Outline of Syria - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Syrian Arab Republic, commonly known as Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....

, is a sovereign country located in Southwest Asia

Southwest Asia

Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...

, bordering Lebanon

Lebanon

Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...

, the Mediterranean Sea

Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...

and the island of Cyprus

Cyprus

Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...

to the west, Israel

Israel

The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...

to the southwest, Jordan

Jordan

Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...

to the south, Iraq

Iraq

Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

to the east, and Turkey

Turkey

Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

to the north. The modern state of Syria was formerly a French mandate

French Mandate of Syria

Officially the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon was a League of Nations mandate founded after the First World War and the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire...

and attained independence in 1946, but can trace its roots to the fourth millennium BC. Its capital city, Damascus

Damascus

Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...

, was the seat of the Umayyad Empire and a provincial capital of the Mamluk Empire

Mamluk

A Mamluk was a soldier of slave origin, who were predominantly Cumans/Kipchaks The "mamluk phenomenon", as David Ayalon dubbed the creation of the specific warrior...

.

Since 1963 the country has been governed by the Baath Party

Baath Party

The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party was a political party mixing Arab nationalist and Arab socialist interests, opposed to Western imperialism, and calling for the renaissance or resurrection and unification of the Arab world into a single state. Ba'ath is also spelled Ba'th or Baath and means...

; the head of state since 1970 has been a member of the Assad family

Assad family

The Assad family has ruled Syria, since Hafez al-Assad became Syrian President in 1971 and established an authoritarian regime under the control of the Baath party. After his death in 2000, his son Bashar al-Assad succeeded him....

. Syria's current president is Bashar al-Assad

Bashar al-Assad

Bashar al-Assad is the President of Syria and Regional Secretary of the Ba'ath Party. His father Hafez al-Assad ruled Syria for 29 years until his death in 2000. Al-Assad was elected in 2000, re-elected in 2007, unopposed each time.- Early Life :...

, son of Hafez al-Assad

Hafez al-Assad

Hafez ibn 'Ali ibn Sulayman al-Assad or more commonly Hafez al-Assad was the President of Syria for three decades. Assad's rule consolidated the power of the central government after decades of coups and counter-coups, such as Operation Wappen in 1957 conducted by the Eisenhower administration and...

, who held office from 1970 until his death in 2000.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Syria:

General reference

Pronunciation
International Phonetic Alphabet
The International Phonetic Alphabet "The acronym 'IPA' strictly refers [...] to the 'International Phonetic Association'. But it is now such a common practice to use the acronym also to refer to the alphabet itself that resistance seems pedantic...

:
Common English country name: Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
Official English country name: The Syrian Arab Republic
Common endonym(s):
Official endonym(s):
Adjectival(s): Syrian
Demonym(s):
Etymology
Etymology
Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...

: Name of Syria
International rankings of Syria
International rankings of Syria
The following are international rankings of Syria.-Demographics:*Population ranked 54 out of 228 countries and territories.*Life expectancy 2008 estimates ranked 69 out of 195 countries and territories.-Economy:...
ISO country codes: SY, SYR, 760
ISO region codes: See ISO 3166-2:SY
ISO 3166-2:SY
ISO 3166-2:SY is the entry for Syria in ISO 3166-2, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization , which defines codes for the names of the principal subdivisions of all countries coded in ISO 3166-1.Currently for Syria, ISO 3166-2 codes are defined...
Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...

country code top-level domain
Country code top-level domain
A country code top-level domain is an Internet top-level domain generally used or reserved for a country, a sovereign state, or a dependent territory....

: .sy
.sy
.sy is the Internet country code top-level domain for Syria.Reserved 2nd level domains:.edu.sy, .gov.sy, .net.sy, .mil.sy, .com.sy, .org.sy, .news.sy- Sponsoring organisation :Syrian Telecommunications Establishment Mazza Street...

Geography of Syria

Syria is: a country
Location:
- Northern Hemisphere
  Northern Hemisphere
  The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
  
  and Eastern Hemisphere
  Eastern Hemisphere
  The Eastern Hemisphere, also Eastern hemisphere or eastern hemisphere, is a geographical term for the half of the Earth that is east of the Prime Meridian and west of 180° longitude. It is also used to refer to Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia, vis-à-vis the Western Hemisphere, which includes...
- Eurasia
  Eurasia
  Eurasia is a continent or supercontinent comprising the traditional continents of Europe and Asia ; covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...
  - Asia
    Asia
    Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
    - Southwest Asia
      Southwest Asia
      Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...
- Middle East
  Middle East
  The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
  - The Levant
- Time zone
  Time zone
  A time zone is a region on Earth that has a uniform standard time for legal, commercial, and social purposes. In order for the same clock time to always correspond to the same portion of the day as the Earth rotates , different places on the Earth need to have different clock times...
  
