$Unique_ID{COW03605} $Pretitle{247} $Title{Syria Syria} $Subtitle{} $Author{Embassy of Syria, Washington DC} $Affiliation{Embassy of Syria, Washington DC} $Subject{syria mountains syria's damascus river desert city syrian east euphrates} $Date{1990} $Log{} Country: Syria Book: Facts about Syria Author: Embassy of Syria, Washington DC Affiliation: Embassy of Syria, Washington DC Date: 1990 Syria OFFICIAL NAME: Syrian Arab Republic. GOVERNMENT Republic. HEAD OF STATE: President Hafez Al Assad CAPITAL: Damascus. AREA: 71.500 Sq. Mi. POPULATION / DENSITY: 12 million: 140/Sq. Mi. profile: OTHER URBAN CENTERS Aleppo. Latakia. Homs. Ha Turtouis. Banias. OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS: January 1. New Year: March 8. Revolution Day: March 30. Easter: April 17. National Day: July 23. Egyptian National Day: September 1. Libyan National Day: November 16. Correction Movement Day. INTERNATIONAL CODES Tel: 963: Telex: 942. MAIN AIRPORTS: Damascus. Aleppo MAIN SEAPORTS Latakia Tartous. CURRENCY: Syrian pound (1 SP = $0.11 U.S.). LANGUAGE: Arabic. English and French are widely spoken. GOVERNMENT: Republic JOINED ARAB LEAGUE March 22. 1945. JOINED U.N.: October 24, 1955 TIME: EST +7: GMT -2 RELIGION: Islam and Christianity BUSINESS PROCEDURE Most imports are made through the public sector where state trading organizations deal with foreign suppliers. However, the private sectors share has been increasing Agents for the companies must be Syrian firms commerce and trade: GNP: $15.2 billion (1982). GNP PER CAPITA: $1.760 (1983) Overview Syria is one of the oldest inhabited lands in the world and a country of a long and rich history. Its history and geography are intertwined with those of Lebanon. Jordan and Palestine. These modern states, which were created as a result of the defeat of the Turkish Empire in World War 1 and the designs of the then Western Imperialists, were part of "Greater Syria." The present boundaries were determined primarily by the French and British mandates in the early 1920s: and in 1946. Syria gained its full independence. 1) The Land Syria covers an area of more than 71,000 square miles, making it slightly larger than the state of Oklahoma. Turkey lies to the north, and Iraq is situated to the east. Jordan shares Syria's southern frontier, and the Mediterranean Sea, Lebanon, and Israel border Syria to the west. The boundary with Israel has been in dispute since 1967. In that year, Israeli forces captured strategic hills in south-western Syria called the Golan Heights. The Israeli government made them part of Israel in 1981. Syria still claims the Golan Heights as part of its national territory. Topography Syria has four natural land features. A north-south group of mountains separates a coastal plain from the interior. East of the mountains lie a fertile plateau and the Syrian Desert. The country's narrow coastal plain extends for over 70 miles along the Mediterranean Sea between Turkey and Lebanon. North of the Syrian port of Latakia, the shoreline tends to be rugged, with rocky cliffs, while south of the city, the landscape is more level. Because the coastal plain receives adequate rainfall, the land is intensely farmed and densely populated. Syria's mountains are concentrated in the west and south. Parallel to the coastal strip is the Jabal al-Nusayriya-a limestone range that reaches its highest point, about 5,000 feet, at the northern end of the mountain chain. East of this range lies the Great Rift Valley (also called the Al-Ghab Depression), through which the Orontes River flows. A giant crack in the earth's crust created this trenchlike valley, which extends southward far into the African continent. South of the Jabal al-Nusayriya is a narrow corridor-the Homs Gap-which has long been a pathway for traders and invaders. On the other side of the gap are the Anti-Lebanon Mountains, which mark the boundary between Lebanon and Syria. The highest peak cin this chain-and in Syria-is Mount Hermon (9,232 feet), which lies on the border between the two countries. The Anti-Lebanon Mountains gradually decrease in elevation until they reach the Golan Heights. In the southwest are the volcanic peaks of the Jabal al-Arab (formerly the Jabal Druze). The western slopes of these mountains receive enough rainfall to support cultivated plots. Many Syrians who belong to the Druze religious sect live in this rocky area. Eastern Syria consists chiefly of a grassy plateau and the Syrian Desert. Irrigation allows farmers to raise much of Syria's food and livestock on the plateau, which has an average elevation of 2,000 feet. Most of the nation's farmers work in this region. The Euphrates River (called Al-Furat in Syria) flows through the northeastern section of the plateau. The waterway helps to create Al-Jazira-the upper part of the Tigris-Euphrates River Valley, which stretches into Iraq. The Euphrates also forms the northeastern boundary of the Syrian Desert, which extends into Iraq and Jordan. A roughly triangular land feature, the desert reaches an average elevation