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Area
185,
180 sq km
Population
15. 000. 000 inhabitants (official estimate of 1995), with
a density of 81.0 per sq km.
Capital
Damascus, with an estimated population of 4,500,000 (official
estimate 1995)
Second City is Aleppo with about 2,000,000 inhabitants
Governmental Regime
Syria is a republic of which the President is elected for
seven years by referendum. He appoints The Prime- minister and
the Cabinet. The legislative Council consists of 250 deputies
and is elected every four years by national elections.
Language
Arabic, French and English
Religion
Mainly Muslim and Christian
Time
GMT + 2 in winter and GMT + 3 from April 1, to September
30
Geography
Geographically, the country is divided into 4 main areas:
Fertile plains in the northeast, steppe and desert region in
the central and southeastern areas, coastal and mountain areas
in the west, and the region of the Euphrates, of which 600 km
pass through Syria.
Climate
The coast and the western mountains have a Mediterranean
climate with a long dry season from May to October. On the
coast, summers are hot (daily maxima around 29° C) and
winters are mild (daily minima: 10° C). Inland the climate
becomes arid, with cold winters and hotter summers (max. in
summer: 40° C - min. in winter 1° C). Snow may occur in
winter away from the coast and frosts are common.
Currency
The national currency is the Syrian Pound, divided in 100
piastres. There are coins of 0,5
1, 5, 10,25 Syrian Pound and bank notes of 5, 10, 25, 100,
200, 500 and 1000 Syrian Pound. The actual exchange rate at
the bank is 42 Syrian Pound for 1 USD. Export of local
currency is not allowed.
Banking Hours
8 AM till 2 PM from Saturday till Thursday - closed on
Fridays. Exchange is also possible in the 5* hotels
Credit cards
Visa and American Express are accepted in various hotels
and shops. Also tickets can be bought with credit card
Current
220 Volts AC, 50 Hz - European-style 2-pin plugs
Clothing
In summer light, cotton cloths are advisable. Sunglasses,
a hat and a good pair of walking shoes are recommendable. A
woolen jacket for the evenings in the mountains or desert. In
winter, cloths should be brought as temperatures may reach 0°
C!
Health
No special vaccinations are requested.
Drinking water
It is recommended to drink bottled water, certainly
outside the large cities.
Departure tax
An airport tax of 200 Syrian Pound is requested upon
departure from the airports. Transit passengers are exempt.
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