![]() | |
Location | |
![]() | |
Flag | |
![]() | |
Quick Facts | |
Capital | Damascus |
Government | Republic |
Currency | Syrian pound (SYP) |
Area | 185,180 km2 |
Population | 19,747,586 (July 2008 est) |
Language | Arabic |
Religion | Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various denominations) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo) |
Electricity | 220/50 Hz (European plug) |
Calling Code | 963 |
Internet TLD | .sy |
Time Zone | UTC +2(Winter) / +3(Summer) |
WARNING: Travel to Syria is not recommended at this time due to a state of severe political crisis. Since January 2011, the unrest within the country has continued to intensify and thousands of people have been injured or killed by government security forces. There also have been reports of some fighting between troops who have cast their lot with anti-government demonstrators and others who remain loyal to the government. If you are already in Syria, stay away from large public gatherings and try to gain independent information about the political and civil situation. Some countries have issued travel warnings, so consult your foreign office before traveling to Syria. |
Syria (?????????? ???????? ????????? Al-Jumhuriya al-`Arabiya as-Suriya, the Syrian Arab Republic ) is one of the larger states of the Middle East and has its capital in Damascus. Syria is bordered to the north by Turkey, to the east by Iraq, by Jordan and Israel to the south, and by Lebanon to the south-west. In addition, the country has a short coastline on the east Mediterranean Sea.