Leader: President Bashar al-Asad
Population: 16,728,808
Size: 71,500 square miles -- slightly larger than North Dakota
Infant mortality rate: 33.8/1,000 births
Life expectancy: 68.77 years
Religions: Sunni Muslim 74%; Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%; Christian (various sects) 10%; some Jewish
GDP: $50.9 billion/$3,100 per capita
Defense: 7.3% of GDP/ 320,000 active troops