The Syrian Arab Republic and the Former United Arab Republic

The nation officially known as the Syrian Arab Republic is located in western Asia and is bordered by Lebanon, Turkey, the Mediterranean Sea, Iraq, Israel, and Jordan. The capital of Syria is Damascus, a city with a long and rich cultural history and a massive population of approximately 1,700,000 inhabitants. As there are only eighteen million inhabitants in Syria, Damascus and its inhabitants make up approximately ten percent of the nation's population. As such, Damascus also happens to be one of the nation's chief industrial centers and contributes immensely to the national economy. Syria's other two chief industrial centers are the cities of Homs and Aleppo. The largest city in Syria is Aleppo, with 2,130,000 inhabitants. In these cities, refined petroleum, textiles, food and beverages, and chemicals are often manufactured and consequently exported. Other major cities in Syria include: Hama, Latakia, Al Hasakah, and Dayr az Dawr.

Syria is divided among two main geographical regions, the western and eastern regions, with the latter constituting approximately two-third of the nation's population. The Great Rift Valley, a geographic wonder of the world, runs through Syria, and with the valley, there are numerous mountain ranges in Syria. The cities of Damascus and Aleppo both fall near the Great Rift Valley, which is located in the western region of the country. The eastern region of Syria is composed mainly of plateau terrain, though there are also mountain ranges in the area as well. The eastern region of the country is geographically more vast than the western sector of the country, though western Syria is more densely populated.

The majority of Syrian people are ethnically of Arab origin and as such the official and most widely-spoken language in Syria is the Arabic language. The English and French languages are also widely spoken, as both empires had an immense influence over the nation. Approximately 75 percent of Syria's population are Sunni Muslims though there are also many Shiite Muslims that reside within the country as well. The religion of Islam has origins in the country dating back to the 16^th century, as Syria was part of the Ottoman Empire (largely composed of Muslims) from 1516 until 1918. Following 1920, Syria was part of a commonwealth with Lebanon, though the two countries were eventually divided by the French and Syria declared independence in 1946. Later, Syria and Egypt attempted to form one republic known as the United Arab Republic, though the nation was short-lived and lasted only from 1958 until 1961.

The national economy of Syria is largely undeveloped, and until the early 1960s was largely reliant upon the agricultural sector. In fact, though the agricultural sector doesn't contribute as much today to the economy, approximately 40 percent of the national population relies on farming and agriculture to earn a living. Since 1974, however, oil has been the largest contributor to the national economy, and now currently accounts for 60 percent of the economy's exports. Aside from oil, wheat, cotton, potatoes, sugar beets, barley, tobacco, chickpeas, lentils, cattle, poultry, and sheep also are a significant source of revenue for the national economy. Additionally, the tourism industry in Syria has experienced tremendous growth, especially among affluent Asians and Europeans. Currently, the national GDP per-capita for Syria is $3,400 US Dollars, which is the 116^th highest in the world.