Etymology of Syria

Syrian Arab Republic الجمهورية العربية السورية (Arabic) al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: "حماة الديار" (Arabic) Humat ad-Diyar Guardians of the Homeland
Capital and largest city	Damascus 33°30′N 36°18′E / 33.500°N 36.300°E / 33.500; 36.300
Official languages	Arabic
Ethnic groups	Syrian Arabs Arameans Kurds Turkomans Assyrians Armenians
Religion	87% Islam 10% Christianity 3% Druzism
Government	Unitary dominant-partysemi-presidential republic
• President	Bashar al-Assad
• Prime Minister	Imad Khamis
• Speaker of the People's Council	Hadiya Khalaf Abbas
Legislature	People's Council
Establishment
• Proclamation of Arab Kingdom of Syria	8 March 1920
• State of Syria established under French Mandate	1 December 1924
• Syrian Republic established by merger of States of Jabal Druze, Alawites and Syria	1930
• Independence (Joint UN / French Mandate ended)	24 October 1945
• Last French troops leave	17 April 1946
• Secession from the United Arab Republic	28 September 1961
• Ba'ath party takes power	8 March 1963
• Current constitution	27 February 2012
Area
• Total	185,180 km2 (71,500 sq mi) (89th)
• Water (%)	1.1
Population
• July 2014 estimate	17,064,854 (54th)
• Density	118.3/km2 (306.4/sq mi) (101st)
GDP (PPP)	2010 estimate
• Total	$107.831 billion
• Per capita	$5,040
GDP (nominal)	2010 estimate
• Total	$59.957 billion
• Per capita	$2,802
Gini (2014)	55.8 high
HDI (2016)	0.536 low · 149th
Currency	Syrian pound (SYP)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Drives on the	right
Calling code	+963
ISO 3166 code	SY
Internet TLD	.sy سوريا.

Coordinates: 35°N 38°E / 35°N 38°E / 35; 38

Syria (/ˈsɪ.riə/; Arabic: سوريا‎‎ Sūriyā), officially known as the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic: الجمهورية العربية السورية‎‎ al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest. Syria's capital and largest city is Damascus.

A country of fertile plains, high mountains, and deserts, Syria is home to diverse ethnic and religious groups, including Syrian Arabs, Greeks, Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds, Circassians,Mandeans and Turks. Religious groups include Sunnis, Christians, Alawites, Druze, Mandeans, Shiites, Salafis, Yazidis, and Jews. Sunni Arabs make up the largest religious group in Syria.