| Area |
185,180 sq km (71,498 sq miles). |
| Population |
15,597,000 (1998). |
| Capital |
Damascus. - population 1,431,821 (1998) |
| Climate |
Syria's climate is characterised by hot, dry summers and fairly cold winters. Nights are often cool. |
| Language |
Arabic, French and English. |
| Religion |
Mainly Muslim and Christian (mostly Orthodox and Catholic) with Jewish minorities. |
| Time |
GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from March 30 to September 30)
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| Highlights |
This country has a magnificent array of ancient sites and cities to visit ranging from the Mediterranean coastal regions to the desert areas in the East. Damascus, Syria's capital is the world's oldest inhabited city. A central feature of the city is the Ummayyad Mosque, which was built on the site of a temple to the ancient Aramean god Haddad. Aleppo is possibly even older than Damascus. Its massive Citadel standing on the site of a Hittite acropolis is one of the most magnificent examples of Islamic Arab military architecture in Syria. There are an impressive number of mosques in the city. One can't go to Syria without visiting the Crac des Chevaliers (Castle of the Knights), situated in the only significant break in the mountain range between Turkey and Lebanon, and is the most famous crusader castle in the world. Palmyra in the Central Region of Syria is set in a desert oasis. The ruins of the Valley of Tombs, the Hypogeum of the Three Brothers, the Temple of Baal and the Monumental Arch are considered as some of the most famous monuments to the Classical period in the Middle East. Bosra has probably the best-preserved Roman amphitheatre in the world as well as some of the oldest minarets in the whole of Islam.
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| Country Facts |
Syria is bordered by Turkey in the north, Iraq in the east, Jordan in the south and Israel and Lebanon in the southwest. North of Lebanon, Syria has a stretch of coastline on the Mediterranean. The country can be divided into four main geographical areas: the fertile plain in the northeast, the plateau, coastal and mountain areas in the west, the central plains, and the desert and steppe region in the central and southeastern areas. The Euphrates flows from Turkey in the north, through Syria down to Iraq in the southeast. It is the longest river in the region at 2330km (1450 miles), of which 600km flow through Syria. |