Syria

CE5

Syria sērˈēə [key], officially Syrian Arab Republic, republic (2015 est. pop. 18,735,000), 71,467 sq mi (185,100 sq km), W Asia. It borders on Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea in the west, on Turkey in the northwest and north, on Iraq in the east and south, and on Jordan and Israel in the southwest. Damascus is the country's capital and its largest city.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• The Assad Regime
• An Independent Nation
• The Foundations of Modern Syria
• Crusaders and Conquerers
• Early History
• Government
• Economy
• People
• Land

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2025, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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