  : UTC+02, summer UTC+03
- Extreme points of Syria
  - High: Jabal el-Sheikh
    Mount Hermon
    Mount Hermon is a mountain cluster in the Anti-Lebanon mountain range. Its summit straddles the border between Syria and Lebanon and, at 2,814 m above sea level, is the highest point in Syria. On the top there is “Hermon Hotel”, in the buffer zone between Syria and Israeli-occupied...
    
    2814 m (9,232 ft)
  - Low: Mediterranean Sea
    Mediterranean Sea
    The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
    
    0 m
- Land boundaries: 2,253 km

Turkey 822 km

Iraq 605 km

Jordan 375 km

Lebanon 375 km

Israel 76 km

Coastline: Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...

193 km
Population of Syria: 19,929,000 - 54th most populous country
Area of Syria: 185180 km²
Atlas of Syria

Environment of Syria

Climate of Syria
Environmental issues in Syria
Environmental issues in Syria
Major environmental issues in Syria include deforestation, overgrazing, soil erosion, desertification, water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage and wastes from petroleum refining, and inadequate supplies of potable water....
Ecoregions in Syria
Renewable energy in Syria
Geology of Syria
Protected areas of Syria
- Biosphere reserves in Syria
- National parks of Syria
Wildlife of Syria
- Flora of Syria
- Fauna of Syria
  - Birds of Syria
  - Mammals of Syria

Natural geographic features of Syria

Glaciers of Syria
Islands of Syria
Lakes of Syria
Mountains of Syria
- Volcanoes in Syria
Rivers in Syria
- Waterfalls of Syria
Valleys of Syria
World Heritage Sites in Syria

Administrative divisions of Syria

Provinces of Syria
- Districts of Syria
  Districts of Syria
  The 14 governorates of Syria, or muhafazat , of Syria are divided into sixty-one districts, or manatiq , including the city of Damascus. The districts are further divided into 206 subdistricts, or nawahi...

Provinces of Syria

Al-Hasakah
Al-Hasakah
Al-Hasakah...
Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
Daraa
Deir ez-Zor
Hama
Hama
Hama is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria north of Damascus. It is the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate. Hama is the fourth-largest city in Syria—behind Aleppo, Damascus, and Homs—with a population of 696,863...
Homs
Homs
Homs , previously known as Emesa , is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus...
Idlib
Idlib
Idlib is a city in northwestern Syria, capital of the Idlib Governorate. The city of Aleppo, which is roughly 60 km away, has an important economic presence in Idlib. The area around Idlib is very fertile, producing cotton, cereals, olives, figs, grapes, tomatoes, sesame seeds, wheat and almonds....
Latakia
Latakia
Latakia, or Latakiyah , is the principal port city of Syria, as well as the capital of the Latakia Governorate. In addition to serving as a port, the city is a manufacturing center for surrounding agricultural towns and villages...
Quneitra
Quneitra
Quneitra is the largely destroyed and abandoned capital of the Quneitra Governorate in south-western Syria. It is situated in a high valley in the Golan Heights at an elevation of 1,010 metres above sea level...
Ar-Raqqah
Rif Dimashq
Rif Dimashq
Rif Dimashq is one of the 14 governorates of Syria. It is situated in the southwestern part of the country. It borders the governorates of Quneitra, Daraa and al-Suwayda in the southwest, Homs in the north, Lebanon in the west and Jordan in the south.The Governorate completely surrounds the...
As-Suwayda
As-Suwayda
As Suwayda , also spelt Sweida, is a mainly Druze city located in southwestern Syria, close to the border with Jordan.It is the capital of Muhafazat as Suwayda, one of Syria's 14 governorates, bordering Jordan in the South and the governorates of Daraa in the West and Rif Dimashq in the North and...
Tartus

