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Syria - Travel guideSyria - OverviewFollowing 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, but 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, and over the past decade Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over its return. Following the death of President al-ASAD in July 2000, his son, Bashar al-ASAD, was approved as president by popular referendum. Syrian troops - stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role - were withdrawn in April of 2005. |
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Syria General Information |
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| Country full name : | conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic conventional short form: Syria local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah local short form: Suriyah former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt) |
| Capital : | Damascus |
| Religions : | Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo) |
| Languages : | Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic |
| Location : | Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey |
| Geographic coordinates : | 35 00 N, 38 00 E |
| Area : | total: 185,180 sq km land: 184,050 sq km water: 1,130 sq km note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory |
| Climate : | 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 |
| Population : | 18,881,361 (July 2006 est.) |
| Nationality : | noun: Syrian(s) adjective: Syrian |
| Ethnic groups : | Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7% |
| Government type : | republic under an authoritarian, military-dominated regime since March 1963 |
| Administrative divisions: | 14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus |
| Legal system : | based on a combination of French and Ottoman civil law; religious law is used in the family court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Suffrage : | 18 years of age; universal |
| Internet code : | .sy |
| Calling code : | +963 |
| Time zone : | GMT/UTC +2 |
| Electricity : | 220VAC 50Hz |
| National holiday : | Independence Day, 17 April (1946) |
| Interesting link : | Syria travel guide - Lonely Planet Syria travel guide - Wikitravel Tourism Office of Syria |
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Syria Travel Guide Information