Info4Migrants

SYRIA Country profile

Project number: UK/13/LLP-LdV/TOI-615 AREA 783 562 km2

POPULATION 18 mln

GDP per capita $2802 CURRENCY Syrian pound

Language ARABIC

2 Profile SYRIA MAIN INFORMATION

TURKEY

SYRIA

LEBANON Damascus IRAQ

JORDAN

Syria is a country in the Middle East, which shares a border with Lebanon in the West, with Israel in the Southwest, Jor- dan in the South, Iraq in the East and Turkey in the North.

Capital: Damascus. Aleppo (ancient name Halab) is the big- gest and most populated city in Syria. Flag Climate: subtropical – the climate is Mediterranean (humid and mild winter and long, hot and dry summer) in the coast- al area, and continental (dry) in the inner parts of the coun- try.

Ethnic groups: about 74% of the population are Syrian and Palestinian Arabs, 9% are Kurds that live in the Northeast part of Syria. Other minorities include Turkmens, Circas- sians, Greeks, Jews and Armenians. The coat of arms of Syria is a hawk, which is the symbol of Religion: Islam 73% (60% Sunni and 13% Shia), Christian 10% Muhammad, the founder of Islam. (the majority Antiochian Orthodox).

Government: unitary, single party, semi-presidential repub- lic.

3 Profile SYRIA FOREIGN RELATIONS

The primary goals of president Bashar al-Assad’s foreign policy are ensuring national security, increasing influence among its Arab neighbors, and securing the return of the Golan Heights. In the past, Syria has often seen virulent tension with its neighbors – Tur- key, Israel, Iraq, and Lebanon. There was an improvement in Syria’s relations with several of the states in its region in the 21st century, prior to the Arab Spring and the Syrian Civil War.

After the beginning of the civil war in 2011, the large number of killings and human rights abuses resulted in Syria’s isolation from its neighboring countries and the international community. The diplomatic ties with Great Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Tuni- sia, Egypt, Lebanon, the United States, Belgium, Spain, and the Gulf States were severed. In terms of the countries in the Arab league, Syria continues to maintain diplomatic relations with Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan and Yemen. Because of the violence against civilians in the country, Syria was suspended from the Arab League and the Orga- nization of Islamic Cooperation in 2012.

Syria continues to foster good relations with her traditional allies Iran, China, Venezuela and Russia, who are among the few countries which have supported the Syrian govern- ment in its conflict with the opposition.

Syria considers the Hatay Province of Turkey as part of its own territory.

In 1981, Israel annexed the Golan Heights, and to this day Syria continues to demand the return of this territory.

The Syrian occupation of Lebanon began in 1976 as a result of the civil war, and ended in April 2006 in response to domestic and international pressure after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Syria is included in the European Union’s European Neighborhood Policy which aims to bring the EU and its neighbors closer.

4 Profile SYRIA CIVIL WAR IN SYRIA

The civil war in Syria is a military conflict near the town of Latakia with helicopters that began in March 2011. and fighter jets.

Under the influence of the so-called Arab On July 18, 2012 the Minister of Defense Spring, protests began in the country, Dawoud Rajiha, the ex-Military Minister which in the beginning of 2011 escalated to Hasan Turkmani and the brother-in-law of armed clashes between protestors and the the President Asef Shawkat died in a bomb security forces. attack in Damascus. Assad’s army managed to push back the opposition’s army from Protestors demanded an end to the rule of the capital and fell under the control of the Baas’ party and president Bashar al-Assad, regime. Afterwards the military conflict whose family has been ruling Syria since moved to the town of Aleppo. The govern- 1971. ment army conquered the western part of the city, while the FSA governed the eastern March 15, 2011 was declared the “Day of part. In early August, the opposition armies Rage”. Thousands of protestors marched on tried to take over the airport and the city the streets of Damascus, Daraa, Hama, and prison, but were pushed away. In late Sep- Deir Ez Zor. In the period between March 18 tember, the headquarters of FSA were and May 5, 2011 the anti-government forc- transferred from Turkey to the region con- es sieged the town of Daraa. They began trolled by the opposition – North Syria. as students riots, but ended up under the control of the Islam forces. More and more Refugees people joined the protests, but accidents increased and the protests escalated into In what is described by the UN as “the big- a Civil War. More and more civilians were gest humanitarian crisis of our time”, about arrested and killed. With the advance of the 9.5 million Syrian citizens (or almost half of military actions, blockades and bombard- the population) have been forced to leave ments began. their homes since the beginning of the Civil war. Three million Syrian citizens live out- On July 29, the Free Syrian Opposition Army side the country as refugees. (FSA) was created; it included members like deserted soldiers, engineers, farmers, and criminals. In November, the town of Homs became a battlefield after the military- ac tions.