Districts of Syria

Al-Hasakah District
Al-Hasakah District
Al-Hasakah District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Al-Hasakah Governorate. It had a population of 484,966 at the 2004 Census. Its administrative centre is the city of Al-Hasakah....
Al Qamishli District
Al Qamishli District
Al Qamishli District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Al-Hasakah Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 423,368. Its capital city is the city of Al Qamishli....
Al-Malikiyah District
Al-Malikiyah District
Al-Malikiyah District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Al-Hasakah Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 189,634. Its capital city is the city of Al-Malikiyah. It is mainly dominated by Assyrians/Syriacs. It is both the northernmost & easternmost district in...
Ra's al-'Ayn District
Ra's al-'Ayn District
Ra's al-'Ayn District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Al-Hasakah Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 177,150. Its capital city is the city of Ra's al-'Ayn. It is populated by Arabs, Kurds and Assyrian/Syriacs....
'Ayn al-'Arab District
'Ayn al-'Arab District
Ayn al-'Arab is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 192,513. Its administrative centre is the city of 'Ayn al-'Arab....
Afrin District
Afrin District
Afrin is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 172,095. Its administrative centre is the city of 'Afrin....
Al Bab District
Al Bab District
Al Bab is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 292,713. Its administrative centre is the city of Al Bab....
As-Safirah District
As-Safirah District
As Safirah is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 178,293. Its administrative centre is the city of As Safirah....
A'zaz District
A'zaz District
A'zaz is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 251,769. Its administrative centre is the city of A'zaz....
Jabal Sam'an
Jabal Sam'an
Mount Simeon or Mount Simon , also called Mount Laylūn , is a highland region in Aleppo Governorate in northern Syria. The mountain is located in the Mount Simeon and Aʻzāz districts of Aleppo Governorate.-Name:...
Jarabulus District
Jarabulus District
Jarablus is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 58,889. Its administrative centre is the city of Jarabulus. Turkmen Elbeyli and Barak people forms the majority....
Manbij District
Manbij District
Manbij is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 408,143. Its administrative centre is the city of Manbij....
Ar-Raqqah District
Ar-Raqqah District
Ar-Raqqah District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Ar-Raqqah Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Ar-Raqqah....
Ath-Thawrah District
Ath-Thawrah District
Al-Thawrah is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Ar-Raqqah Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Al-Thawrah....
Tal Abyad District
Tal Abyad District
Tal Abyad is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Ar-Raqqah Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Tal Abyad....
As-Suwayda District
As-Suwayda District
As-Suwayda is a Syrian district administratively belonging to As-Suwayda Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 180,907. Its administrative centre is the city of As-Suwayda....
Salkhad District
Salkhad District
Salkhad is a Syrian district administratively belonging to As-Suwayda Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 60,375. Its administrative centre is the city of Salkhad....
Shahba District
Shahba District
Shahba' District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to As-Suwayda Governorate. It is located in the south-west of the country and in the north of the As-Suwayda Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 71,949. Its administrative centre is the city of Shahba....
As-Sanamayn District
As-Sanamayn District
Al-Sanamayn District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Daraa Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 167,993. Its administrative centre is the city of Al-Sanamayn....
Daraa District
Daraa District
Dar'a District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Daraa Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 428,681. Its capital city is the city of Daraa. Anti-government protests were staged there on 22 March 2011 and subsequent dates....
Izra' District
Izra' District
Izra' District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Daraa Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 246,804. Its administrative centre is the city of Izra'....
Abu Kamal District
Abu Kamal District
Abu Kamal District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Deir ez-Zor Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Abu Kamal....
Mayadin District
Mayadin District
Mayadin District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Deir ez-Zor Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Mayadin.Syria -Daerezzor - ALMAYADIN - Buqrus TAHTANI...
Deir ez-Zor District
Deir ez-Zor District
Deir ez-Zor District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Deir ez-Zor Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Deir ez-Zor....
As-Suqaylabiyah District
As-Suqaylabiyah District
Al-Suqaylabiyah District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Hama Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Al-Suqaylabiyah....
Hama District
Hama District
Hama is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Hama Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Hama, which is also the capital of the governorate....
Masyaf District
Masyaf District
Masyaf is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Hama Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Masyaf....
Muhardeh District
Muhardeh District
Muhardeh is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Hama Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Muhardeh....
Salamiyah District
Salamiyah District
Salamiyah is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Hama Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Salamiyah....
