Syria Facts and Figures

Important information and facts about Syria:

Location: Syria is located on the Mediterranean sea, between Iraq, Israel and Turkey

Time Zone: GMT+3

Languages: official and major spoken language is Arabic. Kurdish, Armenian, Turkish and Circassian are also spoken by their respective ethnic minorities.  Assyrian and Aramaic (the language of Jesus) is also spoken in some villages like Malula.

Religion: The majority, around 74% are Sunni Muslim. A further 16% is Muslim of differing sects (Alawi, Druze, Shia). Christians of various orders make up around 10%, with Greek Orthodox being the largest denomination. Other Christian churches include Armenian Catholic, Armenian Orthodox (Gregorian), Syrian Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Maronite Christian, Baptist, Mennonite, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and Nestorian (Chaldean). Other religions include Ismailis and Yazidis.

Ethnicity: The majority of the population, around 90% is ethnic Arab. Kurds and Armenians make up a sizable majority of the remainder. Other groups include Turkmen, Circassians and Assyrians.

Currency: The currency unit in Syria is called the Syrian Lira, or sometimes Syrian Pound. One U.S dollar is equivalent to around 46 Syrian Lira. Click here for an updated exchange rate.

Population: 19,750,000

Electricity: 2 pin, 220 v

Average Temperatures (degrees celsius):

winter between 0 and 15, summer mid 30’s to low 40’s. In Spring and autumn the temperature is a mild 25, so that’s the best time for a visit.

Major Cities: Damascus (capital), Aleppo, Lattakia (main port), Tartus, Homs, Hama, Idleb, As-Suwayda, Daraa, Quneitra, Deir ez-Zor, Al-Hasakah, Ar-Raqqah

Historical Places: way too many to list here. In fact, Syria is home to no less than 5 UNESCO World Heritage sites. Click here for a list of the most important places of interest in Syria

Government and Politics: Syria is a republic, with a parliamentary system and an elected president. The current president is DR. Bashar al-Assad, who was elected in 2000.

The country is divided into 14 administrative Governorates (the equivalent of states or counties), called in Arabic muhafazat (singular: muhafazah). The Governorates are divided into sixty districts, or manatiq (singular: mintaqah), which are further divided into subdistricts, or nawahi (singular: nahia). The nawahi contain villages, which are the smallest administrative units. These Governorates are administered by a Governer (muhafez) who is appointed by the ministry of the interior and approved by the cabinet, he in turn appoints officials to administer districts and subdistricts. The Governor is responsible for running all aspects and affairs of his governate, and is assisted by a provincial council of elected and appointed members.