On June 5, the Syrian army of Assad’s re- gime attacked the forces of the opposition 5 Profile SYRIA FACTS ABOUT SYRIA

Flag The flag consists of three stripes – red at the top, white in the middle and black at the bottom. There are two green stars on the white area – the symbol of Islam. The coat of arms is a hawk, the symbol of Mohammed – the founder of Islam.

Arabic Language Arabic is the official language. Nowadays several Arabic dialects are spoken - Levantine in the West and Meso- potamian in the Northeast. The Kurds speak the Kurdish dialеct Kurmanji. Turkish and Armenian are also spoken among the minorities.

Aramaic is the ancient language spoken in the region be- fore the adoption of Arabic. It is still spoken among the Assyrians. The classical Syriac is still used as the liturgical language in many Syriac Christian denominations. Many educated Syrians also speak English and French.

Government rule Syria is a Presidential Republic. The president is elected for a 7 year period. The legislative body is the unicam- eral National Council, elected for a period of 4 years. Syria is divided into 14 governorates (muhafazah) and 65 districts (mintaqah).

6 Profile SYRIA FACTS ABOUT SYRIA Damascus Damascus is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo. It is commonly known in Syria as ash-Sham and nicknamed as the City of Jasmine (Мadīnat al-Yāsmīn). It is one of the oldest capitals in the world. Damascus has been inhabited since 9000 B.C. The city has been under the rule of the Egyptian Pharaohs, Assyria, Persia, the Empire of Alexander the Great and Bizanteen. During the 7th and 8th centu- ry, Damascus was the capital of the Caliphate of the Umayyad Dynasty. In 1260, it came under the power of Egyptian Mamluks. The period of their reign was fa- mous for the flourishing of arts and crafts. During the Ottoman Empire, the city was a district center. From 1920 to 1943, Damascus was an administrative center of the mandate territory of France–Syria, and after the proclamation of the country’s independence in 1943 it became the capital.

In antiquity The first data about the region of Syria can be found in the Egyptian annals from the 4th millennium B.C. describing expeditions to the Amman and Mount Lebanon in search of cedar, pine and cypress trees. The medieval historian Ibn Asakir mentions that the first wall built after the worldwide flood is the Damascus wall, and relates the birth of the city to the 4th millennium B.C. Around the 22nd century B.C. the Phoenicians, descendants of the Canaanites, started to settle down on the Syrian shores. The Phoenicians cre- ated one of the most significant inventions in history – the alphabet. The Arameans adopted the 30-letter Phoenician alphabet in the 14th century B.C. The Greeks began to use it as well, but they also added vowels (not present in the Semitic script).

7 Profile SYRIA FACTS ABOUT SYRIA

Geography A fertile, 10-20 km wide lowland, is located to the West, along the entire Syrian Mediterranean shore. It is the most important agricultural area in the country where the largest part of the population lives. The two most important Syrian ports – Tartus and Al Ladikia (Lattakia) are also located here.

Lava plateaus and the vast, rocky and sandy Syrian dessert spread eastward from the inland mountain ridges, covering more than half of the country’s terri- tory. To the North, the desert borders the fertile valley of Efrat – the largest river in the country. The dam built on the river produces almost 35% of the electric- ity of Syria.

