Damascus, (SANA) – The number of Syrians registered in the records of civil affairs at the beginning of 2009 amounted to 23.027 million, 11.567 of them males and 11.460 females. According to the data of the Central Census Bureau, residents in Syria in the beginning of January 2009 amounted to 19.880 million, 10.162 million of them males and 9.718 females, while residents at the end of the same year were estimated at 20.367 million, with 10.408 males and 9.959 females. According to the same data, Arabs coming to Syria in 2008 amounted to 4.475 million compared to 4.731 million in 2007, with foreigners coming to Syria amounting to 1.516 in 2007 compared to 1.272 million in 2008.

Regarding transport, transport vehicles in Syria amounted to 1.537 million consisting of 95,827 public transport cars, 436,363 privately-owned cars, 19,668 governmental cars, and 551,858 tourist cars.

In the health sector, hospitals amounted to 482 hospitals 30,210 beds. The governmental hospitals amounted to 117 with 21,849 beds, with 365 private hospitals containing 8,361 beds.

Higher education students in Syrian universities in 2008 amounted to 12,330 students, with 2,944 diploma students, 8,663 master's degree students, 724 doctorate students, 205 parallel education diploma students, and 348 parallel education master's degree students.

College graduates amounted to 2,648, 1,374 of them graduating with diplomas, 1,148 graduating with master's degrees and 127 with doctorates.

Two weeks ago, the Central Census Bureau issued its statistics for 2008, and is working to produce annual statistics that cover all statistical information and indicators in the country. The Bureau is the only national agency authorized to produce statistics, and no other agency may conduct statistics or surveys without the Bureau's permission and supervision.

Sana

RH