jumhûriyya sûriyyati l-carabiyya
(Official) sûriyyaa (Short)
| Status |
| Independent republic |
| Surface |
| 185,000 km² |
| Inhabitants |
| 15,000,000 |
| Capital |
| Damascus |
| Day of independence |
| September 28, 1941 |
| Head of state |
| Hafazu l-Assad |
| Languages |
| Arabic (official), English,
Kurdish |
| Currency |
| 1 lira=100 pjaster 100 liras=US$2,40, US$1=42 liras |
| Cities |
| Aleppo (1,5 million) Damascus (1,4 million) Homs (650,000) |
Syria is arid, relying very
much upon water coming down from the mountains. Most of the country is
flat, but has mountains towards the border of Lebanon. The east is desert,
the western coast has a mediterranean climate. Syria can get very cold
in the winter, and snow in the mountains is normal. Summer can get very
hot.