Essay on the political history of Syria in the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Ancient Syria ancient Syria history of Syrian civilization History of Syria from ancient times

Syria or Syrian Arab Republic- a state in the Middle East, in the eastern Mediterranean, bordered by Lebanon and Israel in the southwest, Jordan in the south, Iraq in the east and Turkey in the north. It is washed by the Mediterranean Sea in the west. The area is 185.2 thousand km².

The Ansaria mountain range divides the country into a wet western part and an arid eastern part.

The fertile coastal plain is located in northwestern Syria and stretches 130 km from north to south, along the Mediterranean coast from the Turkish to the Lebanese border. Almost all of the country's agriculture is concentrated here.

Most of the Syrian territory is located on an arid plateau, dotted with the mountain ranges of Dajable al-Ruwaq, Jabal Abu Rujmain and Jabal Bishri. The average height of the plateau above sea level ranges from 200 to 700 meters. To the north of the mountains is the Hamad Desert, to the south is Homs.

In the east, Syria is crossed by the Euphrates River. In 1973, a dam was built in the upper reaches of the river, which caused the formation of a reservoir called Lake Assad.

Climate

Climate in Syria subtropical Mediterranean on the coast and dry continental in the interior. The average temperature in January is from +4..+6°C in the eastern regions to +12°C on the coast, in July - from +33°C to +26°C, respectively. At the end of summer, a hot easterly wind, "khamsin", blows in Syria, sometimes developing into sandstorms.

The best time to travel around the country is in the spring, from March to May, or in the fall, from September to November, when weather conditions are most favorable. The beach season lasts here from May to November.

Last changes: 05/09/2013

Population

The population of Syria is 22,198,110 people (2009). The majority of the population is concentrated along the banks of the Euphrates and on the Mediterranean coast. Average life expectancy is 70 years.

Arabs (including about 400 thousand Palestinian refugees) make up more than 80% of Syria's population.

The largest national minority, the Kurds, make up 10% of the population. Most Kurds live in the north of the country, many still use the Kurdish language. There are also Kurdish communities in all major cities.

3% of the population of Syria are Assyrians, mostly Christians, also living in the north and northeast of the country.

In addition, up to 400 thousand Circassians (Adygs) and about 200 thousand Armenians live in Syria, as well as about 900 thousand Turks live on the border with Turkey in the cities of Aleppo (Aleppo), Latakia and in the capital.

Religion

90% of the population of Syria are Muslims, 10% are Christians.

Of the Muslims, 75% are Sunnis, the remaining 25% are Alawites and Ismailis, as well as Shiites, the number of which has been constantly increasing since 2003 due to the flow of refugees from Iraq.

Among Christians, half are Syrian Orthodox, 18% are Catholics (mainly members of the Syriac Catholic and Melkite Catholic churches). There are significant communities of the Armenian Apostolic and Russian Orthodox churches.

About 100-200 Syrian Jews also live in Damascus and Lattakia, the remnants of a 40,000-strong community that almost completely fled to Israel, the United States and South American countries as a result of the 1947 pogroms that began after the announcement of the UN plan for the division of Palestine.

Language

The official and most common language is Arabic. In the northern regions of the country, Kurdish is often used. The most common languages also include Armenian, Adyghe (Circassian) and Turkmen. In certain areas there are various dialects of Aramaic.

Among foreign languages, the most popular are French and English.

Last changes: 05/09/2013

Currency

Currency of Syria- Syrian pound (SYP or S£), often called the Syrian lira. Has denominations: 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 (coins) and 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 (banknotes).

It is almost impossible to pay in foreign currency anywhere. You can exchange it in hotels, exchange offices and banks, where the rate is usually the most favorable. There is no fee for cash exchanges. Private currency exchange is officially prohibited, but in fact is widespread. It is almost impossible to exchange pounds back.

Banks are usually open from 8:30 to 13:00-14:00 from Saturday to Thursday, on Thursdays banks are open only in the morning. Exchange offices are open from 8:30 to 19:00-20:00 on the same days.

Credit cards are accepted by a fairly limited number of establishments: they can be used to purchase air tickets, pay in large stores, in some offices of car rental companies and large hotels. It is almost impossible to get cash from a credit card in Syria.

Traveler's checks are accepted only at the office of the Commercial Bank of Syria, and a commission is charged for cashing them.

Last changes: 05/09/2013

Communications

Calling code: 963

Internet domain: .sy

Tourist police - 222-00-00, police - 112, ambulance - 110

Telephone city codes

Damascus - 11, Aleppo - 21, Latakia - 41, Hama - 33, Homs - 31

How to call

To call from Russia to Syria, you need to dial: 8 - dial tone - 10 - 963 - area code - subscriber number.

To call from Syria to Russia, you need to dial: 00 - 7 - area code - subscriber number.

Landline communications

Payphones are located in all public places and operate using both cards and coins. You can call abroad from hotels (through operators) and from specialized call centers (calls from most hotels are usually 25% more expensive).

mobile connection

Mobile communications in Syria are GSM 900/1800 standard.

Internet

The Internet in Syria is subject to censorship; access to some sites, for example, Facebook.com or Youtube.com, is prohibited.

Last changes: 05/09/2013

Shopping

Shops are open from Saturday to Thursday from 9:30 to 14:00 and from 16:30 to 21:00. Many private shops operate according to their own schedule. Many purchases can be made in the markets, the best of which are in Damascus and Aleppo. In this case, of course, it is recommended to bargain.

In Syria, many valuable local handicrafts made of mother-of-pearl, wood, fabric, leather and silver are sold. Local souvenirs: spices, silver and gold jewelry, wood products, silk scarves, national costumes, olive oil, sheep skins and sweets.

Unlike other countries, duty free stores in Syria are located everywhere, not just at the airport. Any product purchased in "duty free" must be taken out of the country and used only outside its borders. The item in the store is usually packaged, labeled with the buyer's name, and delivered to the airport in time for the flight's departure, where it is handed over to the buyer.

Last changes: 05/09/2013

Sea and beaches

There are numerous beaches along the coast of Latakia. The swimming season in the local shallow, and therefore well-warmed, waters lasts from May to November. The beaches are sandy, comfortable, and well suited for families with children: there are practically no big waves here.

Last changes: 05/09/2013

Story

Syria has come under the rule of the Egyptians, Canaanites, Aramaes, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Armenians, Romans, Nabataeans, Byzantines, Arabs and Crusaders throughout its history before eventually falling under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. Syria occupies an important place in the history of Christianity - according to the Bible, Paul converted to the Christian faith in Antioch, where the first church was founded.

Islam took hold in Syria in 636, when Damascus became the capital of the Arab Caliphate under the Umayyads. At this time, the Caliphate was already a powerful state, stretching from the Iberian Peninsula to Central Asia. Damascus became the cultural and economic center of the entire Arab world, already in the 8th century being one of the largest cities in the world. In 750, the Umayyads were overthrown by the Abbasid dynasty, after which the capital of the Caliphate moved to Baghdad.

In the middle of the 13th century, Damascus became the provincial center of the Mamluk Empire. In 1400 Syria was attacked by the Tatar-Mongols. Tamerlane defeated the Mamluk detachments, destroyed Damascus and took all its wealth to Samarkand.

In 1517, Syria came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire for several centuries. Shortly after defeat in World War I, the Ottoman Empire collapsed.

In 1920, the Syrian Arab Kingdom was founded with its center in Damascus. Faisal of the Hashemite dynasty, who later became the king of Iraq, was declared king. But Syria's independence did not last long. Within a few months, the French army occupied Syria, defeating Syrian troops on July 23 at the Battle of Maysalun Pass. In 1922, the League of Nations decided to divide the former Syrian Dominion of Turkey between Great Britain and France. Great Britain received Jordan and Palestine, and France received the modern territory of Syria and Lebanon (the so-called “League of Nations Mandate”).

In 1936, a treaty was signed between Syria and France providing for Syrian independence, but in 1939 France refused to ratify it. In 1940, France itself was occupied by German troops, and Syria came under the control of the Vichy Regime (governor General Denz). Nazi Germany, having provoked the rebellion of Prime Minister Geilani in British Iraq, sent units of its air force to Syria. In June - July 1941, with the support of British troops, units of the Free French (later renamed Fighting France) led by generals De Gaulle and Catroux entered Syria during a bloody conflict with Denz's troops. General De Gaulle in his memoirs directly indicated that the events in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon were directly related to German plans to invade the USSR (as well as Greece, Yugoslavia and Crete), since they had the task of diverting the Allied armed forces to secondary theaters of military operations .

On September 27, 1941, France granted independence to Syria, leaving its troops on its territory until the end of World War II. On January 26, 1945, Syria declared war on Germany and Japan. In April 1946, French troops were evacuated from Syria.

The president of independent Syria was Shukri al-Quwatli, who fought for the country's independence under the Ottoman Empire. In 1947, a parliament began to operate in Syria. The main political forces were the pro-presidential National Socialist Party of Syria (currently active only in Lebanon), the Arab Socialist Renaissance Party and the Communist Party of Syria, which was then underground.

In 1948, the Syrian army took a limited part in the Arab-Israeli war started by an alliance of Arab states.

On March 15, 1956, an agreement on collective security against possible Israeli aggression was concluded between Syria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

On February 22, 1958, in the wake of the popularity of the pan-Arab movement, Syria and Egypt united into one state - the United Arab Republic with its center in Cairo. The president of the new state was the Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser, but Syrians also held many important positions. However, Nasser soon dissolved all Syrian political parties. In Syria, large-scale nationalization of agriculture began, and then industry and the banking sector. On September 28, 1961, a coup d'etat took place in Damascus under the leadership of a group of officers, Syria again declared independence. Nasser decided not to resist the separatists, so the UAR lasted only 3 and a half years.

