Syria
Asia Β· Capital: Damascus
How it is run: Syria is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Syria is home to 25.6 million people in Western Asia, where people speak Arabic.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
25.6 million people
That is 0.3% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
185,180 kmΒ²
Roughly the size of Italy or the state of Arizona.
ποΈ How crowded
About 138 people per square kilometre β busy towns with countryside in between.
π Size in its region
22nd most people in Asia
24th largest by land in Asia.
π£οΈ Official languages
Arabic
π° Money
Syrian pound (Β£)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
72.6 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$1,057
A lower-income country: money for schools, clinics and roads has to stretch a very long way.
π’ Living in cities
72.1% of people
Mostly a city country β think buses, trains and apartment blocks.
π Kids under 15
28.4% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+963
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.sy
π§ People here are called
Syrian
π·οΈ Name at home
Ψ³ΩΨ±ΩΨ§
Also written: Syrian Arab Republic, Al-JumhΕ«rΔ«yah Al-Κ»ArabΔ«yah As-SΕ«rΔ«yah.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Asia and the Pacific Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Syria touches 5 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Siria
French
Syrie
Arabic
Ψ³ΩΨ±ΩΨ§
Chinese
εε©δΊ
Japanese
γ·γͺγ’
Russian
Π‘ΠΈΡΠΈΡ
Portuguese
SΓria
German
Syrien
Put it in perspective π
- India β the most populated country in Asia β has about 57.1Γ as many people as Syria.
- Syria covers roughly 1,764 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Syria lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 12,810 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Syria sits in Western Asia, in the northern and eastern half of the globe.
π·οΈ Official name
Syrian Arab Republic
ποΈ Capital
Damascus
π Region
Asia Β· Western Asia
π€ Country code
SY
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Syria π
π§ Where on the map
35.0Β° N, 38.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+3 β when it is noon in London it is about 15:00 in Damascus.
- πΈπΎ is the flag of Syria. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is SY.
- Syria sits in the temperate zone, the belt where most of the world's farms and big cities are.
- Syria is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- Syria is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- Syria sits in Western Asia, in the northern and eastern half of the globe.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Syria has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Syria can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Syria spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Syria?
Damascus
Which money do people spend in Syria?
Syrian pound (Β£)
How many countries share a land border with Syria?
5 β Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, TΓΌrkiye.
Roughly how many people live in Syria?
25.6 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.