Syria Key Facts on Syria Area: 185,180 Km2. Capital: Damascus Population: 14,000,000 Religion: 87% Muslim (75% Sunni, 7% Druze, 5% Alawite) and 13% Christians Official Language: Arabic Geography and Population Lebanon and Israel are to the west, Jordan to the South. Iraq lies to the East and Turkey to the North. In earlier time, greater Syria included Jordan, Lebanon and Israel. Syria has access to major source of water: the Euphrates and Orontes Rivers and their tributaries. Economy A warm climate and …showed first 75 words of 794 total…

…showed last 75 words of 794 total…seized the Golan Heights. Syria joined other Arab states in refusing to negotiate a peace settlement with Israel. In the 1973 war with Israel, Syrian troops joined Egyptian forces in a surprise attack on Israel. Initial Syrian gains along the Golan Heights were eventually balanced by Israel. On October 29, President Assad said that Syria accepted the cease-fire after the Soviet Union gave guarantees that Israel would withdraw from all occupied territory and recognize the Palestinians' rights.