After Syria left the confederation, the country was led by liberal Nazim Al-Qudsi. He returned many nationalized enterprises to their former owners. On March 28, 1962, a coup took place in the country again under the leadership of the same group of army officers. Al-Qudsi and his prime minister were arrested. After 5 days, supporters of the previous regime overthrew the interim government, and Al-Qudsi again became the president of the country.

In 1964, a new constitution was adopted, in which the leading role of PASV was enshrined. The country was led by Amin Hafez, who began radical socialist reforms. In particular, the nationalization of the main sectors of the economy was carried out again.

On February 23, 1966, Syria was shocked by the fifth coup in 4 years led by Salah Jedid and Hafez al-Assad. Amin Hafez was overthrown, but the PASV remained in power, and Syria's socialist path of development remained largely unchanged.

In November 1970, as a result of the “corrective movement” in the PASV, led by H. al-Assad, Saleh Jedid’s group was removed from power. Thus, Syria became the main ally of the Soviet Union in the Middle East. The USSR provided Syria with assistance in modernizing its economy and armed forces.

In 1967, during the Six Day War, the Golan Heights were occupied by Israel. In the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Syria unsuccessfully attempted to recapture them. By decision of the UN Security Council at the end of the 1973 war, a buffer zone was created separating Israel and Syria. The Golan Heights are currently controlled by Israel, but Syria is demanding their return.

In 1976, at the request of the Lebanese government, Syrian troops entered this country in order to stop the civil war. The war ended in 1990, when a government was established in Lebanon that maintained friendly relations with Syria. Syrian troops left Lebanon only in 2005 after the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Syria supported Iran in the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-1988.

After the death of Hafez al-Assad on June 10, 2000, his son Bashar al-Assad became president.

According to some reports, during the Israeli-Lebanese war in 2006, Syria supplied weapons to Hezbollah. This, in particular, is related to Syria’s still strained relations with some Western countries.

Last changes: 05/09/2013

Golan Heights

The territory of the Golan Heights makes up the Syrian province of Quneitra with its center in the city of the same name. Israeli troops captured the Golan Heights in 1967, and the region was under the control of the Israel Defense Forces until 1981. In 1974, the UN Emergency Force was introduced into the region. A demarcation line was drawn directly along the eastern border of Quneitra province and a demilitarized zone was created. The UN Disengagement Observer Force is based in the area.

In 1981, the Israeli Knesset passed the Golan Heights Law, which unilaterally declared Israeli sovereignty over this territory. The annexation was declared invalid by the UN Security Council Resolution of December 17, 1981 and condemned by the UN General Assembly in 2008.

The city of Katzrin became the center of the Israeli Golan. The majority of the non-Jewish population in the Golan are Druze who retain Syrian citizenship (they are given the right to obtain Israeli citizenship). In Syria they enjoy some privileges, in particular, they are guaranteed free higher education.

In 2005, the population of the Golan Heights was approximately 40 thousand people, including 20 thousand Druze, 19 thousand Jews and about 2 thousand Alawites. The largest settlement in the area is the Druze village of Majdal Shams (8,800 people). Initially, only UNDOF personnel had the right to free movement between Syria and Israel. But in 1988, Israeli authorities allowed Druze pilgrims to cross into Syria so that they could visit the Temple of Abel, located in the neighboring province of Dara. Also, since 1967, Druze brides who decide to marry a Syrian are allowed to cross over to the Syrian side, and they already lose the right to return.

Syria and Israel are de jure in a state of war, since a peace treaty between these countries has not yet been signed.

In August 2007, Israel began a phased reduction in its military presence in the Golan for the first time since 1967.

Last changes: 05/09/2013

The name Syria comes from the ancient Greek name for the colonies of Assyria, derived from the Semitic word "Sirion". The area on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea south of Cilicia, between Egypt and Mesopotamia, including Commagene, Sophene and Adiabene, is described by Pliny the Elder as “former Assyria.” By the time Pliny completed his major work, Natural History, the region had been divided by the Roman Empire into several provinces: Judea (later Palestine, modern Israel, Palestine and part of Jordan), Phenicia (modern Lebanon), Mesopotamia and Hola. Syria.

Last changes: 05/09/2013

Entry into Syria will be denied to Israeli citizens and travelers with any evidence of visiting Israel (including passport stamps that are placed in tourists' passports when crossing the land borders of Egypt (Jordan) and Israel). If you have an Israeli stamp in your passport, you will need to get a new passport or choose another country to travel to.

Hospitality is one of the most important Syrian traditions. Such an invitation should not be refused so as not to offend the host - in most cases such invitations are made with all the heart. It is considered impolite to refuse an offer of coffee.

Women traveling alone may receive too much attention from Syrian men. However, this attention is usually limited to glances or weak attempts to engage in conversation.

Syrians, like all Arabs, eat with their right hand. It is considered appropriate to take food from a dish with your hand or pick up sauce from a plate with a flatbread. It is not customary to eat while standing or on the go, or to look into the face of a person eating. Bread is usually broken by hand. You should also take food, money and things with your right hand.

When shaking hands, you should not look into the eyes of your interlocutor, and you should not keep your other hand in your pocket or vigorously wave it in the air (especially with a cigarette). You cannot walk around those praying in front. Shoes should be removed when entering mosques and houses.

Photographing government institutions, palaces, military and transport facilities is prohibited. In Christian churches, you must ask permission before filming (usually there should be no objections). But there’s no point in even asking in mosques: you can’t take pictures there. You should also not take photographs of local women without permission. Documents (or better yet, photocopies of them) should always be carried with you.

In addition, while in Syria, do not forget about the hot climate and active sun: you need to use sunscreen, drink more fluids and protect your eyes with sunglasses.

Local tap water is usually chlorinated and is relatively safe to drink, but it is still better to drink bottled water.

The Koran prohibits the consumption of alcohol, but in Syria this issue is practically not raised. Alcoholic drinks can be purchased at any store, restaurant or bar, but you should not drink them in front of everyone. Restrictions on the sale of alcohol are introduced during Ramadan.

Since the fall of 2009, there has been a ban on smoking in public places in Syria. Smokers caught with a cigarette or pipe in cafes, bars and restaurants now face a fine of 2,000 Syrian pounds ($46). The ban also applies to hookah smoking. Owners of establishments on whose premises violators are caught will also be fined, and in some cases even prosecuted. In addition, a number of restrictions on advertising of tobacco products have been introduced.

The country, although socialist, is Muslim, so you need to dress accordingly. Clothes should be modest. In Damascus and in cities near the coast they still turn a blind eye to this, but in conservative cities in the center of the country, and even more so in the outback, they treat inappropriate outfits with obvious hostility. And in Hama they may even throw stones at you. No tight clothing! Women should cover their arms and legs. Men will have to give up shorts and sleeveless T-shirts.

It is best to avoid political conversations with “locals” to avoid possible problems. Problems may arise, first of all, among the “locals” - since there are a lot of plainclothes police officers and informants (snitches) around.

In any major city in Syria there is a Tourist information center, where you can get all kinds of information and free maps of the country and its individual parts. In Damascus, Tourist information is located opposite the Russian Cultural Center, on 29 May Street, the main street of the city. In Aleppo, you will find the Tourist information center near the Central Bank, on the edge of Alrais platz.

Last changes: 05/09/2013

How to get to Syria

Attention! Currently, almost all international air and rail communications with Syria have been suspended due to the protracted civil war in that country.

By plane

There are direct regular flights between Russia and Syria. Moscow and Damascus are connected by regular flights of Aeroflot (on Thursdays and Sundays from Sheremetyevo-2) and Syrian Airlines (on Tuesdays and Saturdays from Vnukovo). Flight time is about 3.5 hours.

Many European airlines also fly to Syria.

Flights to Damascus from Almaty, Kyiv and Minsk are operated by Turkish Airlines.

By train

Weekly trains run from Aleppo to Istanbul (Turkey), from Damascus to Baghdad (Iraq) and Tehran (Iran) via Aleppo, as well as to Amman (Jordan). Fares to Istanbul and Tehran range from $45 to $70 one way in a premium category carriage. The cost of travel to Jordan is about $5.

At the same time, going to Amman by train can only be recommended to fans of rail travel who have a significant amount of free time. We are talking about an ancient narrow-gauge line (Hijaz Railway), built by the Turks. The average speed of the train is 30 km/h, so the distance between the two capitals (300 km) is covered all daylight hours with a transfer in the border town of Daraa (trains depart from Damascus at 8 am and arrive at their destination at 10 pm).

The Daraa - Amman train departs once a week on Saturdays at 18.00. The cost of travel by train is slightly lower than by bus (train - $5, bus - about $7-8), and the time spent on the bus is half as much. However, it is best to travel to cities such as Istanbul and Tehran by train.

By bus

Damascus and Aleppo have good bus connections with neighboring countries.

From Aleppo there are buses to Turkish Hatay (Antakya) and Istanbul, as well as to Beirut, Cairo and Baghdad. From Damascus you can get by bus and minibus to Beirut, Jordanian Amman with Irbid and Iraqi Baghdad. The cost of travel on border transport from Damascus is: Beirut (up to 20 times a day) - $8-10 by minibus and $4-5 by bus, Amman (10-15 times a day) - $10 by minibus and $8 by bus.

In addition, there are minibuses from Damascus and Aleppo to major cities of neighboring countries: Tripoli (Lebanon), Irbid (Jordan), Antakya (Turkey) and many others.

Airport tax when departing from Syrian airports - 32 USD (1500 SYP). Since the summer of 2009, some airlines began to include this tax in the price of an air ticket.

When leaving (land and sea borders) from Syria, a fee of 12 USD (550 SYP) is charged.

