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The Syrian Arab Republic is a country in Southwest
Asia, and the Middle East, bordering (from south to north) on Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey. The border
with Israel is subject to dispute, pending the resolution of outstanding conflicts over possession of the Golan Heights.
The name Syria comes from the ancient Greek name for
the lands at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea between
Egypt and Arabia to the south and Cilicia to the north, stretching inland to include Mesopotamia, and having an uncertain border to the northeast that Pliny the Elder describes as including from west to east Commagene, Sophene, and
Adiabene, "formerly known as Assyria" (N.H. 5.66). By Pliny's time, however, this larger Syria had been divided into a number of
smaller regions: Palestine in the extreme southwest, then Judea, Phoenicia along the coast, with Damascena to the inland
side of Phoenicia, Coele-Syria (or
"Hollow Syria") north of the Eleutheris river, and Mesopotamia.
History
Main article: History of Syria
Syria has been the cradle of some of the world's oldest civilizations, and has been part of the Hittite, Assyrian, Babylonian, Egyptian, Persian,
Greek and Phoenician empires, before
becoming part of the (Eastern) Roman Empire.
Having been a cradle of Christianity, with the expansion of Islam in the Middle East in the 7th century,
Syria became one of the centres of the new religion. After invasions by the Seljuk Turks and the Crusades, Syria came under Arab control until
1516, when it was conquered by the Ottomans.
Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Syria was
administered by France as a League of Nations Mandated Territory - the French had proclaimed themselves protectors of the region as
early as the 18th century. The country was liberated from the Vichy government, and independence was declared in 1944, although foreign troops remained until 1946. Syria was a charter member of
the United Nations.
In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria
lost the Golan Heights to Israel. Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon[1] , ostensibly in a peacekeeping capacity.
In recent years, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan Heights.
Long regarded as a state sponsor of terrorism by the United States of America and other Western countries - one of several states in the so-called
"Axis of Evil" - Syria became the target of limited American sanctions
signed into law by US President George W. Bush in 2004.
Politics
Main article: Politics of Syria
While nominally a democratic republic, Syria has been led by a military regime since a 1963 coup by the Baath
Party. This party holds a two-thirds majority in the Syrian parliament (which has 250 seats), while the remainder is occupied
by independent representatives. The country has been under a state
of emergency laws since 1963.
The head of state is president Bashar al-Assad, the son of
president Hafez al-Assad, who led the country from 1971 until his death
in 2000. The president appoints a council of ministers and a prime minister, who together form the executive branch of the Syrian
government.
Provinces
Main article: Provinces of Syria
Syria has fourteen provinces, or muhafazat:
- Al Hasakah
- Al Ladhiqiyah
- Al Qunaytirah
- Ar Raqqah
- As Suwayda
- Dara
- Dayr az Zawr
- Dimashq
- Halab
- Hamah
- Hims
- Idlib
- Rif Dimashq
- Tartus
Geography
Main article: Geography of Syria
Syria consists mostly of arid plateau, although there is a small strip with plain along the coast line with the Mediterranean. The Euphrates,
Syria's most important river, crosses the country in the east. It is considered to be one of the fifteen states that comprise the
so-called "Cradle of Humanity."
Major cities include the capital Damascus in the southwest, Aleppo in the north, and Homs. Most of the other
important cities are located along the coast line. (See also List of cities in Syria.)
The climate in Syria is dry and hot, although winters are mild. Because of the country's elevation, snowfall does also occur
occasionally during winter.
Economy
Main article: Economy of Syria
Syria's predominantly statist economy has been growing, on average, more slowly than its 2.4% annual population growth rate,
causing a persistent decline in per capita GDP. Recent
legislation allows private banks to operate in Syria, although a private banking sector will take years and further government
cooperation to develop. External factors such as the international war
on terrorism, the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, and the war between the US-led coalition and Iraq probably will drive
real annual GDP growth levels back below their 3.5% spike in 2002. A long-run economic constraint is the pressure on water
supplies caused by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution.
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Syria
Most of the Syrian population (90%) is of Arabic ethnicity, but there are sizeable
Kurdish and Armenian minorities. This is
also reflected in the languages spoken; Arabic is the official
language, but Kurdish, Turkish, and Armenian are spoken by the
minorities. Syriac is still used, mostly within the Syrian Orthodox Church. In addition, Circassian is also spoken.
Most Arabs in Syria are Muslim. Sunni
Muslims make up about 74% of the population, with other Muslim sects (mainly Druze and
Alawite) comprising 16%. The remainder are mostly Christian, although there is a small Jewish community.
Culture
Main article: Culture
of Syria
Miscellaneous topics
External Links
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