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How Saudi Arabia and Syria Gained Their Independence

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How Saudi Arabia and Syria Gained Their Independence

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SAUDI ARABIA: Abdulaziz Ibn Saud unified the kingdoms of the Hejaz and Najd united to form one country called Saudi Arabia on September 23, 1932. At that point in time, Saudi Arabia was an absolute monarchy. Saudi Arabia was eventually, in September, recognized by the League of Nations but did not join.
https://www.britannica.com/place/Saudi-Arabia/The-Kingdom-of-Saudi-Arabia

SYRIA: Since events have been recorded on paper, Syria has been under someone else's control. First the Ottoman Empire, then the British, lastly the French. The French got control of Syria when the French and British signed the Sykes-Picot agreement, which essentially was just splitting up the Middle East. French troops landed on Syrian shores in 1920. Many revolts and raids took place while the French occupied Syria. Finally, in 1936 France gave Syria PARTIAL FREEDOM. But they still had French troops in Syria to "influence Syrian policies". Once again the Syrians wanted their rightful independence, this was during WWII. Britain and France promised full independence AFTER the war. Britain and France did not keep that promise. Syrians protested this and on May 29, 1945, French planes attacked the Syrian Parliament in Damascus. Syria went to the League of Nations Security Council and requested that French troops leave Syria and demanded independence. The French obeyed the orders and Syria gained their independence on April 17, 1946.
http://www.syrian-friendship-association.org/Brief_History_of_Syria/Brief_History_of_Syria.html

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-Syria's capital, Damascus, is mentioned in the Bible!

-The 2 stars on the Syrian flag is to represent the union between Syria and Egypt.

-In 2015 the U.S. completed a total of over 9,000 airstrikes on Syria over the years. (So, not counting President Trump's recent airstrike)
http://thefactfile.org/interesting-facts-syria/

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The Diplomatic Relationship between Saudi Arabia and Syria with the United States

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The Diplomatic Relationship between Saudi Arabia and Syria with the United States

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SYRIA:
-Syria: From 1990-2001 the United States and Syria tolerated each other but as tensions with Iraq rose, the relationship with Syria and the United States fell apart due to Syria's sympathy for Iraq.

- 2003-2009 the U.S. became increasingly concerned with the Syrian Government's failure to prevent Syria from being a transit port for fighters entering Iraq and supporting Saddam Hussein's regime and its mutineers of Iraq,  its interference in the Lebanese affairs, the support of the Palestinian rejectionist groups in Damascus AND the pursuit of weapons that would endanger the lives of many people.

- These disagreements all lead up to Syrian students writing "Down with the regime" on a wall in Syria in March of 2011. The Syrian government's reaction sparked outrage with the Syrian people leading to a 3-year conflict taking 146,000 lives.
https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3580.htm

- Since then the terrorist group called ISIS has been a problem for Syria. Recently there has been a chemical attack in Syria. Some say that the arsenal that the bomb was dropped on contained chemical weapons. Others say the bomb itself (dropped by Syria) contained the chemicals. Russian officials, who Syria is working with, claim that the bombs contained the chemicals. But allegations question Russia's credibility. But the attack regardless was to kill the terrorist that had taken the city that was later bombed, which means Syrian officials knew that the bomb would kill some innocent citizens. People as far as the Turkish border had symptoms like those of the people affected by the bomb (constricted pupils, foaming at the mouth, vomiting, asphyxiation). The United States have since harshly criticized the Syrian government.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-39500947

SAUDI ARABIA:
-Saudi Arabia and the U.S. have had a long diplomatic relationship since 1940.

-Saudi Arabia has a large oil reserve so the U.S. keep them close for resources. Saudi Arabia and the U.S. also share some ideas and how the Middle East should be run, as in how peace should be kept. Saudi Arabia is the great peacekeeper of the Middle East. The U.S. and the Middle East also work together to take down terrorist groups in the Middle East.
https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3584.htm
-Now, the Trump Administration is trying to pass a Weapons Deal with Saudi Arabia to assist in the fight against terrorist groups. Although it should be noted that Barack Obama, before leaving office, denied the deal because of some human rights concerns.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-state-department-saudi-arabia-arms-sales-yemen-air-strikes-barack-obama-block-weapons-a7620821.html

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Resolution to Block Saudi Weapons Deal Introduced in Senate

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A month after the Pentagon announced a billion dollar weapons deal with Saudi Arabia, lawmakers are pushing back. One America's Trey Yingst has more on the efforts being made in Washington to block that deal.