Al-Mukharram District
Al-Mukharram District
Al-Mukarram District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Homs Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Al-Mukharram....
Al-Qusayr District
Al-Qusayr District
Al-Qusayr District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Homs Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Al-Qusayr....
Ar-Rastan District
Ar-Rastan District
Al-Rastan District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Homs Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Al-Rastan....
Homs District
Homs District
Homs District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Homs Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Homs....
Palmyra District
Palmyra District
Palmyra District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Homs Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Palmyra....
Talkalakh District
Talkalakh District
Talkalakh District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Homs Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Talkalakh....
Arihah District
Arihah District
Arihah District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Idlib Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Arihah....
Harem District
Harem District
Harem District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Idlib Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Harem.* Other CitiesArmanaz, Salqeen, kafar Takhareem...
Idlib District
Idlib District
Idlib District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Idlib Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Idlib....
Jisr ash-Shugur District
Jisr ash-Shugur District
Jisr ash-Shugur District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Idlib Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Jisr ash-Shugur....
Ma'arrat al-Numan District
Ma'arrat al-Numan District
Ma`arrat al-Numan District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Idlib Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Ma`arrat al-Numan....
Al-Haffah District
Al-Haffah District
Al-Haffah District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Latakia Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Al-Haffah....
Jableh District
Jableh District
Jableh District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Latakia Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Jableh....
Latakia District
Latakia District
Latakia District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Latakia Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Latakia.The Province or "mouhafaza" used to be a separate Mandate given to France by the League of Nations and remained autonomous for two years until its incorporation into...
Qardaha District
Qardaha District
Qardaha District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Latakia Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Qardaha....
Fiq District
Fiq District
Fiq District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Quneitra Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 1,947. Its capital city is the town of Fiq....
Quneitra District
Quneitra District
Quneitra District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Quneitra Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 64,680. Its capital city is the city of Quneitra....
Al-Qutayfah District
Al-Qutayfah District
Al-Qutayfah District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Rif Dimashq Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 119,283. Its administrative centre is the city of Al-Qutayfah....
An-Nabk District
An-Nabk District
An-Nabk District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Rif Dimashq Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 80,001...
Al-Tall District
Darayya District
Darayya District
Darayya District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Rif Dimashq Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 260,961. Its administrative centre is the city of Darayya....
Markaz Rif Dimashq
Markaz Rif Dimashq
Markaz Rif Dimashq is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Rif Dimashq governorate. It is the capital of the governorate, although the administrative centre lies in the City of Damascus . At the 2004 Census it had a population of 902,216. It surrounds the City of Damascus....
Duma District
Duma District
Duma is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Rif Dimashq Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 433,719. Its administrative centre is the city of Duma....
Qatana District
Qatana District
Qatana District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Rif Dimashq Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 207,245. Its administrative centre is the city of Qatana....
Yabrud District
Yabrud District
Yabrud District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Rif Dimashq Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 48,370. Its administrative centre is the city of Yabrud....
Zabadani District
Zabadani District
Zabadani District or az-Zabadan is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Rif Dimashq Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 105,342...
Ash-Shaykh Badr District
Ash-Shaykh Badr District
Ash-Shaykh Badr District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Tartus Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Ash-Shaykh Badr....
Baniyas District
Baniyas District
Baniyas District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Tartus Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Baniyas....
Duraykish District
Duraykish District
Duraykish District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Tartus Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Duraykish....
Safita District
Safita District
Safita District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Tartus Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Safita.-Villages in Safita:*Sebei...
Tartus District
Tartus District
Tartus District is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Tartus Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Tartus....