of 2,000 feet above sea level. Syria's section-which covers most of the nation's southeastern territory-is largely flat and gently slopes toward the Euphrates. Deep wadis (riverbeds that carry water only during the rainy season) cut through the desert and also lead to the Euphrates. Rivers The Euphrates and the Orontes rivers are Syria's most important waterways. The 2,235-mile-long Euphrates flows from its source in Turkey through a broad stretch of Syria. Eventually the waterway travels through Iraq to the Persian Gulf. As it winds through Syria, the river irrigates farmland and receives the volume of two branch rivers-the Balikh and the Khabur. Plans are in progress to harness these waterways for hydropower. The huge Euphrates Dam at Tabaqa redirects water to thousands of acres of once- uncultivated land. This engineering feat also created Lake Al-Assad-a 30-mile-long reservoir. The 335-mile-long Orontes River begins near Baalbek, Lebanon, and enters Syria south of the city of Homs. Dams at Homs and Hama have rechanneled the Orontes to irrigate the surrounding countryside. As a result of the Orontes River, harvests in western Syria are abundant, and local industries have hydropower to run their operations. After passing through north-western Syria, the river enters Turkey and then empties into the Mediterranean Sea. One other river-the Barada-is of importance to Syria. Beginning in the Anti-Lebanon Mountains, the Barada flows through the capital city of Damascus to the desert. The river provides water to the Al-Ghuta Oasis, a fertile area where the capital stands. Although it becomes a mere trickling stream in the dry season, the Barada has allowed Damascus to be inhabited for thousands of years. Climate The climate of Syria varies greatly from west to east. Population centers and crop farming occur in places where rainfall is plentiful or where irrigation projects exist. In dry zones, nomads commonly raise livestock. Although Mediterranean breezes cool the coastal plain, summers (May through August) in this region are generally hot and humid, with temperatures in the eighties and nineties. In winter (November through February), temperatures along the coast range between 48 degrees and 68 F. Jabal al-Nusayriya and the Anti-Lebanon Mountains act as a wall to moisture-carrying winds that blow in from the Mediterranean. As a result, the western slopes of these ranges are wetter and cooler than the eastern elevations. Readings in the western mountains average about 72F in summer and 40F in winter. At the highest altitudes, temperatures frequently drop below freezing in the winter. East of the mountains, the plateau is semi-arid, with hot summers and cool winters. Temperatures can climb to 104F in the summer, and winter levels fall to the low forties. The desert is the nation's hottest and driest region. In summer, temperatures rise as high as 110F, and hot winds cause sandstorms that kick up enough dust and sand both to block vision and to rearrange the sand dunes. Winter temperatures in the desert drop to about 35 F. Syria's wet season lasts from November to March. Rainfall is heaviest along the coast and in the mountain ranges that flank the coastal strip. In these areas, annual precipitation varies from 20 to 40 inches and may exceed 50 inches in some places. The highest elevations receive a portion of their moisture as snow. Because the mountains keep most of the rain from entering the interior, the rest of Syria is nearly dry. The plateau that lies east of the mountains annually receives about 10 inches of rain. The desert may average as little as 3 inches per year, or in very dry periods, it may not receive any precipitation at all. Flora and Fauna Syrians have so thoroughly cleared the coastal plain for farming and housing that not much of the original vegetation survives. Scrubby Mediterranean plants, such as tamarisk and buckthorn, grow in wasteland areas, and bright wildflowers thrive as weeds in cultivated fields. Forests of oak and pine flourish in the northern part of the Jabal al-Nusayriya, and hardwood trees cover the southern part of the same range. Thin stands of oak, pine, cedar, and cypress survive in the upper elevations of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains. On the grassy plains, terebinth trees are comon. A member of the sumac family, this tree is an ancient source of turpentine (a resin used as a paint solvent). Human settlement patterns have also decreased the habitats of Syria's wild mammals. Nevertheless, deer and gazelles continue to live in remote areas. Rodents -such as dormice, squirrels, and rats-also make their homes in Syria. Other small mammals include hares, hedgehogs, wildcats, weasels, and foxes. Lions and leopards once roamed Syria, but bears are the only large mammals still reported. Among native birds are hawks, kites, cormorants, pelicans, flamingos, cuckoos, and woodpeckers. Desert animals include lizards and chameleons, as well as the sheep and camels of nomadic herders. Natural Resources Petroleum is Syria's most