Syria,
a Middle East nation in Southwest Asia,
became an independent nation in 1946. Part of a region
formerly known as the Fertile Crescent, it is bordered
by the Mediterranean Sea as well as the countries of
Israel, Lebanon, Jordan,
Turkey and Iraq.
Syria is about the size of North Dakota. Damascus is
the capital and second-largest city. Aleppo is Syria's
largest city.
In the west, the climate is generally mild, with warm summers and cool winters. Frequent snowfall is common in the mountains and highlands. Eastern Syria has a hot, dry climate, which is true for most of Syria, which is almost completely covered by desert land.
Commitment to family and religion holds high regard in Syrian culture. At an early age, Syrians are taught to support their families and ethnic groups. In fact, it is customary for leaders to appoint family members to top positions. There are four major ethnic groups in Syria, with Arabs making up 90 percent of the country's people. Kurds, Armenians, and Turkic make up the majority of the remaining population.
Ninety percent of the Syrian population practice Islam. Among the Islamic religious groups are Sunni Muslims, which account for 75 percent of the religious population, Alawites, and Druzes. Christian groups also live among the Syrians.
Arabic is the country's official language. Several other languages, including Armenian, Kurdish, Aramaic, Circassian, French, and English are also widely spoken.
Syria's history of conflict with Israel and its Arab neighbors - Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon - have caused the country to suffer economic woes. However, recent changes in government socialist policies have facilitated slight growth.
Syria has a republic government. A President, who acts as head of state, is elected for a 7 year term. The President elects a Prime Minister to act as head of government.
The unit of currency is the Syrian pound or "lira."
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