Government and politics of Syria

Main article: Government of Syria and Politics of Syria

Politics of Syria

Politics in the Syrian Arab Republic takes place in the framework of what is officially a parliamentary republic, but what is considered an authoritarian government where the power is in the hands of the President of Syria, his family, the ruling Ba'ath Party, and the Alawi sect.The two presidents...

Form of government
Form of government
A form of government, or form of state governance, refers to the set of political institutions by which a government of a state is organized. Synonyms include "regime type" and "system of government".-Empirical and conceptual problems:...

:
Capital of Syria: Damascus

Elections in Syria
Elections in Syria
Elections in Syria gives information on election and election results in Syria.Syria elects on national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature. The People's Council has 250 members elected for a four year term in 15 multi-seat constituencies, in which 167 seats are guaranteed...
- (specific elections)
Political parties in Syria
Political scandals of Syria
Taxation in Syria

Executive branch of the government of Syria

Head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...

: President of Syria, Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad is the President of Syria and Regional Secretary of the Ba'ath Party. His father Hafez al-Assad ruled Syria for 29 years until his death in 2000. Al-Assad was elected in 2000, re-elected in 2007, unopposed each time.- Early Life :...
Head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...

: Prime Minister of Syria, Muhammad Naji al-Otari
Muhammad Naji al-Otari
Muhammad Naji al-Otari is a Syrian politician who was Prime Minister of Syria from 2003 to 2011.-Early life, education and career:...
Cabinet of Syria

Legislative branch of the government of Syria

People's Council of Syria
People's Council of Syria
The People's Council -External links:* official government website...

(Unicameral)

Judicial branch of the government of Syria

High Judicial Council
High Judicial Council
The High Judicial Council is the highest judicial authority in Syria. The council is charged with the appointment, transfer and dismissal of judges. It is composed of senior civil judges and chaired by the president. The independence of the judiciary is guaranteed by president in his role as...
Supreme Court of Syria
Supreme Court of Syria
The Supreme Constitutional Court is the highest jurisdictional authority in the Syrian Arab Republic. The Supreme Court was established under the 1973 Constitution to adjudicate electoral disputes, rule on the constitutionality of a law or decree challenged by the president or People's Council,...

Foreign relations of Syria

Diplomatic missions in Syria
Diplomatic missions of Syria
Diplomatic missions of Syria
This is a list of diplomatic missions of Syria, not including honorary consulates.-Europe:** Vienna ** Brussels ** Sofia ** Nicosia ** Prague ** Paris ** Berlin ** Athens...

International organization membership

The Syrian Arab Republic is a member of:

Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa
Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa
The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa is a financial institution funded by the Governments of the Member States of the League of Arab States on 18 February 1974 . It is an independent international institution enjoying international legal status and autonomy in administrative and...

(ABEDA)
Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development
Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development
The Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development is a Kuwait-based, pan-Arab development finance institution. All member-states of the Arab League are members of the AFESD. As of 2003, it held around USD 7.3 billion in assets....

(AFESD)
Arab Monetary Fund
Arab Monetary Fund
The Arab Monetary Fund is a regional Arab organization, founded 1976, and operational from 1977. It is a working sub-organization of the Arab League.-Objectives:...

(AMF)
Council of Arab Economic Unity
Council of Arab Economic Unity
The Council of Arab Economic Unity was established by Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen on 3 June 1957...

(CAEU)
Food and Agriculture Organization
Food and Agriculture Organization
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and...

(FAO)
Group of 24 (G24)
Group of 77
Group of 77
The Group of 77 at the United Nations is a loose coalition of developing nations, designed to promote its members' collective economic interests and create an enhanced joint negotiating capacity in the United Nations. There were 77 founding members of the organization, but the organization has...

(G77)
International Atomic Energy Agency
International Atomic Energy Agency
The International Atomic Energy Agency is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. The IAEA was established as an autonomous organization on 29 July 1957...

(IAEA)
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development is one of five institutions that compose the World Bank Group. The IBRD is an international organization whose original mission was to finance the reconstruction of nations devastated by World War II. Now, its mission has expanded to fight...

(IBRD)
International Chamber of Commerce
International Chamber of Commerce
The International Chamber of Commerce is the largest, most representative business organization in the world. Its hundreds of thousands of member companies in over 130 countries have interests spanning every sector of private enterprise....

(ICC)
International Civil Aviation Organization
International Civil Aviation Organization
The International Civil Aviation Organization , pronounced , , is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth...

(ICAO)
International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...

(ICCt) (signatory)
International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol)
International Development Association
International Development Association
The International Development Association , is the part of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest countries. It complements the World Bank's other lending arm — the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development — which serves middle-income countries with capital investment and...

(IDA)
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is a humanitarian institution that is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement along with the ICRC and 186 distinct National Societies...

(IFRCS)
International Finance Corporation
International Finance Corporation
The International Finance Corporation promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries.IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States....

(IFC)
International Fund for Agricultural Development
International Fund for Agricultural Development
The International Fund for Agricultural Development , a specialized agency of the United Nations, was established as an international financial institution in 1977 as one of the major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference. IFAD is dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries...

(IFAD)
International Hydrographic Organization
International Hydrographic Organization
The International Hydrographic Organization is the inter-governmental organisation representing the hydrographic community. It enjoys observer status at the UN and is the recognised competent authority on hydrographic surveying and nautical charting...

(IHO)
International Labour Organization
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...

(ILO)
International Maritime Organization
International Maritime Organization
The International Maritime Organization , formerly known as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization , was established in Geneva in 1948, and came into force ten years later, meeting for the first time in 1959...

(IMO)
International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...

(IMF)
International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...

(IOC)
International Organization for Standardization
International Organization for Standardization
The International Organization for Standardization , widely known as ISO, is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations. Founded on February 23, 1947, the organization promulgates worldwide proprietary, industrial and commercial...

