About Syria

A QUICK GLANCE AT SYRIA

Syria, With it's wonderful geographical position, deep rooted history and culture , is a destination for lovers of sun , beauty , nature , culture and adventure.

Syria relates along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea and shares borders with Turkey in the North , Iraq in the East , Israel and Jordan in the South and Lebanon in the West. The country Has an area of 185.000 square kilometers with a population of about 16millions (1994) . The landscape is varied from sea cost to mountains , desert and fertile valleys .

The official name of the country is The Arab Republic of Syria . It's capital is Damascus, center of all political and commercial activities . The Second city is Aleppo , center of the North . Other big cities are Homs And Latakkia  , the port of Syria . More than 3/4 of the population is living in these cities .

The climate is Mediterranean with four seasons . The average temperature rises from 10° in winter 32° in summer , while it is about 22 in spring and autumn .

The Syrian population is composed of several races- Arabs , Armenians , Kurds and Cherkessk – all speaking Arabic and their different languages . Their religion is for 80 percent Muslim , the remaining 20 percent is divided in Christians and a small community of Jews .

The Syrian meal is very rich. Though meat , grilled in a inimitable way , is the main course , this principal dish is always preceded by an incredible variety of small dishes called " mezzeh " . Hummus , Moutabbal and Mouhammara are the most important ones but they are accompanied by a multitude of other dishes depending of place and season .

Official Language : Arabic , but French and English are also widely spoken . German, Italian and Spanish are beginning to be heard in the hotels and shops .

Currency : Lira (Syrian pound ) , divided in 100 piaster . All hard currency can be exchanged at the Commercial Bank of Syria who has branches all over Syria, at the airport , at the Syrian borders and the major hotels.

Time: GMT + 2 in winter and GMT +3 in summer .

Electricity : 220 Volts .

work days : from Saturday till Thursday . Friday is the official holiday . Museums and monuments are closed on Tuesday .

working hours : from 08 am till 02pm in government departments . Shops and private offices are reopening in the afternoon from 04 till 08 pm .

telecommunication : the international phone code for Syria is 963 . The most important area city codes are 11 for Damascus , 21 for Aleppo and 31 for Palmyra . The use of fax is widely spread .

health : there are no requirements for special health measures before arriving in Syria .

Geography

Syria is a Mediterranean country with a unique position at the crossroad of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa.Occupying almost 200 km of the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean, Syria shares borders with Turkey in the North, Lebanon in the West, Palestine and Jordan in the south, Iraq in the East and has an area of 180.000 square kilometres.

The coastal and Turkish borders are defined by distinct mountain ranges; the Taurus mountains in the North, the Ansaryeh and Eastern Lebanese mountains in the West.

The rest of Syria is mostly flat fertile plains and desert apart from two small chains of hills in the Centre and South.

Biblical rivers, EuphratesOrontes flow through the Syrian plains irrigating large areas, as do a number of smaller, less known rivers such as river Barada which flows through Damascus and the rivers Khabour and Balikh in the northeast of the country. and

Natural Enviroment

Syria is a land of contrasts; sea, mountains, plains and desert are all to be found within its borders.The Syrian coast is 185 km long and mostly sandy; Golden sand at Lattakia and black volcanic sand at Ras El Bassit.Coastal mountains are covered with pine forest. Fauna  and inhabited by wild animals ranging from squirrels to cerfs and boars. Mountains are a cool retreat during the hot summer.

The fertile plains extend from the Eastern side of coastal mountains for miles into the East and are exceptionally pleasant in the Spring when covered with bright wild flowers and looking like a colourful mosaic.

The Desert in the East with its sand and dust and occasional oasis. Inhabited by nomads, camels tents and the odd deer herd on the move seeking a water-hole, it is a place of both harshness and beauty.

History

"The Cradle of Civilisation", Syria was a very prominent and powerful region in ancient times. The birthplace of the alphabet, it warred and traded with the Roman Empire and cradled Christianity.

Through its lands passed the pilgrim's road to Mecca, the crusades and the silk-road to China. On its land lived the Phoenicians, marine merchants, lands merchants, the Akkadians, Ammoreans, Assyrians, Arameans and other glorious civilisations.

The Roman Empire, at times, had Syrians as emperors; Elagabal (218-222 A.D.), Septimus Alexandrus (222-235 A.D.) and Philip the Arab (244-249 A.D.), to name a few. Julia Domna (158-217 A.D.) the second wife of the emperor Septimus Severus, was also Syrian.

The Syrian Dynasty (VIIth century A.D.) was among the most powerful in the Byzantine Empire History.

Similarly, the Roman Catholic Church took Syrians for her 11th, 82nd, 84th, 87th, 88th and 90th Pope. St. Anicet, John V, St. Sergius 1st, Sisinnius, Constantin and St. Gregoire III, respectively.

The Omayyad Dynasty (661-750 A.D. and till 1030 in Cordoba, Spain), which Capital was Damascus, dominated the largest empire ever known till then. It went from the Indus plain to Spain.

Syria's History is varied and wonderful and the many splendid ruins one finds attest to its former splendour and glory.

People

Syria has approximately 17 million inhabitants, and by virtue of its rich history and position as gateway between East and West is an extremely ethnically and religiously diverse country. Ethnically: the features of a "typical Syrian" are usually Mediterranean but European and Asiatic features are often prominent and far from rare. This "Melting pot" results in an extraordinary variety of traditions and lifestyles.

Hospitality in Syria is a tradition as old as its civilisation. It is so inbred that in many ways 'tradition' is too weak a word to describe it. The warmth of the welcome one receives is always exceptional. It is part of Syrian ethics and courtesy to welcome guests especially travellers and it is not unusual for a stranger to be invited into the house of a local resident whether in the desert or the city and plied with tea, coffee, offers of assistance and, usually, questions!