Syria ​Essential information

Geographical Details

Syria the land of great diversity, starting from the coast, mountains, steppe ending in the Syrian Desert.
With about 110 miles (180 kilometers) along the Mediterranean Sea, the coast lies between Turkey and Lebanon, and it includes both areas of sandy shores, cliffs and rocky headlands. From "Ras Al-Basit" to "Ras Ibn Hani" there are rounded gulfs like "Minet El-Baida" that once sheltered the great kingdom of Ugarit.
The coastal mountainous range borders the coastal plain and runs from north to south. The mountains have an average width of 35 km, and their altitude declines from a modest 5,673 feet (1,729 m) in the north (east of Lattakia) to 5,256 feet (1,602 m) at Jebel Aqra to 1,969 feet (600 m) in the south, at the gap near Homs. Directly to the east of the mountains is the "Ghab" Depression, a 75 km longitudinal trench that contains the valley of the Orontes River.

The main ridge rises to a maximum height of 8,625 feet (2,629 m) near Al-Nabk, while the average height is between 6,000 and 7,000 feet. Mt. Hermon (Jebel al Shaykh), Syria's highest point, rises to 9,232 feet (2,814 m).
This semi circle of fertile land encompasses the Syrian Desert. This is where agriculture first began. Starting from the "Ghab" depression it extends eastward to create the most important geographical feature in Syria. With the addition of the Dam on the Euphrates, and modern irrigation this part of Syria is the area with the biggest production of cotton.
And Sure the Syrian Desert that comprises about 58 % of the Syrian territory .These undulating plains, often called the steppe, have a general elevation between 980 and 1,640 feet; they are seldom less than 820 feet (250 m) above sea level. The area is not a sand desert but comprises rock and gravel steppe; a mountainous region in the south-central area is known as al Hamad, and the main oasis is that at the foot of the Palmyrene Mountains which has very sulfurous water springs. The Climate here generally tends to be continental. Summers are long and extremely hot, while winters are short with severe cold winds.

The Syrian Flag:

The flag of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), or the "Syrian opposition flag", features three horizontal stripes: green, white, and black, from top to bottom, with three red stars centered in the white stripe. This flag is currently used by the Syrian Transitional Government.
Each Symbol in the Syrian flag represents a definite meaning:
1. The green stripe refers to the Rashidun Caliphate, the fertile land and the promise of growth and renewal for Syria.
2. The white stripe represents the Umayyad period, while also standing for peace and the hope for a bright future.
3. The black stripe represents the Abbasid period, in addition to the dark times and struggles faced by the Syrian people.
4. The red stars are symbols of the bloodshed and sacrifices made in the pursuit of freedom and justice.
5. Three stars represent three Syrian regions; Aleppo, Damascus and Deir al-Zor.

Historically, this flag was originally adopted in 1932 and served as the national flag of Syria after gaining independence from the French mandate in 1946. However, after the Ba'ath Party coup in 1963, a different flag was introduced. The FSA and various opposition groups reinstated the flag during the Syrian civil war, starting in 2011, as a symbol of resistance against the regime and a call for freedom, democracy, and human rights. On the 8th of December 2024, the Syrian government collapsed following the fall of Bashar al-Assad. Consequently, the opposition groups, including Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, took over and formed the "Syrian Transitional Government", adopting this flag as a Symbol of the Syrian victory.

The Syrian National Anthem

"Homat el Diyar" (translated Guardians of the Homeland) is the national anthem of Syria, with lyrics written by "Khalil Mardam Bey" and the music by "Mohammed Flayfel", who also composed the national anthem of the Palestinian National Authority, as well as many other Arab folk songs.
It was adopted in 1936 and temporarily fell from use when Syria joined the United Arab Republic with Egypt in 1958. It was decided that the national anthem of the UAR would be a combination of the then-Egyptian anthem and "Homat elDiyar" When Syria seceded from the union in 1961, the anthem was completely restored.
English Translation of Syrian National Anthem:

Defenders of our home,
Peace be upon you;
The proud spirits had
refused to subdue.
The lion-abode of Arabism,
A hallowed sanctuary;
The seat of the stars,
An inviolable preserve.
Our hopes and our hearts,
Are entwined with the flag,
Which unites our country...

Climate

On the coast summers are hot and very humid, with a maximum daily average of 29 C, while the mild winters have a minimum daily average of 10 C. The only areas where summers are cool in Syria, are in places with an altitude of over 1,969 feet (600 m). Slunfeh, Bludan, and Mashta al Helu are local favorites. At Aleppo, in the northwest, the average August temperature is about 30° C, and the average January temperature is about 4.4° C, and Damascus is very similar in the south. In the Desert regions of Palmyra and Deir Ezzor, in the central region at the edge of the Syrian Desert, the corresponding temperatures are about 30.8° C and about 6.4° C.
Along the West of the coastal mountainous range, Syria's climate is very Mediterranean, however, there is a long dry season from May to September. Further inland as you approach the steppe and the Syrian Desert, the climate gradually becomes more arid, with colder and more extreme winters and hotter, drier summers.

