Advertising

Syria  Flag detail
Home Earth Continents Asia Western Asia Syria Country Profile Map of Syria

Maps Index


Map of Syria

The Nile River near Aswan in
Palmyra was an ancient city and once the capital of the short-lived Palmyrene Empire. The remains of the city are located in an oasis in the Syrian Desert near the center of the country. Palmyra flourished as an important trade hub on the Silk Road, connecting the Roman Empire with Persia (now Iran), India, and China. The city peaked during the 3rd century CE under Queen Zenobia, who famously challenged Roman rule by expanding her territory. Palmyra became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980. Monuments of the ancient city were severely damaged during the civil war in the 2010s.
Image: Bernard Gagnon


About Syria


Syria Flag

The map depicts Syria, a country in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean. Years of conflict profoundly altered the whole region. With the fall of the ruling government under President Bashar al-Assad in 2024, the Syrian Arab Republic ceased to exist.

With an area of 185,180 km², Syria is about half the size of Germany or slightly larger than the US state of North Dakota. The country shares its borders with Iraq to the east, Turkey (Türkiye) to the north, Jordan to the south, Israel to the southwest, and Lebanon to the west. In the west, the country is bounded by the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Syria has a population of about 24 million people. Capital city is Damascus. Spoken languages are Arabic (official), English and French (widely understood), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Russian and Circassian.
 
Map of Syria

Topographic Map of Syria


Political Map of Syria

The map shows Syria with geographic features, the surrounding countries with international borders, the national capital Damascus, governorate capitals, major cities, main roads, railroads, and major airports.

You are free to use the above map for educational and similar purposes; if publishing, please credit Nations Online Project as the source.


More about Syria


The old city of Damascus with the Great Mosque of Damascus, Syria
The old city of Damascus with the Great Mosque of Damascus in the background. The Islamic sanctuary is also known as the Umayyad Mosque; it is one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world, it was completed in 715 CE.
Photo: Marc Veraart


Overview
Syria's landscapes include a coastal strip in the west, bordering the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The coastal plains are bounded by the Syrian Coastal Mountains in the east, a mountain range running north–south parallel to the coast. To the east of the mountain range lies the fertile farmland of the Orontes Valley. Further to the east begins the Syrian Desert, a semi-arid, steppe-like landscape, mainly along the northern border, that becomes more arid and desert-like further south. Around half of the country is covered by desert and is only sparsely populated.
Syria has a population of about 24 million people. The decade-long war has made it difficult to get an accurate count of the population.


Geography of Syria
Syria's geography offers two major regions, a western and an eastern part.
The western region features narrow, fertile coastal plains along the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The coast that extends from Lebanon in the south to Turkey in the north receives plenty of moisture from the Mediterranean, creating an agricultural area that usually does not require irrigation. The coastline alternates between sandy beaches and rocky headlands, with cliffs formed by extensions of the Jabal an-Nusayria (Jabal Alawite) range, which runs north to south. In the southwest, the agricultural Plain of Akkar crosses into Lebanon. In the south, the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and the Anti-Lebanon Mountains on the border with Lebanon dominate the landscape. Syria's highest point, Mount Hermon (Jabal a-Shayk) at 2,814 m (9,232 ft), a mountain massif on the border between Lebanon and Syria, is located there. In the eastern foothills of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains lies the country's capital, Damascus. In the northwest, the coast is bounded inland by the Syrian Coastal Mountains, also known as Jabal an-Nusayria. The plain east of the mountains is the agricultural landscape of the Orontes Valley.

The eastern part of the country is the realm of the Syrian Desert, also known as the Syro-Arabian Desert, a mixture of dry steppe and true desert landscape. The arid wasteland covers about 500,000 km² (200,000 sq mi) across the northern Arabian Peninsula. To the south lies the Jabal al-Druze Range, a mountainous area that stands out within the desert expanse. The highest point is Tell Qeni at 1,803 m (5,915 ft).


The Syrian Desert between Damascus and Palmyra., Syria
The Orontes Valley is a fertile region in Western Syria, to the east of the Syrian coastal mountain range, the Jabal an-Nusayria.
Photo: عمرو بن كلثوم


Rivers
The endorheic Jordan River originates from Mount Hermon and flows south through the Jordan Trench into the Sea of Galilee and drains into the Dead Sea.

The Orontes River rises in northern Jordan and runs northward through the Ghab Plain depression, following the eastern edge of the Jabal an-Nusayria range. It passes through the cities of Homs, Hama, and Apamea before turning west toward Latakia on the coast. With its fertile farmland and a reliable water supply, the Orontes Valley supplies a large portion of the Syrian population.

The famous Euphrates River originates in Turkey and flows across Syria before entering Iraq. The Tabka Dam on the Euphrates has created Lake Assad, a large reservoir. Downstream, the Balikh and Khabur rivers join the Euphrates as it crosses the Al-Jazirah region, also known as Upper Mesopotamia.