Economy Syria’s main earnings come from the oil industry (40%), the agriculture sector (20%) and the textile in- dustry (20%). Since the beginning of the civil war, the economy has shrank by 35%, and the country increas- ingly relies on loans from Iran, Russia and China.

The economy is highly regulated by the government, which has increased subsidies and tightened control over trading and restrictions on international trade. Private banking operations have been permitted since 2001, and two years later three non-government banking institutions were created.

8 Profile SYRIA FACTS ABOUT SYRIA

Food independence The country supplies almost all of its food. The popula- tion that works in the agriculture has decreased from 50% in 1970 to 23% nowadays, but the production has increased thanks to the Tabka dam, which provides irri- gation to farm lands.

Islam The main religion in Syria is Islam (60% Sunni and 13% Shia). Islam was born in the lands of what nowadays is Saudi Arabia. Muslims’ obligations include praying five times a day – at sunrise, at noon, in the afternoon, at sunset and in the evening. The exact hour is printed in the newspapers every day. Friday is the Holy day for Muslims. During the holy Ramadan, Muslims don’t eat and drink from dusk till dawn.

National Identity The Syrians identify mainly with their religious group or sect, but the fact that most of the population is Sunni contributes to the strong feeling of cultural unity. The contemporary borders of Syria were drawn by France in the 1920’s, and there is still a strong pro-Arab mood that extends the national identity beyond the borders of the country.

9 Profile SYRIA UNIQUE PLACES IN SYRIA

The Umayyad Mosque

The Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Mosque of the Umayyads or the Great Mosque of Damascus is one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world. The Umayyad Mosque possess- es great architectural and cultural-historic value. The great Mosque of Damascus is where the head of John the Baptist is kept. He is considered a prophet by Christians and Mus- lims alike. It is believed that the head was found during excavations in the mosque. Another reason that makes the mosque famous is the tomb of Saladin (a Muslim conqueror of the holy lands) that stands in a small garden adjoining the north wall of the mosque.

Pope John Paul II visited the mosque in 2001, mainly to bow to the remains of John the Baptist. This is the first time a Pope visited a mosque.

Al-Madina Souq, Aleppo Al-Madina Souq, or the City market, also called the Halan suk, is a covered market in Aleppo – the largest city in Syria. It is locat- ed westwards of the castle, known as the Citadel, in the central part of the Ancient city.

The entire complex of the Ancient City, including the market and the castle, were included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in 1986.

With its long and narrow alleys, al-Madina Souq is the largest covered historic market in the world, with an approximate length of 13 kilometers. It is the main trade center of the city. It offers many different prod- ucts, mainly consumer goods, including luxury goods, such as raw silk from Iran, spices and dyes from India, and many others. Al-Madina Souq is also the home of local prod- ucts, such as wool, agricultural products and soap.

10 Profile SYRIA SYRIAN CUISINE

Syrian cuisine is influenced by the many cultures and civilizations that lived in its territory, especially during and after the Islamic era. The cuisine is very similar to that of other Arab countries – Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan and Iraq.

Syrian cuisine includes dishes like “kibbeh” – a dish made from bulgur and minced lamb meat; “kebab halabi” – a type of kebab, served with hot tomato sauce and Hallab pepper; “waraq nab” (dolma) – rice or bulgur with minced meat, wrapped in grape leafs or stuffed into peppers or eggplant; hummus, tabule (sal- ad from bulgur and parsley); “fattoush” – flat bread (khubz ‘arabi), covered with salad; “labneh” – filtered yoghurt; “mujaddara“ – boiled lentils and rice, covered with fried onions; “shawarma” – a type of gyros with chicken, lamb or beef, served with garnish wrapped in a flat pitta bread.

“Shawarma” is usually consumed with tabule, tomatoes and cucumbers. Syrians often serve selections of appe- tizers, known as mezze, before the main course. Typical mezzes are pastirma and sujuk, “shanklish” – well-ripened cow or goat cheese made into small balls covered with spices, usually mint; “za`atar” – beef and “man- aqish” cheese. The Arabic flatbread is always eaten together with mezze.

