Syria

Syria is a country, officially known as Syrian Arab Republic. It lies in Western Asia region. Its capital city is Damascus (Dimashq). Its surface area is 185,180 sq km, and Currency is pound.

It forms a long strip of mountains and tableland intersected by fertile valleys, lying along the eastern end of the Mediterranean from the Taurus range in the North to the Egyptian border, and extending to the Euphrates and Arabian desert. The coastal strip and waters fall within the Levant. In the South lies Palestine, embracing Jordan, Dead Sea, Lake of Tiberias (Sea of Galilee), Jerusalem, Gaza, &c. In the North, between the parallel ranges of Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon, lies the valley of Coele-Syria, through which flows the Orontes. Important towns are Aleppo, Damascus, Beyrout (chief port), &c. Principal exports are silk, wool, olive-oil, and fruits. Four-fifths of the people are Mohammedans of Aramæan (ancient Syrian) and Arabic stock.

Once a portion of the Assyrian Empire, it became a possession successively of the Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Egyptians, and finally fell into the hands of the Ottoman Turks in 1516, under whose rule it languished for centuries. Syrian republic came into being in 1930.

Nearby pages
Syrianus, Syrinx, Systematics, Systeme de la Nature, Systemic risk, Syzygy