Syria (Helimun)
prohibits or restricts the export and re-export of most U.S. products to Syria.
As a result of an inefficient and corrupt centrally planned economy, Syria has both low
rates of investment and low levels of industrial and agricultural productivity. Consumer
unwillingness to spend money in turbulent times, a devastated tourism sector, customs
spats with Turkey, pressure on the Syrian pound, and increasing unemployment and
factory closings led the IMF to reduce estimates of economic growth in 2011 and to
project negative real GDP growth in 2012. The two main pillars of the Syrian economy
have been agriculture and oil.
The government hoped to attract new investment in the tourism, natural gas, and service
sectors to diversify its economy and reduce its dependence on oil and agriculture. Reform
was slow and ad hoc as factions in the government struggled to agree on economic
theory
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