Syrians prepare cookies known as “ka`ak” that are consumed with cheese. They are made from margarine and other ingredients, shaped in the form of pretzels and baked. Another type of cookies are filled with ground dates and butter and eaten with “jibbneh mashallale” – cheese made from yeast. The mixture of spices called “baharat mushakalah” can be found only in Syrian cuisine.

11 Profile SYRIA BEVERAGES IN SYRIA

Soft drinks is served as an aperitif with appetizer or a barbecue. Arabic coffee Syrian beer Arabic coffee is divided into two types: The production and sale of beer in Syria is Turkish coffee (brewed without sugar, car- controlled by the government. damom can be added or served pure, “qa- The sales take place mainly through a chain hwah sādah”) and Saudi coffee (beans are of stores of the Syrian Military Social Ser- ground and brewed in front of the guests, vice and via small shops in the Christian cardamom or saffron is added, and it is and Muslim quarters. The two main beer served with dates or other candied fruit). brands are Al-Shark (produced in Aleppo) and Barada (from Damascus). Imported beer is sold only in hotels. Jallab Another traditional alcoholic beverage con- Syrup made from carob, dates, grape mo- sumed in Syria is wine. lasses and rose water. Served with crushed ice and sprinkled with pine nuts and raisins. Alcohol consumption According to Islam, the consumption of Mate alcohol is prohibited, but not everybody ob- Dried leaves of yerba mate, brewed in hot serves this prohibition. water. The drink is being served in a special The consumption of alcohol in Syria is 1.1 mate gourd with metal straw, called “ma- liters a year per capita. sassa”. The drink is typical of Latin America, The minimum age in Syria for people who and Syria is the biggest importer of mate in are allowed to buy and consume alcohol is the world. 18 years of age. There is no prohibition for selling alcohol at Other traditional drinks in Syria are tea, specic hours, places or at specific events. ayran and polo (mint lemonade). There is full prohibition in the country for advertising alcoholic beverages, but spon- Alcoholic drinks sorship and promotions are allowed. There are no requirements to have warning Arak signs about health risks, to be placed on Arak is a high alcoholic drink (40-60 de- the bottles. grees) with aniseed aroma. It is usually . diluted with water in 1:3 ratio, in a large vessel, called “barīq” and then it is poured in small cups filled with ice. When diluted, the drink becomes milk white in color. It 12 Profile SYRIA PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

1 January: New Year’s Day Variable date: Easter Summer or autumn: Festivities continue till the Is celebrated according to Ramadan next morning and many the Julian and Gregorian People visit their relatives people spend the first of calendars. and pay tribute to the el- January resting and visiting ders. friends and relatives. 1 May: 1 August: Armed Forces Day Labor and Solidarity Day The establishment of the 8 March: Revolution Day This day is an opportunity Syrian armed forces is cele- The successful seizure of for some people to address brated. power is celebrated by the demands for better work Arabian socialist party Baas conditions. Many others use Autumn or winter: in 1963. the day to rest and meet Kurban Bayram with friends and relatives. Sacrificial rite is made on 21 March: Mother’s Day this day, people visit rela- Respect and gratitude to- 6 May: Martyrs’ Day tives and poor people re- wards all mothers and older Commemoration of the Syri- ceive aid. women is expressed. ans executed in Damascus in 1916 by Jamal Pasha. Today 6 October: 17 April: Evacuation and the square where they were October Liberation War Independence Day executed carries the name The beginning of the Yom The evacuations of the last “Martyrs’ Square”. The day is Kippur war in 1973 is cele- French troops is commemo- celebrated by laying flowers brated, during which Syria rated, the end of the French and wreaths on the Tomb and Egypt attack Israel. As a mandate in Syria and the of the Unknown Soldier in result of this war, Syria loses declaration of independence Damascus. the Golan Heights. of Syria on 17 April 1946.