Last changes: 03/14/2017 Details Category: Western Asian countries Published 11/21/2013 10:59 Views: 11327

Civilization arose here in the 4th century. BC. According to Karl Baedeker, the German founder of the publishing house of guides to various cities and countries, the capital of Syria, Damascus, is the oldest existing capital in the world.

Modern state Syrian Arab Republic borders Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey. It is washed in the west by the Mediterranean Sea.

State symbols

Flag– The modern flag of Syria was reintroduced in 1980. This flag was previously used by the United Arab Republic.
The colors of the flag are traditional for the flags of Arab countries. The two stars stand for Egypt and Syria, two nations that were part of the United Arab Republic. Green is the color of the Fatimids (dynasty of Muslim caliphs from 969 to 1171), white is the color of the Umayyads (dynasty of caliphs founded by Muawiyah in 661), black is the color of the Abbasids (the second (after the Umayyads) dynasty of Arab caliphs (750-1258) and red is the blood of martyrs; also red is the color of the Hashemite dynasty and was added when Sharif Hussein joined the Arab Revolt in 1916.

Coat of arms- represents a golden “hawk of the Quraish”, which has a shield on its chest, twice cut into scarlet, silver and niello with two green five-pointed stars one above the other in the middle (the colors of the flag of Syria). In its paws the hawk holds a green scroll on which the name of the state is written in Arabic: الجمهورية العربية السورية‎‎ (al-Jumhuriyya al-Arabiya al-Suriyyah). On the tail are two diverging green wheat ears.

State structure of modern Syria

Form of government- parliamentary republic.
Head of State- the president. Elected for 7 years, the number of consecutive terms in power is not limited.
Head of the government- Prime Minister.
Official language– Arabic. The most common languages also include Kurdish, Armenian, Adyghe (Circassian) and Turkmen. Among the foreign languages, the most popular are Russian, French and English.
Capital- Damascus.
Largest cities– Aleppo, Damascus, Homs.
Territory– 185,180 km².
Population– 22,457,336 people. About 90% of the country's population are Syrian Arabs (including about 400 thousand Palestinian refugees). The largest national minority is the Kurds (9% of the Syrian population). The country's third largest ethnic group is the Syrian Turkmen, followed by the Circassians; there is also a large community of Assyrians in the country.
Currency– Syrian pound.
Economy– the most developed industries: oil, oil refining, electric power, gas production, phosphate mining, food, textile, chemical (production of fertilizers, plastics), electrical engineering.
Only a third of Syria's territory is suitable for agriculture. Cotton, livestock products, vegetables and fruits are produced.
Political instability, fighting and trade and economic sanctions imposed on Syria have led to a deterioration in the Syrian economy.
Export: oil, minerals, fruits and vegetables, textiles. Import: industrial products, food.

Damascus University

Education– in 1950, free and compulsory primary education was introduced. Currently, there are about 10 thousand primary and more than 2.5 thousand secondary schools in Syria; 267 vocational schools (including 107 women's), 4 universities.
Textbooks in secondary schools (under the rule of B. Assad) are provided free of charge up to grade 9 inclusive.
Damascus University was founded in 1903. It is the leading institution of higher education in the country. The second most important is the university in Aleppo, founded in 1946 as the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Damascus, but in 1960 it became an independent educational institution. In 1971, Tishrin University was established in Latakia. The youngest university was founded in Homs - Al-Baath University. A large number of Syrians receive higher education abroad, mainly in Russia and France.

Syrian landscape

Climate– arid, subtropical Mediterranean, in the interior – continental.
Administrative division– Syria is divided into 14 governorates, the head of which is appointed by the Minister of Internal Affairs after the approval of the cabinet. Each governorate elects a local parliament.
Golan Heights. The territory of the Golan Heights makes up the Syrian governorate of Quneitra, with its center in the city of the same name. Israeli troops captured the Golan Heights in 1967, and the region was under the control of the Israel Defense Forces until 1981. In 1974, the UN Emergency Force was deployed here.
In 1981, the Israeli Knesset adopted the “Golan Heights Law,” which unilaterally declared Israeli sovereignty over this territory. The annexation was declared invalid by the UN Security Council Resolution of December 17, 1981 and condemned by the UN General Assembly in 2008.

In 2005, the population of the Golan Heights was approximately 40 thousand people, including 20 thousand Druze (an Arabic-speaking ethno-religious group in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Israel), 19 thousand Jews and about 2 thousand Alawites (a number of Islamic religious movements, branches or sects). The largest settlement in the area is the Druze village of Majdal Shams (8,800 people).
Syria and Israel are de jure in a state of war, since a peace treaty between these countries has not yet been signed.
Religion– approximately 86% of the population of Syria are Muslims, 10% are Christians. Of the Muslims, 82% are Sunnis, the rest are Alawites and Ismailis, as well as Shiites, which is constantly increasing due to the flow of refugees from Iraq.
Among Christians, half are Syrian Orthodox, 18% are Catholics.

There are significant communities of the Armenian Apostolic and Russian Orthodox churches.
Currently in Syria, Iraq and other countries there are people who want to create a split between Sunnis and Shiites.

Sunnis- the most numerous movement in Islam. Sunni theologians (ulema), unlike Shiite theologians, do not enjoy the right to make their own decisions on the most important issues of religious and social life. The position of a theologian in Sunnism comes down primarily to the interpretation of sacred texts. Sunnis place special emphasis on following the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (his actions and sayings), on loyalty to tradition, on the participation of the community in choosing its head - the caliph.
Shiites- a branch of Islam that unites various communities that recognized Ali ibn Abu Talib and his descendants as the only legitimate heirs and spiritual successors of the Prophet Muhammad. A distinctive feature of the Shiites is the belief that the leadership of the Muslim community should belong to imams - appointed by God, chosen persons from among the descendants of the prophet, to whom they include Ali ibn Abu Talib and his descendants from the daughter of Muhammad Fatima, and not elected persons - caliphs.
Russia is concerned about attacks on Christian minorities in Syria.
Chapel of Saint Ananias in Damascus
Armed forces– includes the Ground Forces, the Air Force, the Navy and the Air Defense Forces. The supreme commander of the armed forces is the president.
Sport– the most popular are football, basketball, swimming and table tennis.

Syrian culture

Syria, as the oldest state in the world, is the cradle of many civilizations and cultures. Ugaritic cuneiform and one of the first forms of writing, Phoenician (XIV century BC), originated here. Syrian figures, scientist Antiochus of Ascalon, writer Lucian of Samosata, historians Herodian, Ammianus Marcellinus, John Malala, John of Ephesus, Yeshu Stylite, Yahya of Antioch, Michael the Syrian, contributed to the development of Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine cultures.

Lucian of Samosata in his satirical writings he ridicules social, religious and philosophical prejudices, as well as other vices of his contemporary society. His essay “The True Story,” which describes a journey to the Moon and Venus, influenced the development of science fiction.

John Chrysostom. Byzantine mosaic

John Chrysostom(c. 347-407) - Archbishop of Constantinople, theologian, revered as one of the three Ecumenical saints and teachers, along with Saints Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian.
St. John Chrysostom. Byzantine mosaic
Christian theologians Pavel Samosata, John Chrysostom, Ephraim the Syrian, and John of Damascus are also known.
In the 12th century In Syria, the famous warrior and writer Osama ibn Munkyz, the author of the autobiographical chronicle “The Book of Edification”, a most valuable source on the history of the Crusades, lived and worked.

Old houses in Damascus

The city of Damascus was one of the world centers for the production of bladed weapons, the famous “Damascus steel”.
In modern Syrian society, special attention is paid to the institution of family and religion and education.
Modern life in Syria is intertwined with ancient traditions. In the old quarters of Damascus, Aleppo and other Syrian cities, living quarters are preserved, located around one or more courtyards, usually with a fountain in the center, with citrus orchards, vines, and flowers.
The most famous Syrian writers of the 20th century: Adonis, Ghada al-Samman, Nizar Qabbani, Hannah Mina and Zakaria Tamer.

Adonis (Ali Ahmad Said Asbar) (b. 1930)

Syrian poet and essayist. Lived mainly in Lebanon and France. The author of more than 20 books in his native Arabic, he is considered the most significant representative of the New Poetry movement.

Nizar Qabbani (1923-1998)

Syrian poet, publisher, diplomat. One of the most significant Arab poets of the 20th century. He is one of the founders of modern Arabic poetry. Qabbani's poems are mostly written in simple language, often reflecting the realities of the Syrian colloquial language contemporary to the poet. Qabbani published 35 collections of poetry.
Cinema in Syria not very developed, it is completely in the hands of the state. On average, Syria produces 1-2 films per year. Films are often censored. Famous directors include Amirali Omar, Osama Mohammed and Abdel Hamid, Abdul Razzaq Ghanem (Abu Ghanem), etc. Many Syrian filmmakers work abroad. But in the 1970s, Syrian-produced series were popular in the Arab world.
Together with the Syrian film studio “Ghanem Film”, feature films were shot in the USSR and Russia: “The Last Night of Scheherazade” (1987), “Richard the Lionheart” (1992), “Destroy the Thirtieth!” (1992), “Angels of Death” (1993), dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad, “Tragedy of the Century” (1993), “The Great Commander Georgy Zhukov” (1995), etc.

Nature

There are five natural regions on the territory of Syria: the Maritime Lowland, the Western Mountain Range, the Rift Zone, the Eastern Mountain Range, and the Eastern Syrian Plateau. The country is crossed by two large rivers: El Asi (Orontes) and Euphrates. Cultivated lands are mainly in the western regions - the coastal lowland, the Ansaria Mountains and the valleys of the El Asi River, the Euphrates and its tributaries.

