Faculty of Economic Sciences, Hyperion University, Bucharest, Romania
Abstract
This study attempts to investigate the role of trade openness,
investment and population in the Syrian economy over the period 1980-2010. The
cointegration test indicates that GDP is positively and significantly related to the trade
openness, investment and population. The Granger causality test indicates bidirectional
short-run causality relationships between trade openness, investment, population and
GDP. There are also bidirectional long-run causality relationships between investment,
population and GDP, and unidirectional long-run causality relationship running from
trade openness to GDP. The study result indicates that population has the biggest effect
on the GDP, thus we suggest improving the quality of the human capital in the country,
as well as improving the investment and opening up the Syrian economy to foreign
trade