13 Profile SYRIA PEOPLE IN SYRIA Syria is a traditional society with a long cultural history. Family, religion, education, self-discipline and respect are very important forlocal people. The Syrian love for traditional art can be expressed through dances like al-Samah and Dabkeh. Marriage ceremonies are occasions for demonstration of folk traditions.

Men and women gather and socialize sep- both cheeks. arately, except for special occasions where the entire family should be present. Placing your right hand on the heart, when you meet someone is an expression Syrians spend most of their spare time in of affection. conversations, and the art of conversing is a highly appreciated skill. Men often make Syrians are very emotional people. Men jokes among themselves by addressing often walk shoulder to shoulder or hold- each other with witty and smart insults. ing hands. Hugs and kisses on the cheek are typical between men, as well as be- During social interactions people stay tween women. Close physical contact in close to each other, talk in a loud voice public places is typical between people of and gesticulate a lot. the same sex, rather than between hus- band and wife. Greetings have an enormous social signif- icance. They are often long and include questions, related to health. Greetings are usually accompanied with a handshake and sometimes with a hug and a kiss on 14 Profile SYRIA FAMILY IN SYRIA

Marriage

According to the Muslim traditions, marriages are arranged by the families of the couple. Although there is a certain amount of leniency in observing this tradition, especially in the big cities and among richer people, it is still very rare for a couple to get married against the will of the family. According to the constitution of the country, the state has the ob- ligation to protect and encourage marriage. However, the number of marriages reduces due to the lack of homes, inflation, better education, high dowries and the high prices of weddings. Although both the state and the Muslim religion oppose the existing tradition of paying a dowry, this tradition is deeply rooted in Syria. It places a lot of pressure on the husband and his family who have to gather a big amount of money, but also on the wife who is forced to marry the candidate that is able to pay the most. Syria is the first country that introduced laws related to polygamy. In 1953 the country adopted the Law of Personal Status, according to which the man has to prove that he has enough financial resources to sustain two women in order to receive permission to take a second wife.

Divorce

In the past, the laws observed the Arab tradition, according to which the man had only to pronounce three times “I divorce you” (no matter whether his wife was present or not) to be divorced, but today divorce is given only with the court’s decision.

Social unit

The family is the main social unit in Syria. The oldest man in the family, usually the father or grandfather, has full authority and holds responsibility for the sustenance of the oth- er members of the family. Usually a couple of generations live together in one home. In some village areas, where women are still not allowed to leave home, the family is the only social outlet and a source of socializing with other people.

15 Profile SYRIA SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

Class and caste Symbols of social stratification

Traditionally, Syrian society is strongly strat- Rich and educated people have a very mod- ified. People of different class rarely have ern way of life, typical of the West. Every- social contact with each other. People from body, except the poorest people, have a TV the lower class are usually humble and ac- and radio, but only the richest can afford cept their social standing. air-conditioners, dishwashers and micro- wave ovens. Classes usually coincide with racial differ- ences, and people with lighter skin color Clothing is the other indicator of social hold higher political and economic posi- class. Different tribes and villages wear tions. clothes with distinctive patterns and colors. Men usually wear long togas, called kaf- The families of landowners and merchants tans, while women wear long gowns which have once held traditionally higher social reveal only their palms and feet. Both men and political positions. They have usually and women cover their heads. The edu- lived in Damascus and Aleppo and man- cated high class prefers the western style aged their lands from distance. Religious of dressing – women wear bright colors, teachers, called “ulama” have also been jewelry, make-up and high heels, and men very influential. They have been judges, wear stylish trousers and shirts. Jeans and teachers, political people and government T-shirts are rare, as well as short trousers advisors. In these roles, they have usually and skirts and clothes with bare shoulders. protected the existing traditions. Artisans, Traditionally, when women from a certain shopkeepers and a small working class lived family wear long gowns and have their fac- in the cities. es veiled, it is a symbol of wealth and high status. The Baath government introduced changes to this model. Some villagers have moved to live in the cities and joined the middle class; others own their own land today. But still there are many landless villagers. Af- ter the seizure of power by Baath, officers who participated in the coup d’état inherit the landowners and become the new elite of the country. Due to the development of education, the middle class has expanded.

