{"id":83471,"date":"2026-04-25T19:52:58","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T19:52:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/83471\/"},"modified":"2026-04-25T19:52:58","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T19:52:58","slug":"syria-map-civil-war-rebels-religion-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/83471\/","title":{"rendered":"Syria | Map, Civil War, Rebels, Religion, & History"},"content":{"rendered":"

Syria, country<\/a> located on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea<\/a> in southwestern Asia<\/a>. Its area includes territory in the Golan Heights<\/a> that has been occupied by Israel<\/a> since 1967. The present area does not coincide with ancient Syria, which was the strip of fertile land lying between the eastern Mediterranean coast and the desert of northern Arabia<\/a>. The capital is Damascus<\/a> (Dimashq), on the Barada River<\/a>, situated in an oasis at the foot of Mount Qasioun (Q\u0101siy\u016bn).<\/p>\n

After Syria gained its independence in 1946, political life in the country was highly unstable, owing in large measure to intense friction between the country\u2019s social, religious, and political groups. In 1970 Syria came under the authoritarian<\/a> rule of Pres. Hafez al-Assad<\/a>, whose foremost goals included achieving national security and domestic stability and recovering the Syrian territory lost to Israel in 1967. Assad committed his country to an enormous arms buildup, which put severe strains on the national budget, leaving little for development. After Assad\u2019s death in 2000, his son Bashar al-Assad<\/a> became president. Despite some early steps toward political reform, Bashar al-Assad ultimately continued his father\u2019s authoritarian style of government, using Syria\u2019s powerful military and security services to quash political dissent. Long-suppressed internal tensions led to the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War<\/a> in 2011. Assad\u2019s brutal response to the civil war failed to keep him in power and, after a tremendous<\/a> amount of death and destruction, he was finally deposed in December 2024.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\tQuick Facts<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tAudio File:
\n\t\t\t\t\tNational anthem of Syria<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHead Of State And Government:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPresident: Ahmed al-Sharaa<\/a> (interim)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPopulation:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(2025 est.) 23,607,0003<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tForm Of Government:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tinterim government1<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOfficial Language:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArabic<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOfficial Religion:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tnone2<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOfficial Name:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAl-Jumh\u016briyyah al-\u02bfArabiyyah al-S\u016briyyah (Syrian Arab Republic)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTotal Area (Sq Km):
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t185,180<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTotal Area (Sq Mi):
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t71,480<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMonetary Unit:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSyrian pound (S.P)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPopulation Rank:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(2025) 59<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPopulation Projection 2030:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t28,647,000<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDensity: Persons Per Sq Mi:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(2025) 330.3<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDensity: Persons Per Sq Km:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(2025) 127.5<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tUrban-Rural Population:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tUrban: (2024) 58%
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRural: (2024) 42%<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLife Expectancy At Birth:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMale: (2022) 72.8 years
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFemale: (2022) 75.8 years<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLiteracy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate:
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMale: (2021) 97%
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFemale: (2021) 92%<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGni (U.S.$ \u2019000,000):
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(2022) 15,883<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGni Per Capita (U.S.$):
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(2022) 710<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Show\u00a0more)<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t Show More<\/p>\n

\t\t Land <\/p>\n

Syria is bounded by Turkey<\/a> to the north, by Iraq<\/a> to the east and southeast, by Jordan<\/a> to the south, and by Lebanon<\/a> and Israel<\/a> to the southwest.<\/p>\n

Relief <\/p>\n

Syria has a relatively short coastline, which stretches for about 110 miles (180 km) along the Mediterranean Sea between the countries of Turkey and Lebanon. Sandy bays dent the shore, alternating with rocky headlands and low cliffs. North of Tartus<\/a>, the narrow coastal strip is interrupted by spurs of the northwestern Al-An\u1e63ariyyah Mountains immediately to the east. It then widens into the Akkar Plain, which continues south across the Lebanon border.<\/p>\n

The Al-An\u1e63ariyyah mountain range borders the coastal plain and runs from north to south. The mountains have an average width of 20 miles (32 km), and their average height declines from 3,000 feet (900 meters) in the north to 2,000 feet in the south. Their highest point, at 5,125 feet (1,562 meters), occurs east of Latakia<\/a>. Directly to the east of the mountains is the Gh\u0101b Depression, a 40-mile (64-km) longitudinal<\/a> trench that contains the valley of the Orontes River<\/a> (Nahr Al-\u02bf\u0100\u1e63\u012b).<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"7:023<\/p>\n

Britannica Quiz<\/p>\n

Which Country Is Larger By Area? Quiz<\/p>\n

<\/a> <\/p>\n

The Anti-Lebanon Mountains<\/a> (Jabal Al-Sharq\u012b) mark Syria\u2019s border with Lebanon. The main ridge rises to a maximum height of 8,625 feet (2,629 meters) near Al-Nabk, while the mean height is between 6,000 and 7,000 feet (1,800 to 2,100 meters). Mount Hermon<\/a> (Jabal Al-Shaykh<\/a>), Syria\u2019s highest point, rises to 9,232 feet (2,814 meters).<\/p>\n