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Things women in the Saudi Arabia cannot do:
1. Drive a car
- there is not a law preventing women from driving but it is considered a great sin. Then that runs the risk of that woman being publicly beaten by her husband, father or a religious figure.

2. Interact with men
- Saudi Arabia is the most gender segregated nation. This means that women cannot go anywhere without a male escort and if a woman is caught talking to a male that is not of her family or her husband can be again publicly beaten.

3. Compete in Sports
- In the 2012 Summer Olympics, the first woman from Saudi Arabia competed in the Olympics. When she returned, religious men of Islam called he a "prostitute" for attending the games. (even though she wore a hijab during her entire time there)

There are MANY other things women in Saudi Arabia cannot do besides these.
http://www.theweek.co.uk/60339/nine-things-women-cant-do-in-saudi-arabia

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Syrian Chemical Attack: President Trump's Response 

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Syrian Chemical Attack: President Trump's Response 

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Syria launched a Chemical attack on April 4, 2017, on a "rebel town" called Khan Sheikhoun (north-western Syria). In response, President Trump launched a missile strike on the Syrian Airbase where the chemical bomb came from. President Trump later that night made this statement to the press.

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More Important Information on Saudi Arabia 

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More Important Information on Saudi Arabia 

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Islam:
-Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of the Islam religion. If you are not of the Islam religion you cannot step foot on the sacred grounds surrounding the shrines and sacred or holy places that Islamists worship.

Important Holy Landmarks:
-The Sacred Mosque (in Mecca)
- Mosque of the Prophet (in Medina)

Oil:
-Saudi Arabia has the largest repository of petroleum. Petroleum is a mixture of hydrocarbons that is present in a certain rock that can then be refined to fuels. So, this means that Saudi Arabia is the largest oil/fuel producer in the world as well.
http://www.mideastweb.org/arabiahistory.htm

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Statistics 2017
Population: 31.4 million
GDP: 1.7 trillion
3.4% Growth
Unemployment: 5.8%
Inflation: 2.2%
Average Income: $24, 891 (US Dollars)
Sources:
http://www.averagesalarysurvey.com/saudi-arabia
http://www.heritage.org/index/country/saudiarabia
Gross Domestic Product: 1990-2014 (In Billions/US Dollars)
1990-1996: 135
1997-2004: 187.5
2005-2015: 613
2016:N/A
Sources:
http://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Saudi-Arabia/GDP_current_USD/
Saudi Arabia Economy (Imports/Exports/Trade Partners/More)
Exports: top exports of Saudi Arabia are Crude Petroleum, Refined Petroleum, Ethylene Polymers , Propylene Polymers and Ethers.  Imports:Cars, Gold, Broadcasting Equipment  Packaged Medicaments and Delivery Trucks
Trade Partners: China, United States, India, South Korea, Other Asia, Germany , and the United Arab Emirates
How It Makes Money
Saudi Arabia's makes a lot of its money through oil and sector services(mining, farming, industry, etc.).Saudi arabia is also one of the biggest exporters of Petroleum. It makes a the majority of the country's overall earnings.
Sources:
https://www.forbes.com/places/saudi-arabia/
http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/sau/

Saudi Arabian Education
Spendings:
1990:N/A
1991-1997:5.49
1998-2005: 6.9
2006: 5.89
2007:N/A
2008:5.13
2009-2014: N/A
2015: $57.9 billion (US Dollars)
2016:N/A
Cuts In Saudi AraBian Health Care

The Saudi Arabian Government has cut their health care budget from
about 4 billion dollars to 2.5 billion dollars. A possible reason for these cuts is for the improvement of Saudi Arabia domestic healthcare system. This will decline the amount  infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. The good news is that now private health investors now have a possibility to make up for those cuts and possibly improve the Saudi Arabian healthcare.
Health spending as percent of GDP
1990-1995: N/A
1996-2003: 3.31
2004-2009:3.5
2010-2014:3.97
2015:N/A
2016: 2.5 billion

Sources:
http://www.thenational.ae/business/economy/saudi-government-healthcare-projects-hit-by-budget-cuts
http://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Saudi-Arabia/Health_spending_as_percent_of_GDP/

Public spending on education, percent of GDP
1990: N/A
1991-1996: 5.68
1997-2003: 6.94
2004-2009: 5.16
2010-2013: 4.57
2014-2015: N/A
2016: 51 Billion
Sources:
http://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Saudi-Arabia/Education_spending/
http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS
https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/saudi-arabias-economic-time-bomb/
Syrian education has 3 levels. Primary school that starts at 1st grade to 6th grade (which is mandatory), Secondary school which is 7th to 9th grade, Vocational School, and Tertiary school.

