Description of Country Syria is a country located in the Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey. The modern nation of Syria did not exist until the 20th century, although the idea of Syria has been in existence since at least the time of the Prophet Muhammad. The name “Syria”, was first used by the Greeks, historically identifying the region at the eastern end of the Mediterranean lying between Egypt and Asia Minor. Greater Syria, the larger region (called this to distinguish it from the nation-state with the same name today), located at the crossroads of three continents, possesses a long and abounding history. It was an arena of conflict for centuries, serving as an invasion route for numerous …show more content…
In November 1970, Hafiz al-Asad, a member of the Socialist Ba'th Party, seized power in a bloodless mutiny and brought political stability to the country. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. During the 1990’s Syria and Israel held occasional peace talks over its return. Following the death of President al-Asad, his son, Bashar al-Asad, was approved as president by popular vote in July 2000. Syria is now identified as a republic under an authoritarian, military-dominated regime. (https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/sy.html) Syria is has 185,180 square kilometers of land area, including the 1,295 square kilometers of the Golan Heights occupied since 1967 by Israel, which in 1981 was added on. Syria is comparable in size to North Dakota, with a population in 18,881, 361. In addition, about 40,000 people live in Golan Heights – approximately 20,000 Arabs and 20,000 Israeli settlers. Syria has a population growth rate of 2.3% due to a birth rate of 27.76 births/1,000 people and a death rate of 4.81 deaths/1,000 people with a sex ratio of 1.05 males to 1 female. Syria is comprised of 90.3% Arabs, Kurds, Armenians, and other make up fractions of the remaining 9.7%. 74% of the population is Sunni Muslim, 16% is other Muslim (includes Alawite and Druze), various denominations of Christian make
The French’s mandate over Syria after World Ware One had an irrevocable impact on the nations’s communal factions. The mandate lasted from 1920-1946 and they begun their rule with intentionally made sectarian divisions. They were made in order to prevent Arab nationalism and stifle national independence movements. The divisions were made my religious and national minority. Granting the minorities independent status locations where they make up the majority. For example, there was a large population of Alawites in the mountain range behind Latakia, the French declared them a separate state. The Druze were granted the right and ability to govern themselves in the city of Jabal, just south of Damascus. The one religious group that did
Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has been in charge since 2000, following on from his late father who ruled for 30 years. Commencing in March of 2011, an anti-regime uprising has since escalated into Civil War where it has been estimated that more than 400,000 have been killed (CNN, 2017). Just this death toll alone proves the danger and inhumane conditions the people of Syria have been living in for over six years. Controlling large areas of Northern and Eastern Syria, Islamic State (IS) have been left battling government forces, rebel brigades and air strikes from
of Syria have a lot of struggles in their daily life. Some of the people have no home and they can’t do many things because of the bombings that occur.
The Syrian war is a multi-problematic situation that started within Syrian borders. The Syrian war began in 2010 with something called the Arab Spring. The Arab Spring is a chain of events where people caused aggressive and non-aggressive situations such as protests which created harm in the Middle East. In 2011 people started a non-aggressive protest because children were being abused after spattering graffiti that stated how they agreed with the Arab Spring. The president during this time was Bashar al- Assad. Assad would torment and imprison the people of Syria who protested. The Syrian People wanted to end Assad’s brutal actions so they created a Free Syrian Army which led to a civil war (i.e. the Syrian war). There are several countries
In Syria there are two main religions: Islam and Christianity. Muslims are followers of Islam, and there are two types of Muslims: Sunni and Shias. Muslims mostly live in northeastern Syria, some in Damascus, and the rest are scattered around Syria. There are many types of
Syria is located on the middle east and is really close to Europe or the area where we call Eurasia. It shares border with Jordan, Iran, Iraq and Turkey. For the problem, it began in early 21st century, Syria have encountered a civil war which has affected everything in the country, from the very basic needs to the serious issues.
