1360 STRIA
It ia estimated that in 1914 the country contained about 270,000 horses, mules, and donkeys ; cattle 500,000, sheep and goats 4,800,000, camels 200,000, valued at about 10,000,000?.
Syria is poorer in minerals than in other resources, but this may be due to insufficient exploration. Northern Lebanon has been worked for iron in ancient and modern times. At Majerba the ore is rich, and the iron good. There is a comparatively rich mine of lignite in South Lebanon. There are indications of petroleum in various places, but the attempts to work it so far have not been successful. There are indications of phosphates, lead, copper, antimony, nickel, chrome ; gypsum is widely distributed. There is abundance of marble and good building stone.
The industries of Syria are on a very small scale ; by the introduction of Western methods they might be considerably developed. Flour, oil, soap, and silk thread are the most important. Wine and tobacco are produced ; the output might be much increased.
Commerce- — Before the war the average annual trade amounted to about 3,636,0002. for exports and 6,653,000?. for imports, mainly through Alexandre tta and Beirut. The main exports from Syria (pre-war figures) are raw silk 420,000?., cocoons 292,000?., sheep, goats and cattle 260,000?., oranges and lemons 226,000?., soap 206,000?., wool 188,000?., tobacco 160,000?., sesame 126,000?. The leading imports into Syria are (1911) cotton fabrics 1,400,000?., cotton yarn 400,000?., sugar 400,000?., rice 287,000?., Hour 190,000?., coffee 105,000?., mstals and articles of metal 620,000?., engines, carriages, agricultural machines 190,000?., petroleum 215,000?., timber 12,000?. Of the exports (average 1908-13) 750,000?. went to France, 570,000?. to Egypt, about 250,000?. to the United Kingdom. Of the imports an average of 1,786,000?. came from the United Kingdom, Austria 418,000?., France 370,000?., Turkey 475,000?.
Communications. — Most of the ports of Syria are visited regularly by the steamers of various shipping companies. The total tonnage entered and cleared at the leading ports in 1913 amounted to 5,256,000 ; of this 1,150,600 tons were British, 1,087,800 Austrian, 1,049,300 Russian, 985,400 French, 620,100 Italian, 361,700 German.
Under the Turkish administration there were three classes of roads, the main roads being metalled, but rough. Syria is now comparatively well provided with railways, and new lines and branches are proposed. A line traverses the interior from north to south, with branches to the chief ports. About 190 miles of the Bagdad railway runs through Syria, and about 850 miles of other companies. Of the Hejaz railway ahout 620 miles traverse Syria.
The official currency as from May 1, 1920, is the Syrian Bank Note, issue by the Bank of Syria, under Frencli Treasury control. The monetary unit is the Syrian pound, divided into 100 piastres (1 piastre = 20 centimes).
Books of Reference.
Handbook to Syria. (Prepared by Geographical Section of the Naval Intelligence Division of the Admiralty.) London, 1921.
8yria and Palestine. (Prepared under direction of the Historical Section of the Foreign Office.) London, 1921.
Hell (Gertrude), Syria. London, 1919.
Filzner (R.), Aus kleinasien und Syrien. Rostock, 1904.
Oa«ou(E.), Asie-Mineure et 8yrle. Paris, 1909.
Mudrum (Nadra), La Syrie de Deraain. Paris, 1916.
Pirie-Qordon (H.), A Guide-book to Central Syria. Jerusalem, 1920.
Samnc (G.), I.a Syrie. Taris, 1021.