important natural resource, but the nation's oil deposits are small compared to those of some other Middle Eastern states. First discovered in Syria in 1957, petroleum is now a leading national export. Most of the country's oil fields lie in eastern Syria. After oil, Syria's chief resources are natural gas, phosphates, iron ore, salt, and asphalt. Supplies of these substances exist in large enough quantities to be mined profitably. Smaller amounts of coal, copper, lead, and gold have been discovered in mountain areas. Major Cities Most of Syria's population live in the western part of the country, where rainfall is relatively plentiful. About half of the nation's 12 million people reside in urban areas. Syria's cities and towns have long histories and feature narrow streets, ancient buildings, and traditional ways of life. Most large urban centers have added modern housing and business districts to accommodate their growing populations. DAMASCUS With 1.2 million people, Damascus-the nation's capital and largest city-is Syria's hub of business, government, and communications. Situated between the Anti-Lebanon Mountains and the Syrian Desert, Damascus lies in the Al-Ghuta Oasis-a triangular network of irrigation canals fed by the Barada River. Located along the route between Europe, the Middle East, and eastern Asia, Damascus has been a trading center since ancient times. In fact, some authorities claim that it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The capital's streets are crowded with people, trucks, cars, and buses. Merchants sell food, fabrics, and metalwork in markets called suqs. Among the landmarks of ancient Damascus, which lies on the southern bank of the Barada River, is the Umayyad Mosque. One of the most famous houses of worship in the Middle East, the mosque was constructed in A.D. 705 on the site of a former Christian church. The Azm Palace, located near the Umayyad Mosque, was built for an eighteenth-century governor. Also close to the mosque is the tomb of Saladin, a twelfth-century Arab general who defeated European invaders intent on holding the city. Modern Damascus extends north of the Barada and boasts wide avenues, large apartment buildings, and tall office complexes. The business district took shape during the early 1900s, when France controlled Syria. Many institutions-such as the National Museum and the National Library-preserve Syria's cultural diversity. The capital's manufacturing sector produces textiles and processed food. The University of Damascus sits on the outskirts of the capital. ALEPPO Located in northwestern Syria, Aleppo-the second largest city in Syria-has over one million inhabitants. Like Damascus, Aleppo has a long, colorful past. Archaeological evidence suggests that people may have settled in the area before 5000 B.C. Among Aleppo's numerous historic and religious sites is a large, twelfth-century Arab fort. Standing on a bluff that dominates the older part of the city, the fort has beautiful tiled ceilings and strong walls. Shops that offer a wide variety of goods line Aleppo's vast network of suqs. Included in the trading district are traditional public baths and khans-ancient resting places for caravan travelers. Modern Aleppo is a commercial and industrial hub and a marketplace for farmers from surrounding regions. The city's chief industries are textile manufacturing and food processing, mainly of dried fruits, nuts, and tobacco. The Euphrates Dam-which has enabled local farmers to grow large amounts of wheat, barley, and cotton-has increased Aleppo's importance. Secondary Urban Centers Homs, with 430,000 people, lies along a route between Damascus and Aleppo in west central Syria. Situated on the Orontes River, the city was once the center of the worship of Baal, a sun god of ancient times. Set amid one of the most fertile areas of Syria, Homs is famous for silk manufacturing and contains large oil-refining facilities. Hama (population 200,000) was settled long before 1000 B.C. Built on the banks of the Orontes River, the city lies about 30 miles north of Homs in a district where farmers plant large fields of grain and cotton. Hama also contains ancient water-wheels that pump water for irrigation from the Orontes to nearby farmland. Dating from the sixteenth century, some of these devices are 90 feet in diameter. The city's main industries are food processing and the manufacture of clothing and carpets. Latakia (population 240,000), the chief seaport of Syria, outlasted the rule of Phoenicians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans over many centuries. The city's Roman ruins, which include the Temple of Bacchus and the Triumphal Arch, are among the finest ancient sites in Syria. As a result of its seaside location, Latakia benefits from Mediterranean breezes that soften the extremes of the region's summer and winter temperatures. The hub of the Syrian tobacco industry, Latakia also exports cotton, asphalt, and foodstuffs. A leading resort, the city draws visitors to its beaches and historical sites.