Syria
Published on Feb 03, 2016
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Syria
History of Syria
Present-day Syria is only a small portion of the ancient geographical Syrian landmass, a region situated at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea from which Western powers created the contemporary states of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel in the post-Ottoman era of the early twentieth century. Since before 2000 BC, Syria has been an integral part of, or the seat of
government for, powerful empires. The struggle among various indigenous groups as well as invading foreigners resulted in cultural enrichment and significant contributions to civilization, despite political upheaval or turmoil. The ancient city of Ebla existed at the center of anexpansive empire around 2400 B.C.
Photo by isawnyu
GEOGRAPHY
Syria is located in southwestern Asia, at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, with Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel and Lebanon to the west. Syria is about the size of North Dakota, with a total land area of 185,180 square kilometers (184,050 square kilometers of land and 1,130 square kilometers of water), including 1,295 square kilometers of Israeli-occupied territory. Syria’s land boundaries total 2,253 kilometers with the bordering nations of Iraq (605 kilometers), Israel (76 kilometers), Jordan (375 kilometers), Lebanon (375 kilometers), and Turkey (822 kilometers). Syria also has 193 kilometers of coastline along the Mediterranean Sea.
Photo by Hovic
Culture
Approximately 90 percent of Syrians are Arabs, and about 9 percent are Kurds. Armenians, Circassians, and Turkomans make up the remaining 1 percent of the
population. Arabic is the official language and mother tongue of about 90 percent of the population. Minority languages include Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, and Circassian. Both English and French are widely understood, especially by educated elites in major urban areas. The majority of Syrians are Sunni Muslims, comprising 74 percent of the population.nMinority religious groups include Alawis, a heterodox Shia Muslim sect (12 percent); Christians (10 percent); Druze.
Photo by Jose Javier Martin Espartosa
Topography & Climate
In the west, a narrow coastal plain stretches south from the Turkish border to
Lebanon. It is divided by a double band of mountains from the large eastern region, primarily a semiarid to arid plateau that encompasses mountain ranges, desert areas, and the Euphrates River basin. In the northwest, the Jabal an Nusayriyah mountain range, with peaks averaging 1,212 meters, runs parallel to the coastal plain, terminating just north of the Lebanese border. The AntiLebanon Mountains run south along the length of that border and have peaks of more than 2,700 meters. The Homs Gap, a small opening between the two mountain ranges, has served as a centuries-old trade and invasion route from the coast to the interior of the country. The high volcanic region of Jabal al Arab in the far south is the home of the country’s Druze population. A low chain of mountains extending northeastward from the Jabal al Arab to the Euphrates River intersects Syria’s expansive eastern plateau region. The barren desert region south of these
mountains is called the Hamad. Northeast of the Euphrates River is the fertile Jazirah region.
Photo by seier+seier
The Euphrates River, originating in the mountains of Turkey and flowing diagonally southeastward across Syria into Iraq, is Syria’s longest and most important river, providing 80 percent of Syria’s water resources. The striking feature of the Syrian climate is the contrast between sea and desert. A semiarid steppe zone extends across about three-quarters of the country between the humid Mediterranean coast in the west and the arid desert regions to the south and east. The steppe experiences fairly abundant rainfall, with annual precipitation ranging between 750 and 1,000 millimeters, mostly falling between November and May. Annual mean temperatures range from 7.2° C in January to 26.6° C in August. The area east of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains, including Damascus, has precipitation averaging less than 200 millimeters a year and temperatures ranging
from 4.4° C in January to 37.7° C in July and August.
Photo by Hovic
Economy
Syria had a relatively well-developed agricultural and industrial base at independence in 1946, but following independence the economy underwent widespread structural change. When the Baath Party became the major political force in the 1960s, Syria’s economic orientation and development strategy were transformed. Government-sponsored land reform and
the nationalization of major industries and foreign investments confirmed the socialist direction of the country’s economic policy. World Bank estimates place the total GDP for 2003 at US$21.5 billion, up from US$19.9 billion in 2002. The World Bank measured Syria’s GDP
growth at 2.5 percent in 2003, down from 3.2 percent in 2002. Consumer price inflation was estimated to be 1.5 percent in 2004.
Photo by Taras Kalapun
