The most interesting facts about Syria, from one of the oldest civilisations on Earth to one of the world’s most dangerous countries.
Fast facts
Official name: Syrian Arab Republic
Population: 23.86 million (2024 est.)
Area: 187,437 sq km
Capital city: Damascus
Major languages: Arabic, Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian, French, English
Major religions: Muslim 87%, Christian 10%, Druze 3%
Time zone: UTC+2 (Eastern European Time)
Interesting facts about Syria
1. Syria is a country in the Middle East, a region of Western Asia, bordering Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and the Mediterranean Sea.
2. Syria is home to one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Human remains have been found in the region dating back to around 700,000 years ago.
3. The name Syria comes from Assyria, an ancient kingdom in northern Mesopotamia at the center of one of the great empires of the ancient Middle East. It was located in modern-day northern Iraq and southeastern Turkey.
4. For over 400 years (1516-1918), Syria was part of the Ottoman Empire.
5. Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire during the First World War, Syria was governed by France until it gained independence in 1946 following the Second World War.
6. Syria is home to the oldest library in the world. In 1974, the ancient city of Ebla was discovered along with around 1,800 clay tablets dating from around 3,000 BC.
7. The ancient language of Aramaic is still spoken in Syria. During ancient times, Aramaic was the lingua franca across many civilizations, including Greece and Egypt. Today it is only spoken in small communities in Syria, Iran, Turkey, Iraq, Armenia, and Georgia.
8. In 2001, Pope John Paul II became the first pope to enter a mosque when he visited the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus.
9. The Umayyad Mosque (or Great Mosque of Damascus) is the earliest surviving stone mosque. Built between 705 and 715, it is often considered to be Islam’s fourth holiest place of worship.
10. Since 2011, Syria has been embroiled in a bitter civil conflict initially sparked by the Arab Spring. It has escalated into a complex war, internally displacing 7.2 million Syrians and claiming at least half a million lives.
11. Syria remains the world’s largest refugee crisis. The war forced over 14 million Syrians to leave their homes. Around 5.5 million Syrian refugees now reside in neighboring countries, including Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey.
12. Despite experiencing a high negative net migration between 2008 and 2017, Syria has recorded positive figures in recent years. In 2024, the country’s net migration was approximately 546,500, reflecting the gradual return of displaced citizens after years of conflict.
13. Syria was officially under a state of emergency for 48 years. The emergency law was finally lifted in 2011 following protests after it was first introduced in 1962.
14. Israel continues to occupy an area of the Golan Heights in Syria following the 1967 Six-Day War.
15. Shouting Valley (or Shouting Hill) is a valley in Syria where the village of Ein al-Teinia is isolated from the town of Majdal al-Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. It is known as Shouting Valley, as families used loudhailers to communicate with their estranged relatives across the land mined and fenced-off gap. Recently, mobile phones and the internet have meant they no longer need to shout but people remain separated from their families.
16. Syria is part of an area known as the Fertile Crescent, also known as the “Cradle of Civilization”. The Fertile Crescent covers a roughly crescent-shaped area of fertile land that incorporates parts of present-day Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Cyprus.
17. From 1958 to 1961, Syria was part of the short-lived union of Syria and Egypt known as the United Arab Republic.
18. The current national flag of Syria features three horizontal stripes of green, white, and black with three red stars in the center, reflecting the flag adopted by the Syrian opposition and later reinstated following the fall of the Assad government.
See how Syria’s flag compares to other Asian flags.
19. Syrians are some of the lightest drinkers in the world. The average Syrian consumes just 0.1 liters of alcohol per year.
20. In total, Syria has six UNESCO sites, including the ancient cities of Aleppo, Bosra, Damascus, and Palmyra, the ancient villages of Northern Syria, and the crusader castles of Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din.
21. Syria’s UNESCO-listed capital, Damascus, is considered to be one of the world’s oldest continually inhabited cities. Founded around the 3rd millennium BC, Damascus is also mentioned in the Bible’s book of Genesis.
22. During the Middle Ages, Aleppo was a major trading post along the Silk Road, the ancient network of trade routes that connected China with the West.
23. Known as the ‘Venice of the sands,’ the ancient Roman city of Palmyra saw many of its statues, temples, and sites destroyed in 2015 when the militant group, Isis, seized control of the area.
24. Syria tops the global ranking for depression prevalence, with 8.44% of the population affected.
25. Since the Syrian Civil War broke out in 2011, satellite imagery in 2015-2017 has revealed that Syria has got 83% darker at night. The lack of lighting is caused by people fleeing the country, leaving behind darkened homes, and destroyed buildings and power infrastructure, which has left huge areas without electricity.
Explore more from Asia
We strive to verify all facts using authoritative and primary sources where possible. However, if you find an error or have any questions, please contact us.
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. With seven years of teaching experience and a background in educational content, she specialises in creating clear reference resources about countries, geography and global topics.