(ISO)

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human...

(ICRM)
International Telecommunication Union
International Telecommunication Union
The International Telecommunication Union is the specialized agency of the United Nations which is responsible for information and communication technologies...

(ITU)
International Telecommunications Satellite Organization
International Telecommunications Satellite Organization
The International Telecommunications Satellite Organization is an intergovernmental organisation charged with overseeing the public service obligations of Intelsat.-External links:*...

(ITSO)
Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
Islamic Development Bank
Islamic Development Bank
The Islamic Development Bank is a multilateral development financing institution located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It was founded by the first conference of Finance Ministers of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference , convened 23 Dhu'l Qa'dah 1393 AH.The bank officially began its activities on...

(IDB)
League of Arab States (LAS)
Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency is a member organization of the World Bank Group that offers political risk insurance. It was established to promote foreign direct investment into developing countries. MIGA was founded in 1988 with a capital base of $1 billion and is headquartered in...

(MIGA)
Nonaligned Movement (NAM)
Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries
Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries
The Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries is a multi-governmental organization headquartered in Kuwait which coordinates energy policies between oil–producing Arab nations, and whose main purpose is developmental.-History:...

(OAPEC)
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

(UN)
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body. It is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment, and development issues....

(UNCTAD)
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization , French/Spanish acronym ONUDI, is a specialized agency in the United Nations system, headquartered in Vienna, Austria...

(UNIDO)
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East is a relief and human development agency, providing education, health care, social services and emergency aid to 5 million Palestine refugees living in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, as well as in the West Bank and the Gaza...

(UNRWA)
Universal Postal Union
Universal Postal Union
The Universal Postal Union is an international organization that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system. The UPU contains four bodies consisting of the Congress, the Council of Administration , the Postal Operations Council and the...

(UPU)
World Customs Organization
World Customs Organization
The World Customs Organization is an intergovernmental organization headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. With its worldwide membership, the WCO is recognized as the voice of the global customs community...

(WCO)
World Federation of Trade Unions
World Federation of Trade Unions
The World Federation of Trade Unions was established in 1945 to replace the International Federation of Trade Unions. Its mission was to bring together trade unions across the world in a single international organization, much like the United Nations...

(WFTU)
World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...

(WHO)
World Intellectual Property Organization
World Intellectual Property Organization
The World Intellectual Property Organization is one of the 17 specialized agencies of the United Nations. WIPO was created in 1967 "to encourage creative activity, to promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world"....

(WIPO)
World Meteorological Organization
World Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...

(WMO)
World Tourism Organization
World Tourism Organization
The World Tourism Organization , based in Madrid, Spain, is a United Nations agency dealing with questions relating to tourism. It compiles the World Tourism rankings. The World Tourism Organization is a significant global body, concerned with the collection and collation of statistical information...

(UNWTO)

Syria is 1 of only 7 U.N. members which is not a member of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Law and order in Syria

Capital punishment in Syria
Constitution of Syria
Constitution of Syria
The Constitution of Syria delineates the basic function of that state's government. Among other things, it determines Syria's character to be Arab, Socialist and republican...
Crime in Syria
Human rights in Syria
Human rights in Syria
Human rights in Syria have been described as "poor". Since 1963, emergency rule has remained in effect which gives security forces sweeping powers of arrest and detention....
- LGBT rights in Syria
- Freedom of religion in Syria
  Freedom of religion in Syria
  Freedom of religion in Syria is provided for by the Syrian Constitution. However, the Syrian government imposes restrictions on this right. While there is no official state religion, the constitution requires that the president be Muslim and stipulates that Islamic jurisprudence is a principal...
Law enforcement in Syria

Military of Syria

Command
- Commander-in-chief
  Commander-in-Chief
  A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
  
  :
  - Ministry of Defence of Syria
Forces
- Army of Syria
- Navy of Syria
- Syrian Air Force
  Syrian Air Force
  The Syrian Air Force is the Aviation branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. It was established in 1948.-History:The end of World War II led to a withdrawal of the United Kingdom and France from the Middle East, and this included a withdrawal from Syria...
- Syrian Republican Guard
  Syrian Republican Guard
  The Syrian Republican Guard is a 10,000 man bodyguard unit of the Syrian Army. They are a single armored division used to protect the capital, Damascus from any domestic threats. The Guard is the only Syrian military unit allowed within the capital....
Military history of Syria
Military history of Syria
-Antiquity:*Military history of the Assyrian Empire*Military history of Persia*Sassanid army-Middle Ages:*Islamic conquest of Persia*1251-1259 Mongol invasion of Persia, Syria and Mesopotamia*Growth of the Ottoman Empire, Selim I-Modern:...
Military ranks of Syria

History of Syria

Main article: History of Syria

History of Syria

The history of Syria:*Prehistory and Ancient Near East: see Pre-history of the Southern Levant, Fertile Crescent, Ebla, Mitanni*Antiquity: see Syro-Hittite states, Greater Syria, Roman Syria...

, Timeline of Syrian history

Timeline of Syrian history

This is a timeline of Syrian history. To read about the background to these events, see History of Syria.This timeline is incomplete; some important events may be missing. Please help add to it.- Prehistory :-20th century:- 21st century :...

, and Current events of Syria

Economic history of Syria
Military history of Syria
Military history of Syria
-Antiquity:*Military history of the Assyrian Empire*Military history of Persia*Sassanid army-Middle Ages:*Islamic conquest of Persia*1251-1259 Mongol invasion of Persia, Syria and Mesopotamia*Growth of the Ottoman Empire, Selim I-Modern:...

Culture of Syria

Architecture of Syria
Cuisine of Syria
Cuisine of Syria
Syrian cuisine is a diffusion of the cultures of civilizations that settled in Syria, particularly during and after the Islamic era beginning with the Arab Ummayad conquest, then the eventual Persian-influenced Abbasids and ending with the strong influences of Turkish cuisine, resulting from the...
Ethnic minorities in Syria
Festivals in Syria
Humor in Syria
Languages of Syria
Media in Syria
National symbols of Syria
- Coat of arms of Syria
  Coat of arms of Syria
  The national symbol or coat of arms of Syria includes the Hawk of Qureish, which holds a shield of the national flag , and a scroll with the words "Syrian Arab Republic" ....
- Flag of Syria
  Flag of Syria
  The flag of Syria was re-adopted in 1980. The flag was formerly the flag of the United Arab Republic.-History:The first modern flag of Syria was adopted in 1920, and was similar to the current flag of Jordan with the green and white colours reversed...
- National anthem of Syria
People of Syria
Prostitution in Syria
Prostitution in Syria
Prostitution in Syria is technically illegal. Beyond the practice of prostitution by an undisclosed number of Syrian women, many women fleeing the war in Iraq are practicing underworld prostitution for living...
Public holidays in Syria
Public holidays in Syria
These are the public holidays of Syria....
Records of Syria
Religion in Syria
Religion in Syria
Membership in a religious community is ordinarily determined by birth. Based on statistical analyses from 2006, Muslims were estimated as constituting 87% of the total population, although their proportion was possibly greater and was certainly growing. The Muslim birthrate reportedly was higher...
- Buddhism in Syria
- Christianity in Syria
  Christianity in Syria
  Christians in Syria make up about 10% of the population, the largest Christian denomination is the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch, closely followed by the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, and then the Syriac Orthodox Church; there are also a minority of Protestants...
- Hinduism in Syria
- Islam in Syria
  Islam in Syria
  Islam in Syria comprises 87% of the total population. Sunnis make up 74% of the total, mostly of Arab, Kurdish and Turkish ethnicities. Shia's make up the remaining 13%: Alawites, Ismailis, and Twelvers. Alawites are the pre-dominant Shia group, followed by Twelvers and Ismailis. Sunnis are mainly...
- Judaism in Syria
- Sikhism in Syria
World Heritage Sites in Syria

Art in Syria

Art in Syria
Cinema of Syria
Cinema of Syria
Syrian cinema has existed since the early 20th century. The first Syrian movie was Al Muttaham al Baree , released in 1928. Since the early 1960s, the film sector has been mainly managed by the National Organization for Cinema, a department of Ministry of Culture...
Literature of Syria
Music of Syria
Music of Syria
The music of Syria largely emanates from the country's capital and largest city, Damascus. The city has long been one of the Arab world's centers for cultural and artistic innovation, especially in the field of classical Arab music. Syria has also produced several pan-Arab stars, including George...
Television in Syria
Theatre in Syria

Sports in Syria

Football in Syria
Football in Syria
The sport of football in the country of Syria is run by the Syrian Arab Federation for Football. The association administers the national football team as well as the Syrian Premier League.- See also :*Syria national football team...
Syria at the Olympics
Syria at the Olympics
Syria first participated at the Olympic Games in 1948, but then missed the next four Olympiads. The nation returned to the Games in 1968, and has sent athletes to compete in all but one edition of the Summer Olympic Games since then, missing only the 1976 Games...

