Syria

Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Syria was administered by the French until independence in 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.
(Source: CIA - The World Factbook)

Syria is a member state of the League of Arab States

border countries: Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey

related countries: Egypt, France, Palestine, Saudi Arabia

Official Name:
Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah
local short form: Suriyah, Arabic: سورية‎ Sūriyya
int'l long form: Syrian Arab Republic
int'l short form: Syria
formerly: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

ISO Country Code: sy

Local Time = UTC +2h
Summer (DST) April - October (UTC +3)

Country Calling Code: +963

Capital City: Damascus (Dimashq)

Other Cities:
Aleppo (4.2 million), Homs (1.6 million), Hama (1.6 million), Lattakia (1 million)

Government:
Type: Republic, under Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party regimes since March 1963.
Independence: 17 April 1946.
Constitution: 12 March 1973.

Geography:
Location:Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey
Area: 185 180 sq. km. (71 504 sq. mi.), including 1 295 sq. km. of Israeli-occupied territory
Terrain: Narrow coastal plain with a double mountain belt in the west; large, semiarid and desert plateau to the east.

Climate: Mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast.

People:
Nationality: Syrian(s)
Population: 21 million
GNI per capita PPP: $ 3 871 (year)
Major ethnic groups: Arabs (90%), Kurds (9%), Armenians, Circassians, Turkomans
Religions: Sunni Muslims (74%), Alawis (12%), Christians (10%), Druze (3%), and small numbers of other Muslim sects, Jews, and Yazidis
Languages: Arabic (official), English and French (widely understood), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian
Literacy: 78% male, 51% female.

Natural resources:
Petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower.

Agriculture products: Wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk.

Industries: Petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining.

Currency: Syrian Pound (SYP)

Syria in Figures
Syria key statistical data.