Euphrates River

The natural vegetation of Syria has changed significantly. In the distant past, the Ansaria range in the west and the mountains in the north of the country were covered with forests.
In Western Syria, the least disturbed habitats on mountain slopes are dominated by evergreen oaks, laurel, myrtle, oleander, magnolia, and ficus. There are groves of cypress, Aleppo pine, Lebanese cedar, and juniper.

Magnolia flowers

Along the Mediterranean coast there are plantations of tobacco, cotton, and sugar cane. Figs, mulberries, and citrus fruits are grown in the river valleys, and olives and grapes are grown on the gentle slopes.

Olive Tree

Corn, barley, and wheat are sown in the fields. Potatoes and vegetables are also grown. In the north and partly on the eastern slopes of the Ansaria and other ridges and in the low mountains of the interior parts of the country, typical legume-cereal steppes are common, which serve as a fodder base for grazing livestock (mainly sheep). Wheat and barley, cotton are grown in the fields, and rice is grown under artificial irrigation conditions.
In deserts, the landscape comes to life only after rain; young shoots of grasses and low-growing shrubs and shrubs appear: saxaul, biyurgun, boyalych, wormwood. But even such poor vegetation cover is enough to feed the camels that are bred by the nomads.

Animal world Syria is not very diverse. Among the predators one can sometimes find a wild cat, lynx, jackal, fox, striped hyena, caracal, in the steppes and semi-deserts there are many ferrets, and among the ungulates there are antelope, gazelle, and wild donkey onager.

Wild donkey onager

Jerboa rodents are numerous. Sometimes there are porcupines, hedgehogs, squirrels, and hares. Reptiles: snakes, lizards, chameleons. The bird fauna is diverse, especially in the Euphrates Valley and near water bodies (flamingos, storks, gulls, herons, geese, pelicans).

The country is home to larks, hazel grouses, bustards, sparrows and pigeons in towns and villages, and cuckoos in groves. Birds of prey include eagles, falcons, hawks, and owls.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Syria

Old city in Damascus

Damascus has seven surviving city gates in the Old City wall, the oldest of which date back to the Roman period:
Bab el-Saghir (“Small Gate”) - behind the gate there are historical burial places, in particular, 2 wives of the Prophet Muhammad are buried here
Bab el-Faradis ("Heaven's Gate")
Bab el-Salam ("Gateway of Peace")
Bab Tuma (“Gate of Thomas”) - the name goes back to the name of the Apostle Thomas, leads to the Christian quarter of the Old City

"Gate of Thomas"

Bab Sharqi ("Eastern Gate")
Bab Kisan - built during the Roman era, were dedicated to the god Saturn. According to legend, the Apostle Paul fled from Damascus through them
Bab al-Jabiya

Old town in Bosra

Bosra- a historical city in southern Syria, an important archaeological site. The settlement was first mentioned in documents from the times of Thutmose III and Amenhotep IV (XIV century BC). Bosra was the first Nabatean city in the second century BC. e. The Nabatean kingdom was conquered by Cornelius Palma, Trajan's general, in 106 AD. e.

Under the rule of the Roman Empire, Bosra was renamed Nova Traiana Bostrem and became the capital of the Roman province of Arabia Petra. Two early Christian churches were built in Bosra in 246 and 247.
Subsequently, after the division of the Roman Empire into Western and Eastern, the city came under the rule of the Byzantine Empire. The city was finally conquered by the army of the Arab Caliphate in 634.
Today Bosra is an important archaeological site, containing ruins from Roman, Byzantine and Muslim times, as well as one of the best preserved Roman theaters in the world, which hosts a national music festival every year.

Archaeological sites of Palmyra

Palmyra(Greek “city of palm trees”) - one of the richest cities of late antiquity, located in one of the oases of the Syrian Desert, between Damascus and the Euphrates.
It was a transit point for caravans crossing the Syrian Desert, which is why Palmyra was nicknamed the “bride of the desert.”
Currently, on the site of Palmyra there is a Syrian village and the ruins of majestic buildings, which are among the best examples of ancient Roman architecture.
Several cities in the United States are named after Palmyra. St. Petersburg was poetically called the northern Palmyra, and Odessa - the southern.

Old town in Aleppo

Aleppo (Aleppo) is the largest city in Syria and the center of the country’s most populous governorate of the same name.
For many centuries, Aleppo was the largest city in Greater Syria and the third largest in the Ottoman Empire, after Constantinople and Cairo.
Aleppo is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world; it was inhabited already by the 6th century. BC e.

Castles Krak des Chevaliers and Qal'at Salah ad Din

Krak de Chevalier, or Krak de l'Hospital– fortress of the Hospitallers (a Christian organization whose purpose was to care for the poor). One of the best preserved Hospitaller fortresses in the world.

Citadel of Salah ad-Din- a castle in Syria, located in the highlands, on a ridge between two deep ravines, and is surrounded by forests. The fortification has existed here since the middle of the 10th century.
In 975, the Byzantine Emperor John I Tzimiskes captured the castle; it remained under Byzantine control until approximately 1108. At the beginning of the 12th century. The Franks took control of it, and the castle became part of the newly formed Crusader state - the Principality of Antioch.
The castle is currently owned by the Syrian government.

Ancient villages of Northern Syria

All that remains are the ruins of 40 settlements, which are grouped into 8 groups.

Other attractions of Syria

Umayyad Mosque

Also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus. Located in the Old City of Damascus, it is one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world. It is considered by some Muslims to be the fourth holiest site in Islam.

Nimrod Fortress

A medieval fortress located in the northern part of the Golan Heights, at an altitude of about 800 m above sea level.

Qasioun Mountains

Mountains overlooking the city of Damascus. The highest point is 1151 m. On the slopes of Qasiun there is a cave about which there are many legends. It is believed that it was here that the first man, Adam, was expelled from paradise. Medieval Arabic history books say that Cain killed Abel in this place.

National Museum in Damascus

The museum was founded in 1919. It displays exhibits of the history of Syria from prehistoric times to the present. The museum houses contemporary works by artists from Syria, the Arab world and other countries.

Chapel of St. Paul (Damascus)

Built in honor of the Apostle Paul, who preached in Damascus.

Mountain hills of Syria

The country has very beautiful landscapes: rocky mountains, green valleys, deserts and mountain peaks forever covered with snow.

History of Syria

Ancient history

The history of Syrian civilization dates back to the 4th century. BC e.
Eblaitic (an extinct Semitic language) is the oldest known Semitic language. More than 17 thousand clay tablets in this language, dedicated to crafts, agriculture and art, have been found. Among the leading crafts of Ebla are the processing of wood, ivory, and pearls.

Ebla clay tablet

During the period between the invasion of the Canaanite tribes and the conquest of Syria in 64 BC. e. During the Roman Empire, its territory was under the rule of the Hyksos, Hittites, Egyptians, Arameans, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, ancient Macedonians, the Hellenistic power of the Seleucids, and the Armenian Empire of Tigran II the Great.
From the 16th century BC e. in the south of Syria there is a city of Damascus, originally subordinate to the Egyptian pharaohs.
According to the Bible, Paul accepted the Christian faith on the road to Damascus, and then lived in Antioch, where the disciples of Christ first began to be called Christians.

Islam in Syria

Islam took hold in Syria in 661, when Damascus became the capital of the Arab Caliphate under the Umayyads. Damascus became the cultural and economic center of the entire Arab world already in the 8th century. being one of the largest cities in the world. In 750, the Umayyads were overthrown by the Abbasid dynasty, after which the capital of the Caliphate moved to Baghdad.
From 1517, Syria became part of the Ottoman Empire for 4 centuries.

Syrian Arab Kingdom

It was formed shortly after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in the First World War, which collapsed. In 1920, the Syrian Arab Kingdom was founded with its center in Damascus. But Syria's independence did not last long. Within a few months, the French army occupied Syria, defeating Syrian troops in the Battle of Maysalun Pass. In 1922, the League of Nations divided the former Syrian possessions of the Ottoman Empire between Britain and France. Great Britain received Jordan and Palestine, and France received the modern territory of Syria and Lebanon (“League of Nations Mandate”).

French Mandate

In 1940, France was occupied by German troops and Syria came under the control of the Vichy Regime (governor General Denz). Vichy mode- a collaborationist regime in Southern France during the occupation of Northern France by Nazi Germany after defeat at the beginning of World War II and the fall of Paris in 1940. Existed from July 10, 1940 to April 22, 1945. Officially adhered to a policy of neutrality. Nazi Germany, having provoked the rebellion of Prime Minister Geilani in British Iraq, sent units of its air force to Syria.

Charles de Gaulle - eighteenth President of France

In 1941, with the support of British troops, Free French units led by generals Charles de Gaulle and Catroux entered Syria during a bloody conflict with Dentz's troops. General de Gaulle indicated in his memoirs that the events in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon were directly related to German plans to invade Greece, Yugoslavia and the USSR, as they had the task of diverting the Allied armed forces to secondary theaters of military operations.
On September 27, 1941, France granted independence to Syria, leaving its troops on its territory until the end of World War II. On January 26, 1945, Syria declared war on Germany and Japan. In April 1946, French troops were evacuated from Syria.

Independent Syria

The president of independent Syria was Shukri al-Quatli, who fought for the country's independence under the Ottoman Empire.

