Syria — Capital, Flag and Country Facts

Explore Syria: capital Damascus, population, flag, geography, languages, history and culture.

Syria is in Asia. Its capital is Damascus.

Climate

Mostly desert; hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters along the coast

Semiarid plateau with narrow coastal plain; mountains in the west

Damascus is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.

Syria's ancient city of Aleppo has been inhabited for over 8,000 years.

The world's first alphabet was developed in Ugarit, an ancient port city in Syria.

3000 BC: Ebla flourishes as one of the earliest known kingdoms in Syria

661: Damascus becomes capital of the Umayyad Caliphate

1516: Ottoman Empire takes control of Syria

1946: Syria gains independence from French mandate

2011: Syrian civil war begins amid Arab Spring protests

2024: Fall of Assad regime; transitional government established