Economy and infrastructure of Syria

Economic rank, by nominal GDP (2007): 75th (seventy-fifth)

Agriculture in Syria
Agriculture in Syria
Until the mid-1970s, Agriculture in Syria had been the primary economic activity. At independence in 1946, agriculture was the most important sector of the economy, and in the 1940s and early 1950s, agriculture was the fastest growing sector. Wealthy merchants from such urban centers as Aleppo...
Banking in Syria
- National Bank of Syria
Communications in Syria
Communications in Syria
Telecommunications in Syria is slowly moving towards liberalization, with a number of licenses awarded and services launched in the Internet service provision market. The initiative reflects the government’s change in attitude towards liberalization, following its promise to the European Union to...
- Internet in Syria
- Media in Syria
Companies of Syria
Currency of Syria
Currency
In economics, currency refers to a generally accepted medium of exchange. These are usually the coins and banknotes of a particular government, which comprise the physical aspects of a nation's money supply...

: Pound
Syrian pound
-Use of 10 Syrian pound coins in Norway:The shape of the 10 Syrian pound coin has been found to so resemble the 20 Norwegian krone coin that it can fool vending machines, coins-to-cash machines, arcade machines, and any other coin-operated, automated service machine in the country...
- ISO 4217
  ISO 4217
  ISO 4217 is a standard published by the International Standards Organization, which delineates currency designators, country codes , and references to minor units in three tables:* Table A.1 – Current currency & funds code list...
  
  : SYP
Economic history of Syria
Energy in Syria
Energy in Syria
Energy in Syria describes energy and electricity production, consumption and import in Syria. Energy policy of Syria describes the politics of Syria related to energy. The 2011 Syrian uprising is an ongoing internal conflict in Syria.-Overview:-Oil:...
- Energy policy of Syria
- Oil industry in Syria
Mining in Syria
Damascus Securities Exchange
Damascus Securities Exchange
The Damascus Securities Exchange is a stock exchange located in Damascus, Syria. Founded in 2009, it is the only stock exchange in Syria. Its current premises are in the Barzeh district, within Syria's financial markets and securities commission...
Tourism in Syria
Transport in Syria
Transport in Syria
- Railways :total:2,750 kmstandard gauge:2,423 km of gaugenarrow gauge:327 km of gauge See also Hejaz railway....
- Airports in Syria
- Rail transport in Syria
- Roads in Syria
Waste management in Syria
Water in Syria
- Water resources management in Syria
  Water resources management in Syria
  Water resources management in Syria is confronted with numerous challenges. First, all of the country's major rivers are shared with neighboring countries, and Syria depends to a large extent on the inflow of water from Turkey through the Euphrates and its tributaries...
- Water supply and sanitation in Syria
  Water supply and sanitation in Syria
  Syria is a semiarid country with scarce water resources. The largest water consuming sector in Syria is agriculture. The domestic water use stand only at about 9% of total water use....

External links

Syria Syrian search engine

Etymology

Syria and Asyria Etymology

Government

Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
E.sy The First Complete Governmental Online Services
The Syrian Baath Party
Syrian Parliament
Syria:country study, Lib. of Congress

Culture

Society

syriapath for Syrians and Syrian expats
Syria-Events A website which keeps track of upcoming events and activities in Syria
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_K_BZsV4EA A short video song about Syria and its main Landmarks

Economy

News

http://www.amude.net political news in kurdish (kurmanji)
http://www.knntv.net political news in Arabic
eSyria the first complete Syrian portal
syria-news Popular local news website
syria today news News Agency
SANA Syrian Arab News Agency Government News Agency
Syrian General Organization of Radio and TV
Cham Press A complete roundup of news about Syria (in Arabic & English)

Cities & Towns

Travel

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

General reference

Geography of Syria

Environment of Syria

Natural geographic features of Syria

Administrative divisions of Syria

Provinces of Syria

Districts of Syria

Government and politics of Syria

Executive branch of the government of Syria

Legislative branch of the government of Syria

Judicial branch of the government of Syria

Foreign relations of Syria

International organization membership

Law and order in Syria

Military of Syria

History of Syria

Culture of Syria

Art in Syria

Sports in Syria

Economy and infrastructure of Syria

See also

External links