Shukri al-Quatli

In 1947, a parliament began to operate in Syria. After Syria gained independence, attacks on Syrian Jews intensified and their businesses were boycotted. The new government banned emigration to Palestine, and the teaching of Hebrew in Jewish schools was limited. On November 27, 1947, the UN decided to divide Palestine, and in connection with this, Jewish pogroms took place in Syria. Pogroms continued in 1948 and in subsequent years, as a result of which Jews were forced to almost completely flee Syria to Israel, the United States and South American countries; currently less than 100 Syrian Jews live in Damascus and Lattakia.
In 1948, the Syrian army took a limited part in the Arab-Israeli war started by the Arab League, after which a state of emergency was declared in the country. Colonel Husni al-Zaym came to power, abolishing the 1930 constitution, banning political parties and subsequently proclaiming himself president. He did not enjoy the support of the people and was removed after 4 months by his former comrades. Executed on August 14 near Damascus.
The civilian regime was restored by Colonel Sami Hinawi, but was soon removed by military leader Adib al-Shishakli. On September 5, 1950, a new constitution was proclaimed, according to which Syria became a parliamentary republic, but already in November 1951, the constitution was suspended and the country's parliament was dissolved. In 1953, Shishakli promulgated a new constitution and became president after a referendum.

President Adib al-Shishakli

In February 1954, a military-civil coalition led by Hashim Bey Khalid Al-Atassi came to power in the country, returning the 1950 constitution. In 1954, following the election results, the Arab Socialist Renaissance Party received the majority of seats in parliament, demanding radical changes in industry and agriculture. In the elections in 1955, Shukri al-Quatli was elected president of the country with the support of Saudi Arabia.
On March 15, 1956, an agreement on collective security against possible Israeli aggression was concluded between Syria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

United Arab Republic

On February 22, 1958, Syria and Egypt united into one state - the United Arab Republic, with its center in Cairo. Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser became president, but Syrians held many important positions until Nasser dissolved all Syrian political parties. On September 28, 1961, a coup d'etat took place in Damascus under the leadership of a group of officers, Syria again declared independence. Nasser did not resist. The OAR lasted only 3.5 years.

Confrontation between Syria and Israel

Between 1962 and 1966 There were 5 coups in Syria, when the nationalization of the main sectors of the economy was carried out and cancelled.
In 1967, the Six Day War occurred. The Golan Heights were occupied by Israel. Israeli air strikes caused enormous damage to the economy. The government was unable to ensure the restoration of industry, and anti-government protests began. In November 1970, Saleh Jedid's group was removed from power. Syria became the main ally of the Soviet Union in the Middle East. The USSR provided Syria with assistance in modernizing its economy and armed forces.
In 1973, Syria, along with other Arab states, began the Yom Kippur War; military operations on the Syrian front were fierce, especially the battle for Quneitra, called the “Syrian Stalingrad.” El-Quneitra was held, but the Golan Heights remained with Israel. By decision of the UN Security Council at the end of the war in 1973, a buffer zone was created separating Israel and Syria. The Golan Heights are currently controlled by Israel, but Syria is demanding their return.
In 1976, at the request of the Lebanese government, Syrian troops entered the country to stop the civil war. The war ended in 1990, when Lebanon established a government that maintained friendly relations with Syria. Syrian troops left Lebanon only in 2005. Syria supported Iran in the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-1988.
After the death of Hafez al-Assad, who had led the country for almost 30 years, on June 10, 2000, his son Bashar al-Assad was elected president.

Bashar al-Assad

Civil War

Riots and revolutions in the Middle East have spread to Syria. Demonstrations began with demands to change the existing regime. The country's leadership made serious changes: it repealed the state of emergency law, laws on the media and political parties, and adopted democratic reforms.
In 2013, there were street battles with the use of heavy weapons in several large cities of the country, including the capital. More than 500 thousand Syrians have fled their country as a result of the fighting. Refugees find shelter in Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq.
Currently, the civil war in Syria is being fueled by some Western countries.
Russia voted against the draft resolution “The situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic.” It was co-authored by a number of countries, including the UK, France, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. 123 countries supported the adoption of the project, 46 countries voted against.
“The proposed draft resolution acts contrary to the logic of the political-diplomatic settlement, placing the main responsibility for what is happening in the country on the government, while not it, but the foreign opposition needs to be pushed to start negotiations with the authorities,” the representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized.

Ancient Syria The history of Syrian civilization dates back to at least the fourth millennium BC. e. Archaeologists have proven that Syria was the cradle of most of the ancient civilizations of the world.

Ancient Syria Already in 2400-2500 BC. e. the huge Semitic Empire, centered in Ebla, extended from the Red Sea to Transcaucasia. The Ebla language is considered the oldest in the family of Semitic languages. The Ebla Library, discovered in 1975, contains more than 17 thousand clay tablets dedicated to crafts, agriculture and art. Among the leading crafts of Ebla are the processing of wood, ivory, and pearls. In Syria, these industries are still thriving. Other famous cities of the era include Mari, Ugarit and Dura-Europos.

Ancient Syria In the 23rd century BC. e. the empire was conquered by Akkad, and the capital was completely destroyed. Then, Canaanite tribes invaded the territory of Syria, forming many small states. During the period between the invasion of the Canaanite tribes and the conquest of Syria in 64 BC. e. By the Roman Empire, its territory was successively ruled by the Babylonians, Hyksos, Hittites, Egyptians, Arameans, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, ancient Macedonians, the Hellenistic power of the Seleucids, and the Armenian Empire of Tigranes II the Great.

Ancient Syria From the 16th century BC. e. in the south of Syria there is a city of Damascus, originally subordinate to the Egyptian pharaohs. Syria occupies an important place in the history of Christianity - according to the Bible, Paul accepted the Christian faith on the road to Damascus, and then lived in Antioch, where the disciples of Christ first began to be called Christians.

Syrian Arab Republic Area: 185.2 thousand km 2 (The Golan Heights, with an area of up to 1 thousand km 2, have been occupied by Israel since 1967). Population: over 16 million people (1997). Official language: Arabic. Capital: Damascus (4 million inhabitants, 1997). Public holiday: Revolution Day (March 8, since 1963); Evacuation Day (April 17, since 1946). Currency: Syrian pound. Member of the UN since 1946, Arab League, OIC.

Syrian Arab Republic Syria is one of the centers of Middle Eastern civilization that played a significant role in the emergence and development of Christianity.

Syrian Arab Republic Located in the Eastern Mediterranean (Levant). It borders on Turkey in the north, Lebanon and Israel in the west, Iraq in the east, and Jordan in the south. In the northwest it is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

Syrian Arab Republic The vast majority of the population (up to 90%) are Arabs. There are at least 700 thousand Kurds in the mountainous regions. The country is also home to Armenians, Turkmens, Circassians, Chechens, Turks, Persians, Assyrians, and Jews.

Syrian Arab Republic Although both in ancient times and in modern times, the territory of Syria has repeatedly become the arena of wars and there are many bloody events in its history, the Syrians are not warlike. They are characterized by friendliness, kindness, cordiality, and the desire to live in peace among themselves and with their neighbors. They hold in high esteem their natural intelligence, resourcefulness, practical intelligence, and the ability to increase their wealth, which is by no means easy, but requires subtle calculation and intellectual effort.

Syrian Arab Republic In Syria, religion does not have a strong position compared to other Muslim countries. The provisions of the Koran permeate many aspects of the life of the people, but they are treated as traditions and do not perceive their divine origin. Islam has not been militant in Syria because the vast majority of the country's population is religiously homogeneous. From time immemorial, Syria has been open to people of other faiths who did not feel like strangers here

Syrian Arab Republic The Arab Socialist Renaissance Party (ARSP), which came to power in 1963, builds its organization as a secular one, relying on progressive social forces. PASV does not put Islam at the forefront, but Arab nationalism in its secular refraction. Syria's historical and geographical affiliation with the Mediterranean community contributed to its rapprochement with the West and contact with Western European culture, especially French. The formation of the special, “Lebanese” mentality of Syria was influenced by Lebanon, with which it maintains traditionally close ties and where the idea that the Lebanese are direct descendants of the Phoenicians and therefore gravitate more towards the Western world than the Arab world is very popular.

Syrian Arab Republic The tourism industry in the SAR is developing quite successfully. Numerous monuments of world civilization in Syria attract the attention of tourists from all over the world. The state hopes to increase income from the flow of tourists from abroad in the near future to $1 billion per year.

Syrian Arab Republic The country has four main landscape zones: the coastal plain, the mountain range in the west, the interior lowlands and the Syrian Desert. The climate ranges from Mediterranean, with heavy rainfall in winter and moderate temperatures with high humidity in summer (on the coast) to continental in the desert. The average temperature of the warmest month (July) is +24. . . +26° C, the coldest (January) is +12 C. In winter, in areas close to the Arabian and Syrian deserts, the temperature drops below 0°; in summer, the maximum temperature here is +48° C.

Syrian Arab Republic The geographical location of the country made it the object of invasions by the Egyptian pharaohs, then by the Hittites, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. In 636 Syria was conquered by the Arabs. In the XI - XII centuries. Most of the country was captured by the crusaders. From 1516, Syria was part of the Ottoman Empire for 400 years. In April 1920, under the mandate of the League of Nations, Syria came under French control. Formally, Syria was proclaimed an independent republic on September 29, 1941, but in fact it acquired independence only after April 17, 1946, when the withdrawal of foreign troops from its territory was completed. This day became a national holiday. In 1958, Syria and Egypt formed the United Arab Republic, which existed until 1961. In 1963, the Arab Socialist Renaissance Party (ARSP) came to power in Syria. This day - March 8, 1963 - is celebrated as the Holiday of the Revolution.

Syrian Arab Republic Muslims in Syria make up 85% of the population (of which 82% are Sunnis, 13% are Alawites - representatives of one of the Shiite sects, and the rest are Druze and Ismailis); Christians of various denominations - 15% of the country's population.

The capital of Syria, Damascus, is the oldest city in the world. Already in the 1st century. n. e. was one of the centers of Christianity. Now it is the most important political, economic and cultural center not only of the Syrian Arab Republic, but also of the Arab East as a whole.

