Country Information
Founded: 1920
Independence (from French control): 1946
Land Area: 185,180 Square Kilometers (slightly larger than North Dakota)
Climate: desert with hot & dry summers to mild and rainy winters, along the coastline there is cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus.
Agricultural Land Usability: 25%
Natural Hazards: dust storms and sandstorms
Environmental issues: deforestation, overgrazing, soil erosion, desertification, water pollution both from raw sewage and petroleum resulting in an inadequate clean water supply
The People
Population: 18,881,361
Infant Mortality Rate: 29 deaths / 1000 births
Life Expectancy: 70 years
Major Diseases: no common threat
Religions: 90% Muslim, 10% Christian (tiny Jewish communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli and Aleppo)
Literacy Rate: 77% (64% among women)
Unemployment rate: 12%
Population below the UN-established Poverty Line: 20%
Special Conditions
Palestinian refugees number 432,048 and Iraqi refugees are approximately 24,000.
There are 170,000 Syrians who have been permenantly displaced from the Golan Heights area as a result of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.
Identifying the Need
Throughout Syria one finds pockets of poverty where refugees and impoverished people have congregated to try and survive.
Medical care is of a great need for these people as Syria is largely overlooked by humanitarian aid.
The immediate need is food, the refugees are receiving limited supplies and resources are not always available.
How The Zakat Foundation Has Responded
Udhiya / Qurbani Distribution
In 2006 our team from Lebanon was able to implement the distribution of much-needed Udhiya meats to the poor and needy.
