Animal Info - Syria

Threatened Species, Environmental and Social Data (Mammals, Biodiversity/Ecosystems, Population, Area/Land Use, Economy, Education), References and Links

Threatened Species

Threatened Species: The following list includes all mammals which occur in Syria and are rated as Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN) or Vulnerable (VU) in the 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals.

Critically Endangered:
- Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus).
Endangered:
- Arabian Oryx (Oryx leucoryx).
- Golden Hamster (Mesocricetus auratus). (Endemic to Syria.)
- Nubian Ibex (Capra nubiana).
Vulnerable:
- Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra).
- Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus euryale).
- Wild Goat (Capra aegagrus).

Environmental and Social Data

Mammals

Total number of species: 63 (Groombridge & Jenkins 1994)
Number of endemic species: 2 (Groombridge & Jenkins 1994)
Number of threatened species: 1996: 4 (6 % of total species) (IUCN 1996); 2000: 7 (11 % of total species) (IUCN 2000) 7

Biodiversity/Ecosystems

Syria contains portions of the Mediterranean Shrublands & Woodlands Global 200 Ecoregion (Olson & Dinerstein 1998, Olson & Dinerstein 1999)
Syria contains portions of the Eastern Mediterranean Global Biodiversity Hotspot (Cons. Intl. 1999a)

Population

Population in 1995: 14,661,000 (Natl. Geog. Soc. 1995)
Population density in 1995: 79.7 people/sq km (206.4 people/sq mi) (Natl. Geog. Soc. 1995)
Population in 1998: 16,673,282 (World Almanac 1999)
Average population growth rate, 1980 - 1990: 3.6 % (World Bank 1992)

Area/Land Use

Area: 184,003 sq km (71,044 sq mi) (Natl. Geog. Soc. 1995)
Percentages of primary world ecosystem types:

Desert and Semi-desert: 18 %
Grass and Shrub: 41 %
Crop and Settlements: 36 %
Interrupted Woods: 3 %
Major Forests: 1 %

(Groombridge 1992)

Percent of land area classified as the following degree of human disturbance: Low: 9 %, Medium: 69 %, High: 22 % (WRI 1994)

Economy

Per capita GNP ($ U.S.) (1991): $1,141 (WRI 1994)
Per capita GDP ($ U.S.) (1996): $6,300 (World Almanac 1999)

Education

Percent of females in secondary education (1989): 45 % (World Bank 1992)
Percent adult literacy: Female: 51 % (1990), 20 % (1970); Male: 78 % (1990), 60 % (1970) (WRI 1994)

References and Links

References: Cons. Intl. 1999a, Groombridge 1992, Groombridge & Jenkins 1994, IUCN 1994, IUCN 1996, IUCN 2000, IUCN 2004, Natl. Geog. Soc. 1995, Olson & Dinerstein 1998, Olson & Dinerstein 1999, World Almanac 1999, World Bank 1992, WRI 1994

General Links (After you get to one of these sites, click on the link for Syria): CIA World Factbook, Foreign Embassies of Washington, D.C., Library of Congress - Country Studies, University of Texas - Country Maps, Washington Post - Countries, World Resources Institute - Country Profiles

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Last modified: August 3, 2006;