Syria
Geography - People - Economy - Government - Communications - Transportation - Military - Transnational IssuesCountry name - conventional long form : Syrian Arab Republic
Country name - conventional short form : Syria
Country name - local long form : Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah
Country name - local short form : Suriyah
Country name - former : United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
Government type : republic under an authoritarian military-dominated regime
Capital - name : Damascus
Capital - time difference : UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
National holiday : Independence Day, 17 April (1946)
Nationality - noun : Syrian(s)
Nationality - adjective : Syrian
Languages : Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood
Currency (code) : Syrian pound (SYP)
Currency code : SYP
Syria is located Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey. The climate is mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus. The terrain is primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west.
Background
This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends.Background : Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, France administered Syria until its independence in 1946. The country lacked political stability, however, and experienced a series of military coups during its first decades. Syria united with Egypt in February 1958 to form the United Arab Republic. In September 1961, the two entities separated, and the Syrian Arab Republic was reestablished. In November 1970, Hafiz al-ASAD, a member of the Socialist Ba'th Party and the minority Alawite sect, seized power in a bloodless coup and brought political stability to the country. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. During the 1990s, Syria and Israel held occasional peace talks over its return. Following the death of President al-ASAD, his son, Bashar al-ASAD, was approved as president by popular referendum in July 2000. Syrian troops - stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role - were withdrawn in April 2005. During the July-August 2006 conflict between Israel and Hizballah, Syria placed its military forces on alert but did not intervene directly on behalf of its ally Hizballah.
More Information about the country
