Damascus  - More than 35 per cent of Syrians live in "informal," often ramshackle houses, a new Syrian study has found.

This arrangement poses a threat to the ecology of Syria and is an impediment to the development of the country, the government's Commission for Family Affairs concluded in its study, the results of which were published in Syria's state daily Tishreen on Sunday.

Respondents told the commission that rising commodity prices, medical expenses, debt and taxes were the most serious problems they faced, and that they would need at least another 5,000 Syrian pounds (106 dollars) a month to make ends meet.

A typical Syrian household includes six people, living on an average of 15,000 Syrian pounds (318 US dollars) a month, the study found, though in some areas, such as the northeastern Syrian city of Dair al-Zur, the average is higher, with as many as 10 people living under one roof. (dpa)