An Introduction to Syria.
Syria is a wonderful panorama of natural colors and images; seacoast, mountains, forests, rolling hills, fertile valleys, plains and steppes.
Syria has always been a centre where east and west meet with their varied civilizations. Thus for westerners it is the gateway to the middle east. It is bounded on the north by Turkey, on the east by Iraq, on the south by Jordan and Palestine, and on the west by Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea. It extends over 185,180km2 (71,498 sq miles) with a 183 km coastline on the Mediterranean Sea forming its western gate. The capital and largest city is Damascus, also spelt Dimashq.