The capital of Syria is a busy crossroads of international air and land routes. Government buildings, foreign diplomatic and consular offices, many banks and insurance companies, representative offices of reputable international regional media, travel agencies, and luxury hotels are concentrated in the Syrian capital. The largest factories and plants of various industries are located here, and the most powerful construction base in Syria is located, which allows for the constant expansion of industrial and civil construction not only in the capital, but also in satellite cities.

The capital of Syria, Damascus, has preserved the ancient buildings of the historical center. There are more than 200 mosques in the city. The most valuable monuments of art in Damascus are the colonnade of the Sanctuary of Jupiter of Damascus (1st century), the Great Umayyad Mosque (8th century), rebuilt by Caliph Walid I from the Church of John the Baptist. Among the religious buildings of the city, madrassas (schools) are especially noteworthy.

The capital of Syria During the era of the Crusades, trying to develop Islam as opposed to Christianity, the Syrians opened many such schools. The madrasah was created as a school for the study and interpretation of the Koran. It served both as a library and also as a tomb for prominent religious figures or those who donated money for the construction and maintenance of the school. Remarkable examples of such monuments include the an-Nuriye madrasah (1168) and the Aziziye madrasah (1193), where there is a sarcophagus with the ashes of Sultan Salahaddin al-Ayyubi (Saladin), who led the fight of Muslims against the crusaders in 1187 - 1192. Madrasah az-3 ahiriyeh (1279) is associated with the name of the Mamluk Sultan az-Zahir Baybars.

The capital of Syria. Damascus has many other historical and architectural monuments: the caravanserai of Khan Asad Pasha (1752), the famous Damascus baths - hammam an-Nuriyeh (XII century), hammam al-Sultan (15th century), hammam at -Tayruzi (XV century), a functioning aqueduct. The famous Sulaymaniyah (1552) now houses a military museum, where samples of ancient Arab weapons are exhibited - blades, shields, helmets.

About the country The official name of Syria: Syrian Arab Republic. Territory area of Syria: 185,000 sq. km. Population of Syria: Approximately 17 million inhabitants Capital of Syria: Damascus - 4.5 million inhabitants

About the country Form of government: Republic headed by a President elected by general vote every 7 years, parliament elected by direct vote every 4 years and a cabinet headed by a prime minister President of Syria: Bashar Al-Assad.

About the country Geography: Syria is located on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Turkey in the north, Iraq in the east, Jordan and Palestine in the south. The western tip of the country borders Lebanon and is washed by the Mediterranean Sea. Population of Syria: predominantly Arabs, there are Armenians, Kurds, people from the Caucasus. Language: Arabic. There are quite a lot of English-speaking citizens, many speak Russian.

About the country Coastline length: 183 km. The longest river: Euphrates (680 km.) The highest mountain: Hermon (Arabic Jebel al-Sheikh) 2814 m above sea level, located in the now Israeli-occupied territory of the Golan Heights. Largest lake: Lake Al-Assad (area 674 sq. km.) Largest cities: Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Idlib, Deir Ezzor, Latakia, Tartus, Deraa

About the country Religion: the bulk of the population professes Islam, about 13% of the inhabitants are Christians Flag: The Syrian flag is divided into three wide horizontal stripes: red on top, white in the middle and black on the bottom. The white stripe is wider than the black and red ones. In the center of the white stripe there are two green stars.

About the country Climate: Warm and dry weather prevails throughout the year in Syria. Rain occurs from November to March; very rarely inclement weather lasts for more than 2 days in a row. Summer is hot, but due to the rather dry climate it is not lethal. In desert areas and at higher elevations, nights are quite cool even in summer, and in winter the temperature in the desert at night can even be negative

About the country Currency: Syrian Pound (SP), called "Lira" in Syria and other Arab countries. The Syrian lira (pound) is divided into 100 piastres. Paper banknotes come in denominations of 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 lire (pounds). Approximate rate: 1 USD = 47 SP Main industries: oil, cotton growing, citrus fruit cultivation, production of olive oil, olives and olives, textile and knitting industry, tourism Methods of arriving in the country: by air, by land (from Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan), or by sea through the ports of Latakia or Tartus

In the 3rd millennium BC. e. on these lands the Semitic city-state of Ebla was located; it was part of the circle of the Sumerian-Akkadian civilization. Subsequently, the Amorite state of Yamhad was formed here, but it was put an end to the invasion of the Hittites from the Balkans. In the 17th century, local Hurrian tribes formed the state of Mitanni. In the 15th century BC e. Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose I came here.
In the period from the X to the VIII centuries BC. e. Damascus became the center of the powerful Aramaic kingdom. At the beginning of the 9th century. BC e. The Syrians conquered part of northern Galilee from the Israelites. At this time, the Assyrians were gaining strength. They began to collect tribute from the rulers of Syria. The rulers created a powerful anti-Assyrian alliance. A fierce battle took place in 854 BC. e., under the walls of the city of Karkara, but it did not bring results.
However, the coalition of Syrian and Palestinian rulers, dangerous for the Assyrians, did not last long. A war began between them. The Assyrians managed to defeat the Syrian army, but were never able to take the city.
The Syrian king Hazael managed to retain the throne, but started a war with the Israelites. The Syrians practically made the Israeli king Jehoahaz a vassal. But in 802 BC. e. The Assyrians attacked Syria again. This time they captured and plundered Damascus. Hazael became a vassal of Assyria. But again he remained on the throne. Under his children, the Israelis continued to push Damascus.
The next Assyrian king, Tiglath-pileser III, decided to expand the borders to Syria. In 738 BC e. his troops captured 19 Syrian cities. Under these conditions, the rulers of Syria rallied around the new Damascus king Reason II. The king of Israel, Pekah, became his ally.
In 734 BC e. Tiglath-pileser III conquered Israel, and in 733 BC. e. The Assyrians took Damascus. The city was severely destroyed. Then the Assyrians were replaced by the Chaldeans, and then the Persians.
Alexander the Great captured Syria and made it part of the Macedonian kingdom. Later, Syria passed to Seleucus Nicator, under whom it reached its highest development.
But after his death, Syria was captured in 83 by Tigranes, king of Armenia. In 64, Pompey defeated Tigranes and made Syria a Roman province, annexing Judea. But gradually the power of the Roman emperors weakened, and Syria became the prey of the Saracens.
In 635, Syria was devastated and then conquered by the Arabs, who converted most of the Aramaic population to Islam. In 660-750 Damascus served as the residence of the caliphs. The Crusades for 2 centuries led to constant military clashes in Syria. The Principality of Antioch was formed here, which was conquered by the Egyptian Sultan Saladin in 1187.
In 1260, the weakened Ayyubid state was captured by the Mongols, who were stopped by Mamluk forces led by Sultan Qutuz.
In 1517, Syria was conquered by the Ottoman Sultan Selim I. Its territory was divided into 4 provinces led by governors.
In the 18th century, French influence increased here. In the late 1850s and early 1860s. Bloody feuds broke out between the Druze and Maronites.
From Europe, through the Young Turk movement, ideas of nationalism penetrated into Syria. During World War I, Damascus was declared the seat of an independent government for all of Syria, which was perceived as a revival of the Damascus Caliphate.
Faisal I declared himself king of Syria. But behind his back, Britain agreed to give Syria to France in exchange for giving up the oil-rich Mosul region.
In 1920, France received a mandate to govern Syria. Her troops expelled Faisal. After the Uprising of 1925-27, France had to make concessions in matters of local government. In 1932, Syria was declared a republic (with the retention of the French mandate). In 1939, France granted Turkey the Syrian province of Alexandretta.
Syria received complete independence from France on April 17, 1946. The first president was the head of the colonial administration, Cuatli. The emergence of the State of Israel in 1948 and the subsequent Arab-Israeli War led to an acute political crisis. In 1949, three military coups took place in Syria.
In 1958, Syria attempted to unite with Egypt to form the United Arab Republic.
But in 1963, Syria came under the rule of the leaders of the Baath Party (Arab Socialist Renaissance Party) with an orientation towards total socialism.
During the reign of Hafez al-Assad, Syria sought to limit Israeli influence in the region. The Syrian Golan Heights came under Israeli control, but Syria gained almost complete political control over Lebanon, established during the civil war in that country. This was put to an end in 2005, Syrian troops were withdrawn from Lebanon.
After the death of Hafez al-Assad, his son, Bashar al-Assad, whose policy was more gentle, became the president of Syria.
In 2011, an uprising broke out in Syria.

Syrian Arab Republic(Arabic: الجمهورية العربية السورية‎‎; al-Jumhuriya al-Arabiya al-Suriyya) - a state in the Middle East, bordered by Lebanon and Israel in the southwest, Jordan in the south, Iraq in the east and Turkey in north. It is washed by the Mediterranean Sea in the west.

The population of Syria is 20.2 million people (as of 2009). More than half of Syrians are Sunni, but the country has significant communities of Twelver Shia, Nizari Ismailis and Alawites (16%), various denominations of Christianity (10%) and Druze. The official language is Arabic. Since 1963, the republic has been under the control of the Baath Party. The modern statehood of Syria dates back a little over 60 years, but civilization arose here in the fourth millennium BC. The capital is Damascus, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. According to Baedeker, Damascus is the oldest existing capital in the world.

Story

Ancient Syria

The history of Syrian civilization dates back to at least the fourth millennium BC. Archaeologists have proven that Syria was the cradle of most of the ancient civilizations of the world. Already in 2400-2500 BC. e. the huge Semitic Empire, centered in Ebla, extended from the Red Sea to Transcaucasia. The Ebla language is considered the oldest in the family of Semitic languages. The Ebla Library, discovered in 1975, contains more than 17 thousand clay tablets dedicated to industry, agriculture and art. Among the leading crafts of Ebla are wood, ivory, and pearl processing. In Syria, these industries are still thriving. Other famous cities of the era include Mari, Ugarit and Dura-Europos.

