The origin of the name of the Syrian country
The origin of the name Syria can be traced back to the ancient Assyrian Empire, known as Assyria. The Assyrian Empire arose in the 10th century BC and lasted until the 6th century BC, with its center of rule located in the northern part of the Mesopotamian plain. At its peak, the Assyrian Empire annexed territories such as Babylon, Egypt, and Armenia, forming a powerful empire with a land area of millions of square kilometers, which was the most powerful country in the world after the Zhou Dynasty at that time.
Old Aramaic
Today, Syria still speaks the ancient Aramaic language, which has a long history of more than 3,000 years. In ancient times, Aramaic was the lingua franca of many civilizations, including Greece and Egypt. However, only 500,000 people in minority communities in Syria, Iran, Turkey, Iraq, Armenia and Georgia still speak the language today.
Syria before independence
After the rise of the Ottoman Empire, Syria existed as part of the Ottoman Empire for 400 years. After the end of World War I, when the Ottoman Empire collapsed and Britain and France divided their spheres of influence in the Middle East, Syria became a French dominance. After the end of World War II, Syria was occupied by French and British forces and did not gain independence until 1946.
The largest reservoir in Syria
The largest lake in the country's Raqqa province, Lake Assad is a huge man-made reservoir that began construction in 1968 and was first impounded in 1974. The maximum area of Lake Assad is 610 square kilometers, with a water storage capacity of up to 11.7 cubic kilometers. When completed, the lake will be able to irrigate 9.6 million acres of surrounding land and is one of the most important sources of water in Albi, providing the city with 80 million cubic meters of water per year.
The largest river in Syria
The Euphrates River is the longest river in Syria and the whole of Western Asia, with a total length of 2,800 kilometers and a basin area of 440,000 square kilometers. The river originates in Turkey, crosses Syria and Iraq, and eventually joins the Tigris River and empties into the Persian Gulf. The banks of this river gave birth to one of the oldest native civilizations in the world, the Mesopotamian civilization.
Smoking habits of Syrians
According to the Tobacco Atlas, Syrians smoke an average of 2,291 cigarettes a year, which is equivalent to six cigarettes per person per day. This habit is quite common in the country, and thousands of people are addicted to cigarettes in their daily lives.
An ancient city with a history of 5,000 years
Damascus, the capital of Syria, is listed by UNESCO as one of the oldest and continuously inhabited cities in the world. The history of the city dates back to about 3000 BC, and it has been ruled by countless peoples for thousands of years, but its inhabitants have been living and breeding on this land, and even archaeological excavations in Terlamad, a suburb of Damascus, have found signs of human habitation as early as 8,000 to 10,000 years ago, which is older than the founding of Damascus.
The oldest university in Syria
Damascus University is the oldest university in Syria, located in the capital Damascus, with campuses in other cities. The university's medical school was founded in 1903, the 29th year of Guangxu. The university plays an important role in Syria's education system, producing countless professionals.
Syria's highest peak
Mount Sheikh, in the mountains of western Syria, rises to 2,814 meters above sea level and is the highest peak in the country. Despite its desert climate zone, Mount Sheikh is a snow-capped mountain whose peaks moisturize the land on both sides of the bank and provide Damascus with a Balada River, an adequate source of water for the city's irrigation, and the source of the Jordan River.
The lowest point in Syria
Syria's lowest geographical point is near Lake Tiberias, aka the Sea of Galilee, at an altitude of minus 200 meters. Located between Syria and Israel, this lake is part of the Jordan River and one of the lowest freshwater lakes in the world. With an area of about 166 square kilometers, the lake is an important source of freshwater.