About Syria
Country name:
conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic
conventional short form: Syria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah
local short form: Suriyah
Data code: SY
Capital: Damascus
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
Independence: 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
National holiday: National Day, 17 April (1946)
President: Dr. Bashar Al Assad
Languages: Arabic
Area:
total: 185,180 sq km
land: 184,050 sq km
water: 1,130 sq km
Land boundaries:
total: 2,253 km
border countries: Iraq 605 km, Palestine 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km,
Turkey 822 km
Coastline: 193 km
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 hitting Damascus
Natural resources: petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum