Geographical position: Syria is located in Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey.
The country’s climate is mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus.
Languages: Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood.
Damascus is the capital of Syria.
Surface: 185,180 sq km
Population: 18,448,752
System of government: republic under military regime since March 1963
Capital: Damascus
Religion: Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
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