Saudi Arabian schools are doing very well. Their enrollment rate are very high for all levels of schooling. Primary school is also free is children can get their basic education. Also religion is embroidered into their education. Boys are trained religion clergy or Ulema.
Source: http://www.classbase.com/countries/saudi-arabia/education-system
http://wenr.wes.org/2001/11/wenr-nov-dec-2001-education-in-saudi-arabia

D. Military
Military expenditure (% of GDP)

Averages
1990-1997: 2.64
1998-2005: 2.27
2006-2015: 2.11
Saudi Arabia is 3rd for most military spendings. One reason for this is because of the Yemen civil war. They have lost money to buy weapons for their military because of oil prices dropping.
Source:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/04/05/saudi-arabia-passes-russia-as-worlds-third-biggest-military-spender/?utm_term=.f27bbdf79ad3

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http://bti2003.bertelsmann-transformation-index.de/135.0.html?&L=1
http://www.jcpa.org/jl/vp365.htm
https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3580.htm
http://www.cfr.org/saudi-arabia/us-saudi-relations/p36524
http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/gcc/publication/saudi-arabias-economic-outlook-fall-2016
https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3584.htm
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-state-department-saudi-arabia-arms-sales-yemen-air-strikes-barack-obama-block-weapons-a7620821.html
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-39500947
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/king-abdullah-bin-abdulaziz-dead-what-did-he-do-for-saudi-arabia-9997573.html

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The Political Status of Syria and Saudi Arabia 

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The Political Status of Syria and Saudi Arabia 

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SYRIA:
-The Syrian government is called the Syrian Arab Republic
-Their constitution was adopted in 1973 which states the basic functions of the state's government and its structure
-Also, states that Syria is a republic under the Authoritarian Presidential rule
-Some of the other topics on the constitution includes rights, freedoms, and the rule of the law
https://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/syria/government
-Hafiz al- Asad gained power with his regime in 1963.
-They have been ruling Syria ever since 1963.
-Asad's regime was conflicted with Islamists political groups reforms.   -He helped bring their military stronger and made the image of Syria strong.
-He was known as being very ruthless by executing whoever was against him.
-Hafez al-Assad was the President of Syria until he died in 2000.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hafiz-al-Assad
-His son, Bashar al-Assad, took control in 2000.
-Bashar kept too many of his father's methods.
-He rejected Western-style democracy as an appropriate model for Syrian politics
-He slightly loosened government restrictions on freedom of expression and the press and released several political prisoners
-He worsened the relations with the United States when he denounced the USA.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bashar-al-Assad
SAUDI ARABIA:
-The Saudi Arabia's government is called the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
-Saudi Arabia is absolute monarchy
-They do not have any constitution written up
-They do have the Basic Law of Saudi Arabia which was adopted in by a royal decree in 1992
https://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/saudi-arabia/government
-King Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was elected as King of Saudi Arabia in 1921 and ruled until he died in 2005.
-During his reign, he pronounced four new government systems:
-The Basic Government System, The Al Shoura Council System, The -Provincial System, and The Council of Ministers System.
-He was the best at international diplomacy
-He was able to deploy the status and the resources of the kingdom
http://www.mofa.gov.sa/sites/mofaen/ServicesAndInformation/aboutKingDom/SaudiArabiaKings/Pages/KingFahadAbulAziz.aspx
-King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud came into power in 2005.
-He helped create the Allegiance Authority which is a committee of princes who vote on the eligibility of future monarchs and crown princes
-He also got Saudi Arabia to join the World Trade Organization
-He helped women to gain more freedom and rights
-Appoints the first 30 women to the Shura Council
http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/28/world/meast/king-abdullah-bin-abdulaziz-al-saud---fast-facts/
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/king-abdullah-bin-abdulaziz-dead-what-did-he-do-for-saudi-arabia-9997573.html

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Syria
Syrian Economy Stats in 2017:
-Population: 16.8 million
-GDP: 68.0 billion, -4.8% growth
-Inflation: 29.6%
-Average Income (US Dollars): $3,605
Sources:
http://www.heritage.org/index/country
http://www.averagesalarysurvey.com
Syrian Economic GDP from 1990 to 2016 (All in Millions/US Dollars)
1990-1995 Average: 14.75
1996-2000 Average: 15.73
2001-2008 Average: 30.59
2009: N/A
2010: 59.15
2011: N/A
2012-2015: N/A
2016: N/A
2017: 68 Million

Syrian Economy (Imports/Exports/Trading partners/More)
Trade Partners: Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia,  India, Turkey, China, South Korea, and Russia
Exports: Spice Seeds, Apples and Pears, Calcium Phosphates, Refined Copper, and Other Nuts, crude oil, refined products, raw cotton, clothing, fruits, and grains.
Imports: Seed Oils, Wheat, Flours,  Wheat,  Delivery Trucks,  and Cars
Syria has to import many raw products to sustain their industries. One of their major sources of income comes from their petroleum.

Sources:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/syria/economy.htm
http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/syr/#Imports

Syrian Civil War Effects on Economy
Syria's economy has been suffering very badly from their civil war. The fighting has destroyed and damaged many factories, businesses, and corporations. This has reduced Syria GDP (the amount of money that the country makes) by a significant rate. There has also been a large inflation rate in Syria which is about 30%. The prices at Syrian stores and markets have doubled or tripled. This makes it hard for people to buy basic and needed goods. This simply adds to their struggle because their yearly income is already very low. Syrians are known shop at government store where prices are still high but not as high as the stores and markets are.
Sources:
Youtube: Title of video- "Syria economy sinking since war began"

Syria (in 2016) lost a total of $275 billions of dollars. It is estimated that if the civil war continues to 2020 they will lose about 1.3 trillion dollars. They the war has also changed how they spend their money. They have spent about 140,000 million dollars on health care, about 70,000 million on education, and about 450,000 on energy. With the statistics, you can see Syria's main focus isn't on health or education but, on energy. Which we can assume isn't going to be mainly for the Syrian people but mainly on the war.
Sources:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/12146082/What-has-been-the-real-cost-of-Syrias-civil-war.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/syria-war-after-five-years-1.3489326

Syrian Spendings

A. Education
201 technical/intermediate institutes

20 private universities

7 public universities

6 higher institutes

Sources: http://wenr.wes.org/2016/04/education-in-syria

Syrian Education (How it Works)
All Syrian citizens are required to achieve an education of 9 years which is 1st to 9th grade. Then there is secondary education that is 3 years from 10th to 12th grade. Finally, there is a Vocational education Syrian people can get which is 3 years and is open to people but, you have to complete 9th grade.

How much does Syria but into their education?

Syria's education system is not the best one out there.  It has suffered a lot from their civil war. These are some basic facts about their education. From these facts you can see the government in Syria doesn't focus much on education.
Enrollment Rate (Primary School)
1990-2000: 94%
2001-2013: 91%
2014-2015: N/A
2016: 93%
Public spending on education, percent of GDP
1990-1995: N/A
1996: 3.7%
1997-2000: N/A
2001-2004: 5.31%
2005: N/A
2006-2009: 4.98%
2010-2015: N/A
2016: 6.1 million

Sources:
http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.PRM.NENR?end=2013&locations=SY&start=1990
http://wenr.wes.org/2016/04/education-in-syria
https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2016/02/03/syria-education/

B. Health/Poverty Rate

Syrian health and poverty rate have been affected tremendously since their civil war. Twelve million people have been affected by job losses in 2015. In 2010 the poverty rate was at 28% but now is at a total of 83% since 2015. In 2015 have the country about 13.5 million people were in need of aid and 12.5 million where in of sanitation and water. Hospitals have also been targeted too. About 55 out of 165 hospitals in Syria have been destroyed and 11% have been damaged. The economy's GDP has also been affected as well. It has been decreased by 55% between the years 2011 and 2015. . This conflict in Syria has severely damaged its people and economy.

Health spending as percent of GDP:
1990-1994: N/A
1996-2000: 5.26%
2001-2006:  4.55%
2007-2014: 3.36%
2015: N/A
2016:$6.1 million
Sources:
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/more-80-syrians-living-below-poverty-line-un-report-says-1557668
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/12/syrias-war-80-in-poverty-life-expectancy-cut-by-20-years-200bn-lost
https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2016/02/03/syria-education/
http://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Syria/Health_spending_as_percent
_of_GDP/

C. Syrian Military Spendings

1990-1995: 7.97%
1996-2000: 6.9%
2001-2007: 5.11%
2008-2016:N/A

Information about military
Syria has spends a lot of money on their military,(mostly for defense). The reason this is because of terrorism and their current civil war. Since they put so much into their military the budgets for other things like education and healthcare are very low.
Sources:
http://www.multpl.com/syria-military-spending/table/by-year