- Israel warns Syria over Lebanon (March 31, 2002)
...... - Pentagon Favors Air Strikes on Syria to Overthrow Assad, Free Lebanon (March 4, 2005)
...The Pentagon is now convinced that air strikes on Syria have become necessary to overthrow the Assad regime, liberate Lebanon and... - US Considers 'Regime Change' for Syria (September 17, 2003)
...WASHINGTON — The Bush administration named Syria and Libya yesterday as "rogue states" whose weapons of mass destruction mu... - Washington Moves Towards Imposing Sanctions Against Syria (May 1, 2004)
...The US has announced it might declare shortly imposing sanctions on Syria, according to a decision approved with the aim to punish Damascus, which W... - Beyond the Axis of Evil (May 6, 2002)
...... - Sharon Threatens to Hit Israel's Enemies Anywhere (October 7, 2003)
...te was ready to hit its enemies anywhere following an air raid deep inside Syria. Speaking at a memorial service marking the anniversary of the 1973 Mid... - Israeli Strike on Syria Sparks Emergency UN Talks (October 5, 2003)
...ncil is meeting in emergency session to discuss an Israeli air raid inside Syria. Damascus demanded the meeting, warning that Israel was threatening sec... - Senior US Official to Level Charges Against Syria (September 15, 2003)
...WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 ? The Bush administration says that despite pledges, Syria has not stopped militants from crossing into Iraq to kill American soldier... - The Untidiness of Freedom (April 23, 2003)
...d following a series of statements it made that were extremely critical of Syria and its government. The campaign was launched by Rumsfeld and his deputy,... - US Response to Israeli Attack on Syria Muted (October 5, 2003)
...The Israeli attack on an alleged terrorist camp inside Syria yesterday helped punctuate a message the Bush administration has been send... - Turkey Warns of Lengthy War Against Iraq (July 21, 2002)
...elieve that the country has little choice but to agree to U.S. action. Syria, another of Iraq's neighbors, also expressed its objection to U.S. action... - Syria Forms New Alliances (June 26, 2002)
...BEIRUT, LEBANON — Pressured by Israel and a suspicious United States, Syria is taking steps to build a loose-knit regional alliance by turning its imm... - Key Figure in Sept. 11 Plot Held in Secret Detention in Syria (June 18, 2002)
...o fled Hamburg, Germany, last October has been held in secret detention in Syria after being first arrested in Morocco and expelled to Damascus with U.S. k... - Three Top Mideast Leaders Denounce Violence (May 12, 2002)
...nian-Israeli conflict began in September 2000, the presidents of Egypt and Syria and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah held a formal meeting to discuss... - Israeli Forces Blow Up Palestinian Police Station (October 25, 2003)
...cape the area. The Netzarim attack came days after a high-level meeting in Syria between the leader of Islamic Jihad, Ramadan Shallah, and senior Hamas lea... - Al Hasakah
- Al Ladhiqiyah
- Al Qunaytirah
- Ar Raqqah
- As Suwayda
- Dara
- Dayr az Zawr
- Dimashq
- Halab
- Hamah
- Hims
- Idlib
- Rif Dimashq
- Tartus
- Communications in Syria
- Transportation in Syria
- Military of Syria
- Foreign relations of Syria
- Famous people from Syria
Syria
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Syrian Arab Republic is a country in Southwest Asia, and the Middle East, bordering on Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey.
The name Syria come sform 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.
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| National motto: None | |||||
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| Official language | Arabic | ||||
| Capital | Damascus | ||||
| President | Bashar al-Assad | ||||
| Prime Minister | Muhammad Naji al-Otari | ||||
| Area - Total - % water |
Ranked 86th 185,180 km² 0.06% |
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| Population - Total (2002) - Density |
Ranked 55th 17,585,540 93/km² |
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| Independence - Declared - Recognised |
January 1, 1944 April 17, 1946 |
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| Currency | Pound | ||||
| Time zone | UTC +2 | ||||
| National anthem | Homat el Diyar | ||||
| Internet TLD | .SY | ||||
| Calling Code | 963 | ||||
| Table of contents |
History
Main article: History of SyriaSyria 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 during World War I, Syria was administered by the French, who had already proclaimed themselves as protector of the country in the 18th century. The country was liberated from the Vichy government, and independence was declared in 1944, although foreign troops remained until 1946.
In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon, ostensibly in a peacekeeping capacity. In recent years, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan Heights.
As of 2003, Syria is regarded by the United States as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Politics
Main article: Politics of SyriaWhile nominally a democratic republic, Syria has been lead 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 lead 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 SyriaSyria has fourteen provinces, or muhafazat:
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 SyriaSyria'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 SyriaMost 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 and Armenian are spoken by the minorities. 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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