Smaller mountains are scattered about the country. Among these are Mount Al-Dur\u016bz<\/a>, which rises to an elevation of some 5,900 feet (1,800 meters) in the extreme south, and the Ab\u016b Rujmayn and Bishr\u012b Mountains, which stretch northeastward across the central part of the country.<\/p>\n

\n Smart, reliable knowledge for professionals, students, and curious minds everywhere.\n <\/p>\n

SUBSCRIBE<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Penguin,<\/p>\n

\"shohei<\/p>\n

\"Mobile\"<\/p>\n

The undulating plains occupying the rest of the country are known as the Syrian Desert<\/a>. In general their elevation lies between 980 and 1,640 feet (300 and 500 meters); they are seldom less than 820 feet (250 meters) above sea level<\/a>. The area is not a sand desert but comprises<\/a> rock and gravel steppe; a mountainous region in the south-central area is known as Al-\u1e24am\u0101d<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Drainage <\/p>\n

The Euphrates River<\/a> is the most important water source and the only navigable river in Syria. It originates in Turkey and flows southeastward across the eastern part of Syria (see Tigris-Euphrates river system<\/a>). The Euphrates Dam<\/a>, constructed on the river at Tabqa, was completed in the 1970s. The reservoir behind the dam, Lake Al-Asad, began to fill in 1973.<\/p>\n

The Orontes<\/a> is the principal river of the mountainous region. It rises in Lebanon, flows northward through the mountains and the Gh\u0101b Depression, and enters the Mediterranean near Antioch<\/a>, Turkey. The Yarmouk River<\/a>, a tributary of the Jordan River<\/a>, drains the Jabal Al-Dur\u016bz and Hauran<\/a> regions and forms part of the border with Jordan in the southwest.<\/p>\n

Scattered lakes are found in Syria. The largest is Al-Jabb\u016bl, a seasonal saline lake that permanently covers a minimum area of about 60 square miles (155 square km) southeast of Aleppo. Other major salt lakes are Jayr\u016bd to the northeast of Damascus and Kh\u0101t\u016bniyyah to the northeast of Al-Hasakah<\/a>. Lake Muzayr\u012bb, a small body of fresh water, is located northwest of Daraa<\/a>; the larger Lake Qattinah (Lake Homs<\/a>), a reservoir, is west of Homs.<\/p>\n

Most of the country\u2019s drainage flows underground. On the surface, impervious<\/a> rocks\u2014consisting of clay, marl (clay, sand, or silt), and greensand\u2014cover a relatively small area. Porous rocks cover about half of the country and are mainly sandstone or chalk. Highly porous rocks consist of basalt and limestone. Water penetrates the porous rocks, forming underground springs, rivers, or subterranean water sheets close to the surface. Although the springs are profuse, the water sheets are quickly exhausted and may turn saline in areas of low precipitation.<\/p>\n

Soils <\/p>\n

Because of aridity, vegetation plays only a secondary role in soil composition<\/a>. With the exception of the black soil in the northeastern region of Al-Jaz\u012brah<\/a>, soils are deficient in phosphorus and organic matter. The most common soils are various clays and loams (mixtures of clay, sand, and silt). Some are calcareous (chalky); others, especially in the area of the Euphrates valley, contain gypsum. Alluvial soils occur mainly in the valleys of the Euphrates and its tributaries and in the Gh\u0101b Depression.<\/p>\n

Climate Temperature and precipitation <\/p>\n

The coast and the western mountains have a Mediterranean climate<\/a> with a long dry season from May to October. In the extreme northwest there is some light summer rain. On the coast summers are hot, with mean daily maximum temperatures in the low to mid-80s F (upper 20s C), while the mild winters have daily mean minimum temperatures reaching the low 50s F (low 10s C). Only above about 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) are the summers relatively cool. Inland the climate becomes arid, with colder winters and hotter summers. Maximum temperatures in Damascus and Aleppo<\/a> average in the 90s F (mid-30s C) in summer, while temperatures reach average lows in the mid-30s to low 40s F (1 to 4 \u00b0C) in winter. In the desert, at Tadmur<\/a> and Deir al-Zour<\/a>, maximum temperatures in the summer reach averages in the upper 90s to low 100s F (upper 30s to low 40s C), with extremes in the 110s F (mid- to upper 40s C). Snow may occur in winter away from the coast, and frosts are common.<\/p>\n

The coast and western mountains receive 30 to 40 inches (760 to 1000 mm) of precipitation annually. Annual precipitation decreases rapidly eastward: the steppe receives 10 to 20 inches (250 to 500 mm), Mount<\/a> Al-Dur\u016bz receives more than 8 inches (200 mm), and the desert area of Al-\u1e24am\u0101d receives less than 5 inches (130 mm). Precipitation is variable from year to year, particularly in the spring and autumn months.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Syria, country located on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea in southwestern Asia. Its area includes territory…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":83472,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[1162,1199,1198,1197,95],"class_list":{"0":"post-83471","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-syria","8":"tag-article","9":"tag-britannica","10":"tag-encyclopeadia","11":"tag-encyclopedia","12":"tag-syria"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@iran\/116467099423983027","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83471","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83471"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83471\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/83472"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83471"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83471"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83471"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}