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	Syria		Info-Prod Country Guide
CHARACTERISTICS   INDICATORS   THE ECONOMY   PRINCIPAL SECTORS   PROJECTS   PROSPECTS

Principal Economic Sectors Industry Syrian manufacturing industries began to grow substantially in the 1960s. The government encouraged industrialization by raising tariffs on imported consumer goods and by providing tax exemptions and credit for domestic industries. Textiles constitute the largest manufacturing industry in Syria. Other industries include petrochemicals, fertilizers, cement, soap, glass, food processing, sugar processing, tobacco, iron and steel, tanning and vegetable oil. Agriculture Despite climatic handicaps, Syria produces a wide variety of crops, some in sufficient quantity for export. The major crops are cereals, primarily wheat and barley, cotton, tobacco, grapes, olives, citrus fruits and vegetables. Agricultural land is privately owned for the most part. Tourism The tourism sector in Syria has developed slowly, partly because of ambivalence on the part of the government, which is hesitant about permitting a massive influx of foreign visitors, and partly because Syria's image abroad has deterred would-be tourists. Since 1992, receipts from tourism jumped sharply to US$ 60 million. In 1995, the number of tourists visiting Syria was about two million, most of them from Arab countries. By the year 2000, the Syrian government anticipates an increase in the number of tourists to six million, but this is not realistic without a peace agreement with Israel. Previous Chapter Contents Menu Next Chapter

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