Rain and Snow:

Summer rain is very scarce in Syria, although it appears occasionally in the extreme Northwest. Yearly rainfall in the coast and Western Mountains ranges from 762 to 1020 millimeters. Further inland as you head Eastwards rainfall decreases rapidly; the steppe between Aleppo and Damascus receives about 255 to 510 mm a year. Further towards the Desert, rainfall gradually decreases ranging from 127 mm to less than 25 mm in the southeast. Rainfall is variable from year to year, particularly in the spring and autumn months.
Snow may occur in winter away from the coast, more in high humid places and dry low lands. Frosts are common, especially in villages of high altitude locations.

Winds:

In the Syria Essential Information Winter is subjected to Eastern, Western and Northerly winds. The prevailing summer winds are either from the North or from the West. The Coast however, in the summer, receives winds from the West during the day, and from the East during the night. There are few sand or dust storms near the cities, however, the Desert villages are subjected to it regularly. Once or twice a year sand-bearing winds, or Khamasins, are almost 4,922 feet (1,500 m) high, this darkens the sky into a dark red color for two to three days each time.

Language in Syria

Spoken Languages in Syria:

Arabic is the official and most widely spoken language. Kurdish is widely spoken in the Kurdish regions of Syria (northeastern regions), Kurds are less than 10% of Syria's population. Aramaic, the lingua franca of the region before the advent of Islam and Arabic, is spoken among certain ethnic groups: Syriac, it is used as the liturgical language of various Syriac denominations; modern Aramaic (particularly, Turoyo language and Assyrian Neo-Aramaic) is spoken in al Jezira region. Most remarkably, Western Neo-Aramaic is still spoken in the village of Maalula, and two neighboring villages, 35 miles (56 km) northeast of Damascus.

The Arabic Language:

Arabic (al Arabiya), a Semitic idiom, is the main language spoken in Syria. The Arabic language was adopted and spread over a large area of land in the 7th Century. This language has very old roots going back to the Assyrians in the 9th Century BC. Arabic was probably first written in the 2nd and 3rd Centuries AD under the rule of the Lakhmid tribe in Southern Mesopotamia. Other languages related to Arabic are Babylonian, Hittite (or Hurrian), Hebrew and Aramean. The Arabic alphabet has a few extra letters that do not exist in the normal Latin and Germanic languages.
The Arabic alphabet, written from Right to Left, was first used to write texts in Arabic - most importantly, the Koran, the holy book of Islam. With the spread of Islam, it came to be used to write many other languages, even outside of the Semitic family to which Arabic belongs. Examples of non-Semitic languages written with the Arabic alphabet include Persian, Urdu, Malay, Azerbaijani (in Iran) and Kurdish in Iraq and Iran. In order to accommodate the needs of these other languages, new letters and other symbols were added to the original alphabet.

The First Alphabet:

In the history of the world, man wrote the alphabet for the first time in Ugarit - Syria, locally known as "Ras Shamra", on the Syrian coast, that the genius of a scribe drew the first thirty letters on a small clay tablet. This little invention dates back to the 14th century BC. The tablet is exhibited at the museum of Damascus.
In this picture are some alphabetical symbols compared to the first alphabet of Ugarit (the second row from top):

Religions

Syria's population is approximately 90% Muslim and 10% Christian. Among Muslims, 74% are Sunni; the rest are divided among other Muslim sects, mainly Alawites (accounting for 10% of the total population) and Druze (6%), but also a small number of non-Druze Ismailites and Shiite, which has increased dramatically due to the influx of Iraqi refugees since 2005.

Judaism

There is also a tiny Syrian Jewish community that is confined mainly to Damascus; remnants of a formerly 40,000 strong community. After the 1947 UN Partition plan in Palestine, there were heavy pogroms against Jews in Damascus and Aleppo. The Jewish property was confiscated or burned and after the establishment of the State of Israel, many fled to Israel and only 5000 Jews were left in Syria. Of these, 4000 more left after agreement with the United States in the 1990s. As of 2006, there are only a few hundred Jews left in Syria.

Islam

Islam, the third Monotheistic religion, was started by the Prophet Muhammad, a descendant of a long line of prophets, including Jesus, Moses, Abraham, and David (Peace be upon them). Muhammad (P), had, through the Angel Gabriel, the revelation of the Koran, the word of Allah (The word 'Allah' translates into 'The GOD'). Islam spread like a field on fire, and was soon taken as the main religion of Syria.

Christianity

There are several Christian communities, who, on a whole, constitute approx. 8 - 10% of the Syrian population. Christianity in Syria is divided into three parts: Catholic Churches, Orthodox Churches, and the Protestants. The Catholic Churches are divided into the following: Greek Catholics, Syrian Catholics, Armenian Catholics, Chaldean Catholics, Maronite Catholics, and Latin Catholics. All have their own Patriarch, although the highest position is the Pope in the Vatican. The Orthodox Churches are divided into Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, and Armenian Orthodox. These Churches also have their own patriarchs although the Armenians are under the guidance of a Patriarch in Armenia. Protestants are few and are under the guidance of a Thinodus (A level of Priesthood). Their representation in the academic and economic life of Syria far exceeds the percentage of their population.
Christianity in Syria is strongly recognized and National holidays include Christmas, New Years day, and Easter. The Armenian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on the 6th of January. As for Easter it is celebrated on two different dates, the customary Western date (celebrated by the Catholic Churches, Protestants and Armenian Orthodox), the other date is celebrated by the Syrian and Greek Orthodox.

Syria Essential Information

Location

Geographical Details

The Syrian Flag:

The Syrian National Anthem