Islamic era

French Mandate

Shortly after defeat in World War I, the Ottoman Empire collapsed. In 1920, the Syrian Arab Kingdom was founded with its center in Damascus. Faisal of the Hashemite dynasty, who later became the king of Iraq, was declared king. But Syria's independence did not last long. Within a few months, the French army occupied Syria, defeating Syrian troops on July 23 at the Battle of Maysalun Pass. In 1922, the League of Nations decided to divide the former Syrian Dominion of Turkey between Great Britain and France. Great Britain received Jordan and Palestine, and France received the modern territory of Syria and Lebanon (the so-called “League of Nations Mandate”).

In 1936, a treaty was signed between Syria and France providing for Syrian independence, but in 1939 France refused to ratify it. In 1940, France itself was occupied by German troops, and Syria came under the control of the Vichy Regime (governor General Denz). Nazi Germany, having provoked the rebellion of Prime Minister Geilani in British Iraq, sent units of its air force to Syria. In June - July 1941, with the support of British troops, units of the Free French (later renamed Fighting France) led by generals De Gaulle and Catroux entered Syria during a bloody conflict with the troops of Denz. General De Gaulle in his memoirs directly indicated that the events in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon were directly related to German plans to invade the USSR (as well as Greece, Yugoslavia and Crete), since they had the task of diverting the Allied armed forces to secondary theaters of military operations .

Recent history

In 1948, the Syrian army took a limited part in the Arab-Israeli war started by an alliance of Arab states.

On March 15, 1956, an agreement on collective security against possible Israeli aggression was concluded between Syria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

United Arab Republic

On February 22, 1958, in the wake of the popularity of the pan-Arab movement, Syria and Egypt united into one state - the United Arab Republic, with its center in Cairo. The president of the new state was the Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser, but Syrians also held many important positions. However, Nasser soon dissolved all Syrian political parties. In Syria, large-scale nationalization of agriculture began, and then industry and the banking sector. On September 28, 1961, a coup d'etat took place in Damascus under the leadership of a group of officers, Syria again declared independence. Nasser decided not to resist the separatists, so the UAR lasted only 3 and a half years.

Syrian Arab Republic

After Syria left the confederation, the country was led by liberal Nazim Al-Qudsi. He returned many nationalized enterprises to their former owners. On March 28, 1962, a coup took place in the country again under the leadership of the same group of army officers. Al-Qudsi and his prime minister were arrested. After 5 days, supporters of the previous regime overthrew the interim government, and Al-Qudsi again became the president of the country.

On March 8, 1963, a military coup took place in Syria again, as a result of which the Arab Socialist Renaissance Party (PASV), which is sometimes called “Baath” (Ar. “revival”), came to power. In 1964, a new constitution was adopted, in which the leading role of PASV was enshrined. The country was led by Amin Hafez, who began radical socialist reforms. In particular, the nationalization of the main sectors of the economy was carried out again. On February 23, 1966, Syria was shocked by the fifth coup in 4 years led by Salah Jedid and Hafez al-Assad. Amin Hafez was overthrown, but the PASV remained in power, and Syria's socialist path of development remained largely unchanged. In November 1970, as a result of the “corrective movement” in the PASV, led by H. al-Assad, Saleh Jedid’s group was removed from power. Thus, Syria became the main ally of the Soviet Union in the Middle East. The USSR provided Syria with assistance in modernizing its economy and armed forces.

After the death of Hafez al-Assad on June 10, 2000, his son Bashar al-Assad became president.

Etymology

State structure

Syria is a multi-party parliamentary republic. However, all parties in Syria must declare their commitment to the course of socialist transformation of the country. The constitution enshrines the leading role of the Arab Socialist Renaissance Party - PASV (Baath).

The head of state is the president. The president is usually the general secretary of the Ba'ath Party. According to the country's constitution, the president's candidacy is nominated by the Baath Party, after which it is submitted to parliament for a popular referendum. The president is elected for 7 years; the number of consecutive terms in power is not limited. The President has the right to appoint a cabinet of ministers, declare a state of martial law or a state of emergency, sign laws, declare an amnesty, and make constitutional amendments. The president determines the country's foreign policy and is the supreme commander of the armed forces. According to the constitution, the President of Syria must be a Muslim, which, however, does not make Islam the state religion. It is also not specified which branch of Islam the president should belong to. Thus, the current head of state, Bashar al-Assad, is an Alawite.

The legislative power in the country is represented by the People's Council (Arabic: مجلس الشعب‎‎ - Majlis al-Shaab). Members of the 250-seat parliament are directly elected for four-year terms. As a result of the parliamentary elections in 2003, 7 parties entered the People's Council. Led by the Baath, they form the National Progressive Front of Syria (NPF). 83 deputies have no party affiliation. The People's Council approves the country's budget and is also involved in legislative activities.

The judicial system is a unique combination of Islamic, Ottoman and French traditions. The basis of Syrian legislation is, according to the constitution, Islamic law, although in fact the current legislation is based on the Napoleonic Code. There are three levels of courts: the Court of First Instance, the Court of Appeal and the Constitutional Court, which is the highest authority. The Constitutional Court consists of five judges, one of whom is the President of Syria, and the other four are appointed by the President. Thus, complete control over both the executive, legislative and judicial powers is concentrated in the hands of the president.

In addition to this, the religious court system deals with family matters and other domestic matters.

Government

The Syrian government is headed by a prime minister. The current chairman of the government is Mohammed Naji al-Otari.

On February 15, 2006, career diplomat Farouk Sharaa (head of the Syrian Foreign Ministry since 1984) was sworn in as Vice President of Syria. Farouk Sharaa, a member of the leadership of the ruling Arab Socialist Renaissance Party (Baath), will oversee the country's foreign and information policy as vice president.

New ministers appointed during the government reshuffle on February 11 also took their oaths of office. The Syrian Foreign Ministry was headed by Walid Muallem, who for ten years was the Syrian Ambassador to the United States, and since the beginning of 2005 served as deputy head of the Foreign Ministry. The government of Muhammad Naji Autry included 14 more new ministers. In particular, the head of the military police, Bassam Abdel Majid, took over the post of Minister of Internal Affairs, which remained vacant after the suicide of the former head of the Syrian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ghazi Kanaan, in October 2005. Deputy Prime Minister for Economics Abdallah Dardari, Defense Minister Hassan Turkmani, and Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Dardari retained their posts. Hussein, Minister of Economy and Trade Amer Lutfi.

Human rights

Since 1963, a state of emergency has been in effect in Syria, resulting in expanded powers of law enforcement agencies. Because of this, the country often faces accusations of civil rights violations. In particular, Amnesty International claims that there are at least 600 political prisoners in Syria.

The country uses the death penalty. It is also known that about 300 thousand Kurds do not have the opportunity to obtain Syrian citizenship.

A number of human rights organizations in their reports regularly characterize Syria as an extremely unfavorable country in terms of human rights. Human Rights Watch, Freedom House and others accuse the Syrian authorities of restricting freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and political repression. On every possible scale, Syria traditionally has the worst score.

Foreign policy

Syria's foreign policy is focused primarily on resolving all disputes with Israel, including territorial ones - related to the return of the Golan Heights to the jurisdiction of Damascus. Although Syria's relations with other Arab countries were damaged after Assad came out in support of Iran during the Iran-Iraq War, Syrian diplomacy is trying in every possible way to rally the Arab world around the problem of a Middle East settlement.

Syria has a special relationship with Russia. Damascus considers Russia as the main source of investment and the main military-technical partner [source not specified 418 days]. The possibility of placing a Russian naval base in the Mediterranean port of Tartus is being considered. Traditionally, Russia is a supplier of weapons to Syria.

Relations with the West are more strained. Washington, in particular, accuses the Syrian authorities of sponsoring international terrorism, encouraging the Iraqi resistance, and arming Hezbollah. It is also traditional to accuse the American leadership of Assad of violating human rights and dictatorial methods of governance.

Geography

The area of Syria is 185.2 thousand km². The Ansariya (An-Nusayriyah) mountain range divides the country into a wet western part and an arid eastern part. The fertile coastal plain is located in northwestern Syria and stretches 130 km from north to south along the Mediterranean coast from the Turkish to the Lebanese border. Almost all of the country's agriculture is concentrated here. Most of the Syrian territory is located on an arid plateau, dotted with the mountain ranges of Dajable al-Ruwaq, Jabal Abu Rujmain and Jabal Bishri. The average height of the plateau above sea level ranges from 200 to 700 meters. To the north of the mountains is the Hamad Desert, to the south is Homs.

In the east, Syria is crossed by the Euphrates. In 1973, a dam was built in the upper reaches of the river, which caused the formation of a reservoir called Lake Assad. Agriculture is widespread in areas along the Euphrates.

Climate

The climate is generally arid. The average annual precipitation does not exceed 100 mm. The average temperature in January is 7.2°, in July - 26.6°.

Administrative division

Syria is divided into 14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - governorate), the head of which is appointed by the Minister of Internal Affairs after approval of the cabinet. Each province elects a local parliament. The province of Quneitra has been occupied by Israel since 1973, and part of the province is under UN administration.

Golan Heights

In August 2007, Israel began a phased reduction in its military presence in the Golan for the first time since 1967.

Economy

Advantages: oil export; Oil production is growing due to the discovery of new reserves. Growing manufacturing base. Efficient agriculture. Low inflation.

