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Syria The People
Syria
with a population of 17 million, has one of the world's fastest
population growth rates in the world. Almost half of
all Syrians are under the age of fifteen. Syrians are well
educated by Middle Eastern standards and great strides have been
made in reducing illiteracy, especially in urban areas and among
females. Over fifty percent of the population live in cities
and urban migration has been rapid in recent years.
Arabic is the first language of 85 - 90 percent of the
population. As for foreign languages, the older generation
often speaks some French, while English is widely understood
among the younger and middle-aged groups.
Around 25 percent of Syria's population are estimated to be
economically active, creating a labor force of 3.75 million
people in 1996. Fifty percent of the total workforce is
employed in urban areas. Only 11 percent of the urban
workforce are women, compared to around 22 percent in Syria's
smaller towns and villages.. |
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