Overview
Syria, officially known as the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia situated along the Eastern Mediterranean coast in the region historically known as the Levant. It shares borders with Turkey to the north and northwest, Iraq to the east and southeast, Jordan to the south, and Israel and Lebanon to the southwest, while its western edge meets the Mediterranean Sea. Syria is currently governed as a republic under a provisional government and is divided administratively into 14 governorates.
With a population of around 26 million people spread across roughly 185,180 square kilometres (71,500 sq mi), Syria ranks as the 56th-most populous country and the 87th-largest by area. Its capital and largest city, Damascus, is one of the most historically significant urban centers in the world.
Geography
Syria's location at the crossroads of the Mediterranean and West Asia has long made it a strategically important region. Its coastline along the Mediterranean Sea gives way inland to a varied landscape that includes fertile plains, mountain ranges, and arid desert stretches extending toward Iraq and Jordan. This mix of terrain has shaped patterns of settlement, agriculture, and trade throughout the country's long history.
- Borders Turkey to the north and northwest
- Borders Iraq to the east and southeast
- Borders Jordan to the south
- Borders Israel and Lebanon to the southwest
- Coastline along the Mediterranean Sea to the west
Capital and Administration
Damascus serves as both the capital and the largest city of Syria, and it is widely regarded as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on Earth. The country is organized into 14 governorates, each responsible for local administration within the broader framework of the national government. Syria