refugee Programme, Australia, Canada, Sweden and other Scandinavian countries for refugees and family reunification

Regulating Migration

Counter-Trafficking. IOM supported the Syrian Government in developing a counter-trafficking legislation which was issued on January 2010 as Legislative Decree Number 3 for 2010. The goal of IOM's work in counter-trafficking is to create the most effective legal grounds to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement officials in Syria for protecting and assisting victims of trafficking, combating the phenomenon, prosecuting the traffickers and guaranteeing criminalization of trafficking in human beings through the penal law as well as through new anti-trafficking legislation.

Technical Cooperation and Capacity Building. Another project aims at improving the migration management of the Syrian authorities by strengthening the existing border management capacity of the Ministry of Interior in its leading role of combating irregular migration. IOM Syria is currently working to launch the third phase of a capacity building on border management project.

Creating a migration policy framework is another area where IOM is supporting the Syrian Government through capacity building on migration management.

Main Projects

• Capacity Building on Identifying and Assessing Human Trafficking and Providing Protection to Victims of Trafficking in Syria
• Capacity Building for Border Control Management
• Assistance to Iraqi Female-headed Families and Victims of Trafficking

Last updated:
Main text: August 2010
Facts and figures: April 2012