Syria Map

Description:

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Syria (officially the Syrian Arab Republic) is a country located in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, and Israel. The capital and largest city is Damascus, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the World.

The territory of modern Syria has been inhabited since ancient times, with various civilizations leaving their mark, including the Phoenicians, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, and Arabs. Syria was the center of Islamic Empire during the Umayyad Caliphate from 661 to 750 CE.

Syria gained independence from French mandate in 1946. The country experienced multiple military coups in the 1950s and 1960s, eventuallly leading to the rise of the Ba'ath Party. Hafez al-Assad took power in 1971 and ruled until his death in 2000, after which his son Bashar al-Assad became president.

In 2011, Syria descended into a civil war following pro-democracy protests that evolved into a complex conflict involving multiple parties, including government forces, opposition groups, Kurdish forces, and various international powers. The conflict has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties and created one of the largest refugee crises in recent history, with millions of Syrians fleeing to neighboring countries and Europe. In late 2024, a series of offensives by a coalition of opposition forces took several major cities, including Damascus, and the Assad regime fell.

Syria's economy traditionally relied on agriculture, oil production, and tourism, but has been severely impacted by the civil war. The country possesses significant phosphate deposits and is home to numerous archaeological sites, including six UNESCO World Heritage Sites, though many have been damaged during the conflict.

The population of Syria was estimated at around 25 million before the civil war began. Arabic is the official language, while Kurdish, Armenian, and Aramaic are also spoken by minority populations. Islam is the predominant religion, with Sunni Muslims forming the majority, alongside various other religious communities including Alawites, Christians, and Druze.

The Facts:
Capital: Damascus.
Area: 71,500 sq mi (185,180 sq km).
Population: ~ 25,000,000 (2024 estimate).

Largest cities: Aleppo, Damascus, Homs, Latakia, Hama, Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, Al-Hasakah, Qamishli, Tartus, Douma, Manbij, Idlib, Daraa, Darayya, As-Suwayda, Al-Thawrah, Salamiyah, Al-Safira, Al-Bab, Maarat al-Numaan, Jableh, Tadmur, Ayn al-Arab, Al-Tall, Mayadin, Abu Kamal, Baniyas, Jisr al-Shughur, Al-Rastan, Arihah, Afrin, Qatana, Qudsaya, An-Nabk, Azaz, Al-Qusayr, Ras al-Ayn, Al-Qutayfah, Al-Malikiyah, Zabadani, Al-Sanamayn, Yabroud, Salqin, Masyaf, Harem, Safita, Izra, Dayr Hafir, Talkalakh, Mhardeh, Taldou, Tell Abyad, Al-Suqaylabiyah, Duraykish, Jarabulus, Atarib, Al-Shaykh Badr, Salkhad, Qardaha, Al-Mukharram, Al-Haffah, Fiq, Quneitra, Sayyidah Zaynab, Al-Hajar al-Aswad, Binnish, Bosra, Dayr 'Atiyah, Harasta, Jaramana, Kafr Nabl, Khan Shaykhun, Ma'arrat Misrin, Nawa, Kafr Takharim, Saraqib, Talbiseh.

Official language: Arabic.
Currency: Syrian pound (SYP).

Governorates of Syria: Aleppo, Raqqa, As-Suwayda, Damascus, Daraa, Deir ez-Zor, Hama, Hasaka, Homs, Idlib, Latakia, Quneitra, Rif Dimashq, Tartus, Damascus.

Districts of Syria: Damascus, Hama, Masyaf, Mahardah, Salamiyah, Al-Suqaylabiyah, Homs, Al-Mukharram, Al-Qusayr, Ar-Rastan, Tadmur, Taldou, Talkalakh, Latakia, Al-Haffah, Jableh, Qardaha, Tartus, Baniyas, Duraykish, Safita, Al-Shaykh Badr, Mount Simeon, Afrin, Atarib, Ayn al-Arab, Azaz, Al-Bab, Dayr Hafir, Jarabulus, Manbij, Safirah, Deir ez-Zor, Abu Kamal, Mayadin, Al-Hasakah, Al-Malikiyah, Qamishli, Ra's al-'Ayn, Idlib, Arihah, Harem, Jisr al-Shughur, Ma'arrat al-Numan, Raqqa, Tell Abyad, Al-Thawrah, Daraa, Izra, Al-Sanamayn, Quneitra, Fiq, Markaz Rif Dimashq, Darayya, Douma, An-Nabek, Qatana, Qudsaya, Al-Qutayfah, Al-Tall, Yabroud, Al-Zabadani, As-Suwayda, Salkhad, Shahba.