SYRIA

By: Tyler N , Nicky F

The Land•Located next to the Mediterranean Sea

•By Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey, and Israel

•Vast desert like land goes on for what seems like forever

•Near the coast of Syria there is more life and vegetation

Natural Resources

• AMMONIA – used in fertilizers, livestock feed, and in the manufacturing of nitric acid

• GYPSUM – used in surgical splints, fertilizer, and plaster board

• HYRDRAULIC CEMENT – used in sidewalks and other cement based items

• RAW STEEL – used in buildings, machine parts, and a lot more common items

Climate/ Vegetation

• Mediterranean

•Cool rainy winter with occasional snow

•Hot dry summer

•Spring

•Autumn

•Ceratonia Siliqua

•Hyparrhenia Hirta

•Avena Pratensis

•Festuca laevis ETC.

Government• Republican President

•Population:19,405,000

•Vice President: Farouk Al Sharra and Najah Al-Atter

•Prima Minister: Mustafa Mero

•Males/Females: 67/69

History

• November 1956 Syria signed a pact with the Soviet Union, providing communist influence within the government in exchange for planes, tanks, and other military equipment being sent to Syria. During this standoff, Communists gained more control over the Syrian government and military.

• During the Suez Crisis of 1956, after the invasion of the Sinai Peninsula by Israeli troops, and the intervention of British and French troops, martial law was declared in

Syria.

CURRENT EVENT• SYRIA IS HOME TO ABOUT 500,000 PALESTINIAN REFUGEES, WHO WERE DISPLACED IN THE ARAB-ISRAELI

WARS OF 1948 AND 1967. • IN PALESTINE CAMP, THE NEIGHBOURHOOD WHERE THE MAJORITY LIVE, THE GREEN BANNERS OF HAMAS

FLUTTER OVER THE MARKET PLACE AND THE WALLS ARE PLASTERED WITH POSTERS OF PALESTINIAN GUNMEN BRANDISHING THEIR WEAPONS.

• THE EUROPEANS AND THE OTHER ARAB STATES HATE SYRIA BECAUSE IT STANDS WITH THE RESISTANCE," SAID ONE MAN, SEETHING WITH ANGER.

• "THEY WANT SYRIA TO BE ON ITS KNEES LIKE THOSE OTHER ARAB COUNTRIES WHO EAT AND DRINK WITH THE MONEY OF THE WEST."

• A CROWD GATHERS AND EVERYONE AGREES. • "IF THE REST OF THE ARAB WORLD WAS LIKE PRESIDENT ASSAD," SAID ANOTHER, "THE PALESTINIANS

WOULD HAVE WON LONG AGO• BUT OTHERS SAY IT IS TOO EARLY TO SAY WHO HAS WON WHAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS AN ARAB COLD

WAR. • "THIS STRUGGLE IS FAR FROM OVER. IT'S A VICIOUS AND BITTER STRUGGLE BEING PLAYED OUT," SAYS

PETER HARLING, AN ANALYST IN DAMASCUS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP. • IN RECENT MONTHS, SYRIA HAS BEEN WORKING HARD TO COME IN FROM THE DIPLOMATIC COLD AND HAD

OPENED INDIRECT NEGOTIATIONS WITH ISRAEL. AFTER THE WAR IN GAZA, IT SUSPENDED THOSE TALKS. • "IT'S VERY DIFFICULT HAVING WHIPPED UP THE ARAB STREET AND SYRIA'S POPULATION IN PARTICULAR

TO MOVE BACK TOWARDS ANY KIND OF DIALOGUE WITH ISRAEL." • ARAB GOVERNMENTS HAVE NOW MADE SOME ATTEMPTS TO PATCH UP THEIR RELATIONSHIPS. BUT THE

MOOD IN DAMASCUS IS UNCOMPROMISING. • FOR PEOPLE HERE, THE RUINS OF GAZA ARE PROOF THAT THE SYRIANS AND THEIR MILITANT ALLIES WHO

KEPT THEIR WEAPONS AND THEIR DISTRUST OF ISRAEL WERE RIGHT. • SOONER OR LATER, THEY FEEL, THE REST OF THE ARAB WORLD WILL HAVE HAVE TO JOIN THEM.

Economy

• Based on Agriculture, Industry, and Energy• Foreign Aid to Syria In 1997, totaled an

estimated US$199 million • Literacy Rate: 80.8%• Exports: Crude Oil, Cotton, Petroleum,

Textiles, Chemicals, Glassware, ETC.• 1 US Dollar = 48.31900 Syrian Pound

1 Syrian Pound (SYP) = 0.02070 US Dollar (USD)

Culture

• Syria's main language is Arabic • 88% of the people in Syria are Muslim and12%

are christen • A lot of men is Syria just wear pants and shirts

while women have to wear a shall covering the neck and hair with long dresses covering their legs

• Most foods are based off grains, fruits, vegetables. Syria is famous for their cheese

Places to Visit

• The Church of Saint Simeon Stylites dates all the way back to the 5th century and is still well

preserved.• This famous church is located at Aleppo, Syria

• The Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Grand Mosque of Damascus. It’s located in one of the holiest sites called

Damascus. This church has a shrine which is said to have

the head of John the Baptist

Works Cited

• http://stmarypawtucket.org/images/church01-600.jpg

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Syria

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7852300.stm