According to eningbo, Syrian Arab Republic, commonly known as Syria, is a country located in the Middle East. It is bordered by Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey. In 2012, Syria was home to approximately 22 million people from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. The official language of Syria was Arabic and the main religions were Islam (Sunni majority) and Christianity. In 2012, Syria was ruled by President Bashar al-Assad who had been in power since 2000. His regime was considered autocratic and oppressive with a long history of human rights abuses. Political dissent was not tolerated under his rule and many citizens lived in fear that they would be arrested or worse if they spoke out against the government. The economy of Syria in 2012 was largely dependent on oil exports which made up around 30% of its GDP. Agriculture also contributed significantly to the economy but there were no major industries other than oil production and processing. In terms of infrastructure, there were limited roads and railways connecting major cities with rural areas remaining largely isolated from the rest of the country. In terms of education, primary schooling was free for all citizens but secondary education remained largely unaffordable for many families due to high tuition fees. As a result, illiteracy rates were high among adults especially in rural areas where access to educational resources was limited or nonexistent. Health care services were also limited with only basic medical facilities available in most parts of Syria; hospitals were poorly equipped and lacked adequate supplies for treating patients with serious illnesses or injuries due to a lack of funding from the government as well as international sanctions imposed on the country by other countries such as the United States and European Union. Overall, life in Syria during 2012 was difficult for many citizens who faced poverty, lack of access to basic services such as health care and education as well as repression by an oppressive regime that had little regard for human rights or civil liberties. Syria in 2015 was a Middle Eastern country located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It had a population of approximately 22 million people and its official language was Arabic. The population of Syria was largely homogenous with the majority of the population being descended from Arab peoples, although there were also significant numbers of Kurds, Assyrians, Armenians, and other minorities living in Syria as well. In 2015, Syria had a unitary republic headed by President Bashar al-Assad who held executive power over the country’s government. This meant that democracy was weak in Syria and citizens enjoyed limited civil liberties such as speech and religion, freedom to form political parties, and various social welfare programs to provide for their basic needs. The economy of Syria in 2015 was largely dependent on petroleum production as well as other commodities such as cotton and wheat. The currency used by Syrian citizens at this time was the Syrian Pound which had been unstable since its introduction in 1945 making it difficult for people to purchase imported goods or travel abroad. In addition to this, the Syrian government also provided limited social welfare benefits to its citizens including healthcare services and education but unemployment benefits were almost non-existent for those out of work.  Check computerannals for Syria in 2003.