Location :
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean See, between Lebanon & Turkey.

Area :
total area: 185,180 sq km
land area: 184,050 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than North Dakota

Land boundaries :
total 2,253 km, Iraq 650 km, Occupied territories 76 km,
Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km.
Coastline : 193 km
Population : 15,451,917 (July 1995 est)

WEATHER

Climate :
The most hospitable and pleasant climate in Syria is to be found near the Coast.Here, Mediterranean conditions give hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters, with average daily temperatures of 29*C in summer and 10*C in winter.
Annual rainfall along the coast ranges from 750 to 1,000 mm (30 to 40inches).
Moving inland from the coast, Syria's climate becomes increasingly drier.
Temperatures in the plateau region average around 35*C in summer and 12*C in winter and annual rainfall varies from 250mm to 500mm (10 to 20 inches).
Winters in the northern interior can be cold, with temperatures often falling to below freezing.
In the desert area, summer temperatures average 40*C, with frequent highs of around 46*C, rainfall sometimes low.

BORDERS WITH :
1- LEBANON : Three Borders
1- Tripoly (Tartous) - 2- Jousieh (Homs) 3- Jdaideh (Damascus)
2- JORDAN : Two Borders : 1- Nasib 2- Daraa
3- IRAQ : One working Border : Al-Tanf
4-TURKEY: Two Borders: 1- Bab al-Hawa (JELVEKOZ) 2- Kasab

AIRPORTS :
Damascus International Airport
Aleppo International Airport
Lattakia International Airport

SEA PORTS :
1- Lattakia Port
2- Tartous Port
3- Banias Port

BUSINESS HOURS

Banks:
( 8:00 14:00 -16:00 9:00) Sat-Thur (some banks close earlier on Thur

Shops:
9:30 14:00 16:00 - 20:00 Sat-Thur (usually with two hour break between

Offices:
Sat-Thur (some Christian owned companies close on
20:00 - 16:00 & 14:00 - 9:00 Sun instead of Fri)

CURRENCY:
5 SYRIAN POUNDS - 10 SYRIAN POUNDS
25 SYRIAN POUNDS - 50 SYRIAN POUNDS - 100 SYRIAN POUNDS
200 SYRIAN POUNDS - 500 SYRIAN POUNDS - 1000 SYRIAN POUNDS

COINS :
1 SYRIAN POUNDS - 2 SYRIAN POUNDS - 5 SYRIAN POUNDS
10 SYRIAN POUNDS - 25 SYRIAN POUNDS

ELECTRECITY:
220 volts AC - Plugs are of the flat 2-pin type.
OFFICIALS HOLYDAYS
New Year's Day January 1
Revolution Day March 8
Mother's Day March 21
National Day April 17
The Easter Day April 30
Labors Day May 1
Martyrs' Day May 6
Christmas Day December 25
Liberation October War Oct 16
Notes
* Muslim holidays are approximate, as they are timed according to local
Sightings of various phases of the moon.

FESTIVALS

The international festival of bosra: which is held in the international amphitheater of bosra, includes arabian & foreign artist groups, as well as plastic arts, in addition to the industrial, hand crafts and photograph's exhibitions once every two years from
1- 15 sep.

An annual festival of syria's artist, which is held in the national museum, the people's hall of arts includes the works of the oil painting, sculpturing, engraving, from 1-20 of Nov.

Damascus cinema festival, in which many Arabian & foreign countries participate once every two years from 40 Oct till 6 Nov.

The artist theatrical festival in which many Arabian & foreign countries participate once every two years from 10 till 20 Nov.

Music festival, which are held by the high institute of music, are including musician parties of the symphonic national groups consisting of 110 persons, and held in Damascus, Aleppo and Lattakia during April and may of each year, in addition to some music parties held in mars, April, and December every year .

The desert festival (Al-Badiyah), which is held by the ministry of tourism within the eternal antique historical city of Palmyra

The Arabian tourism day is held annually on 23 of June.

The international tourism day is held annually on 27 of September.

The national documentation exhibition is held between 21 and 31 of November annually
fairs.

15-25 sep: the book exhibition, which is annually held in Al-Assad library & accompanied by a group of the cultural activities.

Damascus international fair which is held annually on the banks of Barada, at the city center, during August, is considered a chance to exhibit the local, Arabian and international products.

The flower festival, is held annually in Tishreen park between 15 and 30 June.

 

Distances   Damascus Aleppo Homs Hama Lattakia Tartous Suweida Dara’a Derezzor Damascus -                 Aleppo 355 -               Homs 160 193 -             Hama 207 146 47 -           Lattakia 330 210 170 145 -         Tartous 250 300 80 127 90 -       Suweida 100 455 260 307 430 350 -     Dara’a 100 455 260 307 430 350 45 -   Derezzor 450 360 370 425 540 450 550 550 - Palmyra 240 353 160 207 330 240 340 340 210 Crac Des Chevaliers 220 253 60 107 120 30   Ma’loula 60   Bosra 140   Please click on the site to visit