16 Profile SYRIA MEN AND WOMEN IN SYRIA

Labor distribution

In small towns, women traditionally take care of the household and rarely leave their home. In villages, women not only take care of the household, but also help with the field work. Despite the fact that women are officially allowed to work outside their home, they often meet serious ob- stacles. For example, the government department on moral issues investigates each woman before allowing her to take a state position. Less than 11% of women of working age work outside their homes. 80% of them work in the field of agriculture. The rest of the women work in the textile and tobacco industries, and only 1% hold administrative or mana- gerial positions. There are only a few women in state positions in the government, while in the capital some women work in hardware or electrical stores. Many women also do domestic work.

Comparative status of men and women

The Baath party is one of the first in the Arab world to declare that among one of its main goals is women’s emancipation and equality between men and women. According to the constitution, adopted in 1964, all citi- zens of Syria have equal rights. Today women are enti- tled to the same education as men, and they also have the right to work on equal terms with men. However, the traditional and prevailing view is that women are inferior to men. The woman is considered property of the man and not a separate person. Until the marriage, a woman is viewed as the daughter of the father, and after she gives birth to a son, she is viewed as a wife and a mother.

17 Profile SYRIA RULES AND RESTRICTIONS

Greetings from it. • Shake hands when meetings someone or saying goodbye. Eat only with your right hand and never • When meeting a Syrian, always ask about pass food with your left hand – it is consid- their health. ered to be dirty. • Kissing the hand and raising the fingers of the right hand towards the mouth is an Never cut the traditional Syrian bread with expression of respect. a knife, break off a piece of bread with your hand. When visiting Do not overextend your visit. The third cup Follow the host’s example – if he takes off of tea or coffee is usually considered an his shoes before entering his home, do the invitation to leave. same. If you have been invited to some- body’s home, bring a small gift (but do Do not expect stores, offices and markets not bring alcohol or art objects depicting to be open on Friday, the holy day of the people). A suitable gift could be pastry or Muslims (the work week is from Saturday candy. to Thursday). Do not enquire about the host’s wife. If It is normal for merchants to offer you you meet her, shake hands with her, but coffee or cigarettes. Do not refuse. Do not only if she reaches out her hand first. Keep leave your coffee half drunk. to non-formal conversation – do not talk about business during a social meeting with If you are offered a second or third cup, a business partner. accept it. However, accepting a fourth cup of coffee is considered inappropriate. Refrain from making compliments about a specific decorative object in the home of your host, otherwise he might feel obliged to give it to you as a gift.

If you are invited to sit on the floor, sit with legs crossed.

At the table Never touch the food before the host has said “Bismillah” and invited you to take

18 Profile SYRIA USEFUL INFORMATION

If you are a woman and you are riding in a In bigger cities and places visited by tourists taxi alone, sit on the back seat, diagonally you can wear clothes typical for the West. It from the driver. is completely acceptable to wear jeans and a T-shirt in Damascus. Do not point at people, this is considered to be rude. In remote rural areas and the Muslim quar- ters it is better to wear more conservative When sitting, do not keep your legs crossed clothing – long trousers and a shirt with in front of someone older than you – it is long sleeves. considered disrespectful.

Shaking your head from left to right means “I don’t understand”.

Shaking your head up and down, accompa- nied with “tz” means “no”.

Nodding your head downwards means “yes”.

Clothing

Women are allowed to wear short sleeves in tourist places and in the centres of big cities.

In village areas, when visiting places with religious significance, sleeves should cover at least the elbows.

It is recommended to cover your head when visiting Islamic or Orthodox religious sites, as well as when you don’t want to at- tract too much attention. Also avoid wear- ing short trousers when visiting religious sites.

19 Profile SYRIA www.info4migrants.com