Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah al Suriyah !
Syria (Arabic Suriyah), officially Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah al Suriyah (Syrian Arab Republic), republic in southwestern Asia,
bounded on the north by Turkey, on the east by Iraq, on the south by Jordan and Palastine, and on the west by Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea. Syria has an area of about 185,050 sq. km (about 71,498 sq. mi.).
The capital and largest city is Damascus, also spelled Dimashq.
Syria the Cradle of Civilization and the Gateway to History, Syria has a lot to offer history and the development of civilized man.
On the other hand Syria's natural boundaries did nothing for the security of the land…
its strategic location also made it vulnerable and many conquerors and attackers were able to conquer Syria.
It has been a great crossroad for trade between the Mediterranean and the East; it exported the Alphabet to the West,
and has been linked to Religion from the beginning, from the Semitic Deities to the monotheistic faiths.
The name Syria formerly comprised the entire region of the Levant, while the modern state encompasses the site of several ancient kingdoms and empires, including the Eblan civilization of the third millennium BC.
In the Islamic era, its capital city, Damascus, was the seat of the Umayyad Empire and a provincial capital of the Mamluk Empire.
Damascus is widely regarded as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
Modern Syria was created as a French mandate and attained independence in April 17, 1946, as a parliamentary republic.
The post-independence period was rocky, and a large number of military coups and coup attempts shook the country in the period 1949-1970.
Syria consists mostly of arid plateau, although the northwest part of the country bordering the Mediterranean is fairly green. The Northeast of the country “Al Jazira” and the South “Hawran” are important agricultural areas. The Euphrates, Syria’s most important river, crosses the country in the east. It is considered to be one of the fifteen states that comprise the so-called “Cradle of Civilization”. Most people live in the Euphrates River valley and along the coastal plain, a fertile strip between the coastal mountains and the desert. Overall population density in Syria is about 99 per km² (258 per square mile).
The climate in Syria is dry and hot, and winters are mild. Because of the country’s elevation, snowfall does occasionally occur during winter. Petroleum in commercial quantities was first discovered in the northeast in 1956. The most important oil fields are those of Suwaydiyah, Qaratshui, Rumayian, and Tayyem, near Dayr az–Zawr.
The fields are a natural extension of the Iraqi fields of Mosul and Kirkuk.
Petroleum became Syria’s leading natural resource and chief export after 1974.
Natural gas was discovered at the field of Jbessa in 1940.
Syria is a traditional society with a long cultural history. Importance is placed on family, religion, education and self discipline and respect. The Syrian’s taste for the traditional arts is expressed in dances such as the al-Samah, the Dabkeh in all their variations and the sword dance. Marriage ceremonies and the birth of children are occasions for the lively demonstration of folk customs.
Traditional Houses of the Old Cities in Damascus, Aleppo and the other Syrian cities are preserved and traditionally the living quarters are arranged around one or more courtyards, typically with a fountain in the middle supplied by spring water, and decorated with citrus trees, grape vines, and flowers. Outside of larger city areas such as Damascus, Aleppo or Homs, residential areas are often clustered in smaller villages. The buildings themselves are often quite old (perhaps a few hundred years old), passed down to family members over several generations. Residential construction of rough concrete and blockwork is usually unpainted, and the palette of a Syrian village is therefore simple tones of grays and browns.
The Syrian cuisine is rich and varies in its ingredients which is linked to the region of Syria where a specific dish has originated.
Syrian food mostly consists of Southern Mediterranean, Greek, and Southwest Asian dishes. Some Syrian dishes also evolved from Turkish and French cooking. Dishes like shish kebab, stuffed zucchini, yabra’ (stuffed grape leaves, the word yapra’ der?ves from the Turkish word ‘yaprak’ meaning leaf). The main dishes that form Syrian cuisine are kibbeh, hummus, tabbouleh, fattoush, labneh, shawarma, mujaddara, shanklish, past?rma, sujuk and ba’lawa. Ba’lawa is made of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and soaked in honey. Syrians often serve selections of appetizers, known as meze, before the main course. za’atar, minced beef, and cheese manakish are popular hors d’œuvres.
The Arabic flatbread khubz is always eaten together with meze.
Syrians are also well-known for their cheese. The very popular string cheese jibbneh mashallale is made of curd cheese and is pulled and twisted together.
Syrians also make cookies to usually accompany their cheese called ka’ak. These are made of farina and other ingredients, rolled out, shaped into rings and baked. Another form of a similar cookie is to fill with crushed dates mixed with butter to accompany their jibbneh mashallale.
Drinks in Syria vary depending on the time of the day and the occasion. Arabic coffee, also known asTurkish coffee is the most well-known hot drink usually prepared in the morning at breakfast or in the evening. it is usually served for guests or after food. Arak, an alcoholic drink, is also a well-known beverage served mostly on special occasions.
More examples of Syrian beverages include Ayran, Jallab, White coffee, and a locally-manufactured beer called Al Shark.
