| Geography | Syria |
 = Fields  = World Records  = Dictionary  = Bar graph  = Distribution map  = Fields History  = Definitions |
|
|
|
|
|
Location:
|
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey |
Geographic coordinates:
|
35 00 N, 38 00 E |
Map references:
|
Middle East |
Area:
|
total: 185,180 sq km
land: 183,630 sq km
water: 1,550 sq km
note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory |
Area - comparative:
|
slightly larger than North Dakota |
Land boundaries:
|
total: 2,253 km
border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km |
Coastline:
|
193 km |
Maritime claims:
|
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm |
Climate:
|
mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus |
Terrain:
|
primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west |
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m |
Natural resources:
|
petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower |
Land use:
|
arable land: 24.8%
permanent crops: 4.47%
other: 70.73% (2005) |
Irrigated land:
|
13,560 sq km (2008) |
Total renewable water resources:
|
46.1 cu km (1997) |
Total renewable water resources - per capita:
|
2,048 cubic meters per capita |
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
|
total: 19.95 cu km/yr (3%/2%/95%)
per capita: 1,048 cu m/yr (2000) |
Natural hazards:
|
dust storms, sandstorms
volcanism: Syria's two historically active volcanoes, Es Safa and an unnamed volcano near the Turkish border have not erupted in centuries |
Environment - current issues:
|
deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water |
Environment - international agreements:
|
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification |
Geography - note:
|
the capital of Damascus - located at an oasis fed by the Barada River - is thought to be one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities; there are 41 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (2010 est.) |
|
= Fields = World Records = Dictionary = Bar graph = Distribution map = Fields History = Definitions |
|
Home 
Geographic Names
Chiefs of State
Intl. Organizations
Intl. Environmental Agree.
Other References
