Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey. Area: Total: 185,180 sq km Land: 184,050 sq km Water: 1,130 sq km - note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory 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. 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 hitting 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. Syria The Cradle Of Civilisation: Welcome to Syria the beating heart of Arabism. Live in a world of charm and originality unspoiled by tourism. Discover Syria and the friendly Arab hospitality which typifies its people, the wide diversity of its culture, and the fascinating multitude of its natural charms. You will be amazed at the uniqueness of this country, and you will fall in love at first sight. For most visitors, the first contact with Syria starts in Damascus. This capital with its 3 million citizens, presents a combination of the ancient and the modern. There are thousands of discoveries to be made, stunning natural scenery, rugged mountains, green plains and vast deserts, quiet swimming beaches, mountain peaks perpetually covered with snow and fertile valleys. Syria lies on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, its coastline extending for 172 km. Here the civilization flourished 45 centuries ago. Since the dawn of civilization, Syria has been a meeting place and a crossroads, where different peoples and cultures and world empires met. Syria is considered a tourist country pervaded by peace and security increasing by year. This goes back surely to its active historical heritage and its age old Arab character, and especially its generosity which has preserved and nurtured for thousands of years to this day. The alphabet found carved on a mud tablet in Ugarit is the first alphabet known to history. We find in Syria the oldest buildings, the oldest language and the oldest religions. Syria was a bridge between the east and the west and a meeting place for many nations. In Syria, history is present every step of your way. Damascus, the capital, is considered the oldest in the world. In Ma'alula, the Syrian village which springs from the rocks and which witnessed the birth of Christianity, the Bible stories live again. Time seems to stand still in this historic village. To know Syria is to have knowledge of a legendary world. Palmyra, for example, is like a pearl in the heart of the desert. Rising from the sun, Palmyra is one of the most graceful and splendid ancient sites in the East. Visiting Syria won't be complete without the visit to Aleppo where you will find, extending for miles, the oldest markets in the world. In the north, also, is Hama with its gigantic water Wheels, the Citadel of St. Simeon with its golden ruins reflecting the evening light. Not very far from the beach, Crac des Chevaliers thrusts its dignified mass towards the sky, a striking example of 12th century building; it continues to preserve its medieval splendor. Like wise Homs with its tomb of Khalid Ibn Al Walid, the splendid mosaics of Afamia and the great burial places dating from the earliest Christians. A journey across Syria is a journey of discovery in the world of art, history, culture and human relations. Tolerance and hospitality constitute the essence of the Arab character and help the visitor to feel welcome in a country which takes care of its visitors.