Weaknesses: High defense spending puts a heavy burden on the economy. Corruption. Dominance of state-owned inefficient enterprises. Lack of foreign investment. Great population growth. High unemployment (20%). Problems with water supply. Slow reforms.

The economic situation in the country is quite stable. The GDP volume is 71.7 billion US dollars; GDP growth in 2005 was 2.3%. The inflation rate is 2%. Foreign exchange reserves - $4 billion. External debt (excluding military debt) - $6 billion. Per capita income is about $1,000 per year. The problem of unemployment remains acute, reaching 20% of the working population in 2005, including about 30% among young people.

The public sector, which retains a leading role in the economy (70% of fixed assets), accounts for about half of the national income and approximately 75% of the value of industrial products. The state has complete control over finance, energy, railway and air transport. As part of the course proclaimed by the Syrian leadership towards gradual liberalization and modernization of the economy, a line has been taken to provide public sector enterprises with greater economic independence, in particular, the right to enter the foreign market and attract foreign investment.

The private sector is actively developing. It produces 25% of the value of industrial products, it occupies a dominant position in agriculture (almost 100%), domestic trade (90%), foreign trade (70%), the service sector, motor transport, and housing construction.

Industry creates the bulk of national income. The most developed industries are oil, oil refining, electric power, gas production, phosphate mining, food, textile, chemical (production of fertilizers, plastics), electrical engineering.

Agriculture (50% of the self-employed population) accounts for about 30% of national income and 17% of export earnings (cotton, livestock products, vegetables and fruits). Only a third of Syria's territory is suitable for agriculture. Currently, agriculture is experiencing some growth associated with government injections into the agricultural industry.

International trade

Exports - $13.97 billion (in 2008) - oil, minerals, fruits and vegetables, textiles.

The main buyers are Iraq 30.7%, Germany 9.8%, Lebanon 9.6%, Italy 6.4%, France 5.5%, Egypt 5.4%, Saudi Arabia 5.1%.

Imports - $15.97 billion (in 2008) - industrial products, food.

The main suppliers are Saudi Arabia 11.7%, China 8.7%, Russia 7.5%, Italy 5.9%, Egypt 5.8%, UAE 5.7%.

Transport

Car roads

The total length of roads in Syria is 36,377 km. Of them:
Paved – 26,299 km
Without hard surface – 10,078 km

Railways

The total length of railways is 2,750 km. In Syria, two types of gauge are used at once. 2423 km of roads were built with a standard gauge of 1435 mm, and 327 km with a gauge of 1050 mm. The 1050 mm gauge road was built by the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 20th century and connected Damascus with Medina. This thread is currently not functioning. Railway connections are established with three neighboring countries: Türkiye, Iraq and Jordan. The construction of the Tartus-Latakia line is currently underway; it is planned to build the Damascus - Dara and Deir ez-Zor - Abu Kemal railways.

Air Transport

The number of airports is 104 (1999), of which 24 have concrete runways. 3 have international status. The state airline, Syrianair, operates flights to more than 50 cities.

Pipeline transport

The total length of pipelines is 1,304 km, of which 515 are oil pipelines.

Sea transport

The main ports on the Mediterranean Sea: Tartus, Latakia, Baniyas. There is a logistics base for the Russian Navy in Tartus. Currently, work is underway to deepen the harbor with the aim of possibly relocating the Russian Black Sea Fleet from Sevastopol to Tartus.

Population

Syria's population is about 22 million. The majority of the population is concentrated along the banks of the Euphrates and on the Mediterranean coast. The total population density is 103 people/km². In Syria, education is guaranteed free from 6 to 11 years of age and is compulsory. 12 years of schooling consist of 6 years of primary school, three years of general education and another three years of special training required for admission to university. Literacy among Syrians over 15 years of age is 86% for men and 73.6% for women. Average life expectancy is 70 years.

Ethnic composition

Arabs (including about 400 thousand Palestinian refugees) make up more than 80% of the population of Syria. The largest national minority is the Kurds, who make up 10% of the population. Most Kurds live in the north of the country, many still use the Kurdish language. There are also Kurdish communities in all major cities. 3% of the population of Syria are Assyrians, mostly Christians, also living in the north and northeast of the country. In addition, up to 400 thousand Circassians (Adygs) and about 200 thousand Armenians live in Syria, as well as about 900 thousand Turks live on the border with Turkey in the cities of Aleppo (Aleppo), Latakia and in the capital.

Religion

90% of the population of Syria are Muslims, 10% are Christians. Of the Muslims, 75% are Sunnis, the remaining 25% are Alawites and Druze, as well as Shiites, the number of which has been constantly increasing since 2003 due to the flow of refugees from Iraq. Among Christians, half are Syrian Orthodox, 18% are Catholics (mainly members of the Syrian Catholic and Melkite Catholic churches). There are significant communities of the Armenian Apostolic and Russian Orthodox churches. About 100-200 Syrian Jews also live in Damascus and Lattakia, the remnants of a 40,000-strong community that almost completely fled to Israel, the United States and South American countries as a result of the 1947 pogroms that began after the announcement of the UN plan for the division of Palestine.

Languages

Culture

Being one of the oldest states in the world, Syria has become the cradle of many civilizations and cultures. Ugaritic cuneiform and one of the first forms of writing, Phoenician (XIV century BC), originated in Syria. Syrian scientists and artists made a significant contribution to the development of Hellenistic and Roman culture. Among them are Antiochus of Ascalon, Titus Livius and Plutarch.

In modern Syrian society, special attention is paid to the institution of family and religion, as well as education.

Modern life in Syria is closely intertwined with ancient traditions. Thus, in the old quarters of Damascus, Aleppo and other Syrian cities, living quarters are preserved, arranged according to the Greek tradition around one or more courtyards, usually with a fountain in the center, with citrus gardens, vines, and flowers. Outside of large cities, residential areas are often combined into small towns. The buildings in such areas are generally very old (often several hundred years old) and are constantly passed down from generation to generation.

The Syrians made significant contributions to the development of Arabic literature, especially poetry, and music. Syrian writers of the 19th century, many of whom later immigrated to Egypt, made a decisive contribution to the revival of Arab culture (a kind of “analogue” of the Renaissance in Europe - Nahda). The most famous Syrian writers of the 20th century who made the greatest contribution to pan-Arab culture include Adonis, Ghada al-Samman, Nizar Qabbani and Zakariyya Tamer.

Cinema in Syria is not very developed, partly due to the fact that it is entirely in the hands of the state. On average, the Syrian National Film Organization produces 1-2 films per year, which are very often censored. As a rule, banned films receive prizes at international film festivals. Notable directors include Amirali Omar, Osama Mohammed and Abdel Hamid. Many Syrian filmmakers work abroad. However, in the 70s, Syrian-produced series were popular in the Arab world.

From 2000 to 2008, the number of Internet users in Syria grew from 30,000 to 1 million. However, authorities block Internet users' access to sites such as YouTube, Blogspot and Facebook, as well as to the sites of Kurdish and Islamist parties.

Education

Before Syria gained independence, more than 90% of its population was illiterate. Free and compulsory primary education was introduced in 1950. Currently, there are about 10 thousand primary and more than 2.5 thousand secondary schools in Syria; 267 vocational schools (including 77 industrial, 65 trade, 18 agricultural and veterinary, and 107 women's); 4 universities.

Damascus University was founded in 1903. It is the leading institution of higher education in the country. The second most important is the university in Aleppo, founded in 1946 as the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Damascus, but in 1960 it became an independent educational institution. In 1971, Tishrin University (Teshrin) was established in Latakia. The youngest university was founded in Homs - Al-Baath University. In addition, a large number of Syrians receive higher education abroad, mainly in Russia and France.

Healthcare

Syria has free public health care. There are about 300 hospitals in the country, and there are approximately 900 residents per doctor.

Armed forces

The supreme commander of the armed forces is the president of the country. Military service in the Syrian army is carried out by conscription. Young men are drafted into the army for 2 years upon reaching conscription age (18 years old) and only on the condition that the young man has at least one brother. Otherwise, he is declared the breadwinner of the family and is not subject to conscription.

The total number of armed forces is 320 thousand people (16th place in the world). About 14 thousand Syrian troops were on Lebanese territory before Syria withdrew its foreign contingent in April 2005 (introduced at the request of the Lebanese leadership). The collapse of the Soviet Union, which was Syria's main military-technical partner, significantly worsened the situation of the Syrian army. In the 90s, Syria even purchased weapons from the DPRK. Currently, Russia is again the main supplier of weapons to Syria. The country also receives financial assistance from the Arab Gulf states as payment for its participation in the operation against Iraq. In addition to this, Syria is conducting independent research in the field of weapons.

The armed forces include the Ground Forces, the Air Force, the Navy and the Air Defense Forces.

Essay on the political history of Syria in the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Ancient Syria ancient Syria history of Syrian civilization History of Syria from ancient times

Climate

Population

Currency

Communications

Shopping

Sea and beaches

Story

Golan Heights

How to get to Syria

State symbols

State structure of modern Syria

Syrian culture

Adonis (Ali Ahmad Said Asbar) (b. 1930)

Nizar Qabbani (1923-1998)

Nature

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Syria

Old city in Damascus

Old town in Bosra

Archaeological sites of Palmyra

Old town in Aleppo

Castles Krak des Chevaliers and Qal'at Salah ad Din

Ancient villages of Northern Syria

Other attractions of Syria

Umayyad Mosque

Nimrod Fortress

Qasioun Mountains

National Museum in Damascus

Chapel of St. Paul (Damascus)

Mountain hills of Syria

History of Syria

Ancient history

Islam in Syria

Syrian Arab Kingdom

French Mandate

Independent Syria

United Arab Republic

Confrontation between Syria and Israel

Civil War

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