The Yarmouk River in the southwest forms part of the border between Jordan and Syria; it is the largest tributary of the Jordan River.


The Syrian Desert between Damascus and Palmyra., Syria
The Syrian Desert between Damascus and Palmyra. The desert, also known as the North Arabian Desert, is a barren landscape consisting of desert, semi-desert, and steppe.
Photo: erik shin



Mountains
In the southwest are the Golan Heights, a mountain plateau overlooking the Sea of Galilee. The Golan historically belongs to Syria, but has been under control by Israel since the Six-Day War in 1967. Israel officially annexed the area in 1981.

In Syria's southernmost corner lies the Jabal al-Druze, a volcanic region in the desert; its highest point is Tell Qeni (1803 m). The region is home to the Druze community, a distinct Shiite sect. This mountainous region is the source of the Yarmuk River, which flows through southern Syria and Jordan before emptying into the Jordan River.

The Anti-Lebanon Mountains, also known as Qalamun Sinnir, form the eastern edge of the rift valley and include Mount Hermon. East of these mountains lies Damascus, situated at an oasis fed by the Barada River. The Anti-Lebanon Mountains extend northward to Homs before sharply turning northeast to form the Palmyra range, which includes Jabal Abu Rujmayn and Jabal Bishri. This range rises to about 910 meters (3,000 feet) and dominates the central plateau. To the north, deep wadis cut through the plateau as they descend toward the Euphrates River.


Krak des Chevaliers castle from the time of the Crusades, Syria
The Krak des Chevaliers castle from the time of the Crusades (11th - 13th centuries) was once home to the Knights Hospitaller. The fortress is one of the most important surviving medieval castles in West Asia. Together with the Qal'at Salah El-Din castle, it has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Photo: Dosseman


Desert
Southern and eastern Syria are part of the northern Syrian Desert. An area that consists of a plateau that descends from 610 to 910 meters (2,000 to 3,000 feet) above sea level near the rift valley to flat sandy desert plains along the Iraqi border. The plateau also slopes toward the Euphrates River, which forms its eastern boundary. Much of southern Syria features a rocky plain. As part of the Fertile Crescent, the region is rich in historical sites, including the ruins of Palmyra, a famed caravan city along the ancient Spice Road.


Archaeological sites
The region of present-day Syria has been an important cultural and political area throughout history. The country in the Levant has many famous archaeological sites, including:


Traces of the civil war In Aleppo, one of the oldest cities in the world.
Traces of the civil war in the Syrian city of Aleppo, one of the oldest cities in the world.
Photo: IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation


Governorates of Syria
Syria is divided into fourteen governorates (muhafazah). They are named after their capitals.


Traces of the civil war In Aleppo, one of the oldest cities in the world.
Panoramic view of Damascus. The city was built in a strategically favorable location on a plateau 680 m above sea level and around 80 km from the Mediterranean.
Photo: © Vyacheslav Argenberg


The map shows the location of the following Syrian cities and towns:

A'zaz, Afrin, Al Bab, Al Bukamal, Al Hasakah, Al Qaryatayn, Al Qusayr, Al-Busayrah, Al-Thawrah, Al-Ya'rubiyah, Aleppo (Haleb), An Nabk, Ar Rastan, Ar Rutbah, Ariha, As Sa'an, As Sawwanah, As Sukhnah, As Suwar, Ash-Shaddadi, At Tanf, Ayn Issa, Baniyas, Bosra, Ceylanpinar, Damascus, Daraa, Deir ez-Zor, Douma, Girkê Legê, Halfaya, Hama, Homs, Idlib, Ikbiz, Jableh, Jarabulus, Khan Shaykhun, Kilis, Latakia, Maarat al-Numan, Madan, Manbij, Masyaf, Mayadin, Maydan, Qamishli, Quneitra, Raqqah, Ras al-Ayn, Sab' Abar, Salamiyah, Suwayda, Tadmur, Tartus, Tell Abyad, Tell Tamer, Trebil.

 



Advertisements:


 

More about Syria

Cities:
Searchable Map and Satellite View of the City of Damascus (capital city)

Country:
Searchable Map and Satellite View of Syria
Syria Political Map
Syria Country Profile
 Syria's History
Outline of Syria's History, from the time of Greater Syria until Syria today.
Syria in Figures
Syria key statistical data.

Continent:
Map of Western Asia and the Middle East
Map of Northern Africa and the Middle East

   

Weather Conditions Damascus:

DAMASCUS WEATHER

 


Advertisements:


 


Political Maps of other Countries in the Middle East:
Bahrain Map, Cyprus Map, Egypt Map, Iran Map, Iraq Map, Israel Map, Jordan Map, Lebanon Map, Oman Map, Qatar Map, Saudi Arabia Map, Syria Map, Turkey Map, United Arab Emirates Map, Yemen Map