Over the past four years, the situation within the Syria has become more and more dangerous. As many as 6.7 million people, have been displaced from their homes within the country alone. Another 4 million have fled the country entirely, in order to get away from the incessant fighting. An estimated 200,000 people have been killed over the course of the war, but the country is so
When Hafez al-Assad passed away from a heart attack, hope for Syria arose with promises of reform. On June 10th, 2000, Hafez passed away leaving his son Bashar al-Assad with the power over Syria. Bashar attempted to gain support over his people with promises of reform throughout Syria, including a revolutionized economy. People soon began to protest because Bashar had not been following through with his promises. These protests arose and Bashar chose to fight his people rather than meet their demands. Conflict has risen in Syria because of poor political and geographical systems whether this be through the way Assad governs, or through the destruction of Syria.
Syria is currently all over the news regarding what many have to come to see as a civil war. A term like civil war needs to identify the players and the reasons for the war. In this case the players are being identified as pro government or antigovernment with a Sunni or Shia overtone. Sunni and Shia are the two major sects of Islam and both have a historical based conflict going back to the death of the Prophet Muhammad and how Muslims should be governed. This conflict has caused tensions and violence to flare up throughout Islamic history. This conflict has carried into modern times and has becoming a rallying point for Muslim people calling for change with their government and across the Middle Eastern region. The
Syria, an important and influential country in the Middle East resides on the four corners of Africa, Asia, and Europe. Syria’s history dates back many centuries and covers the multi-highway of commerce and religion. Both the ancient Silk Road between the Mediterranean and China and the Pilgrim’s Road to Mecca pass routed throughout Syria. Although the country’s population is 86% Muslim, the oldest Semitic language of Aramaic written in parts of the Hebrew Bible is still spoken today.
Syriana is a movie revolving around the many facets of US – Middle East relations. The movie is split into various plot lines to identify roots of Islamic Militancy and Terrorism in the Middle East, prospects of democracy and full self-determination and the varying effects of current US policy.
Islamic Law governs all forms of Legislation in Syria. The country’s religious demographic is also heavily comprised of followers of the religion of Islam. These religious followers divided into different sects with 74% Sunni. Ismailis, Alawis, and Shi’a make up 13% of the population. The Druze account for 3%, and there is a small population of Christians at 10% (Unknown, “2010 Report on International Religious Freedom—Syria”, 2010). The country has attempted to make a large push for religious freedom. Religion and state have “officially” always been separate, although Muslim code is the basis for several laws and decrees. The constitution allows religious freedom but restricts some religious matters. Some religious groups are even outlawed, Jehovah’s Witness (Unknown, “International Religious Freedom Report 2010”,
Situated in the upland region of south-western Syria, the Golan Heights borders southern Lebanon, north-western Jordan, and north-eastern Israel. According to the BBC profile on the Golan Heights, the region is a rocky plateau overlooking southern Syria and its capital Damascus from the Israeli vantage point up to 40 miles north, thus serving as a strategic site for Israel to monitor the activities of the Islamic State and Syrian rebel groups that have their bases in the area. Although the region was under Syrian control, Israel seized it from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War which Syria, along with Egypt and Jordan, lost. To this day, the loss of the Golan Heights is an open wound in Syria and it was in the Six-Day War that the newly elected and very young Hafiz al-Assad was jolted into maturity. Syria tried to take the region back in the
The Syrian Arab Republic is an Arab 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. In March 2011, the Syria conflict has begun due to various reasons and is still going on today. This outbreak is one of the key factors which resulted the Arab Spring (Arab Uprising). Arab Spring refers to the democratic uprisings that arose independently and spread across the Arab world in 2011. The protest originated in Tunisia in December 2010 and quickly took hold in Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. In these countries, the citizens intiatied the protests as the ruling families have been
President Assad was given an outstanding western education, receiving a degree for ophthalmology from a London-based medical school. Naturally there was hope that since Assad had spent time in one of the most consolidated democracies, he might have been more willing to implement democratic measures in Syria than his father. Assad’s rise to power was actually through a series of rather lucky events for him. Originally his older brother was selected as his father’s heir but an unexpected car accident thrust Bashar into the spotlight. Upon the death of his father, Bashar then proceeded to be appointed leader of the major political party and the army after which he was elected president.