Syria (سورية or سوريا ) is a country on Eastern Mediterranean Sea, bordering Lebanon to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest. It covers an area that has seen many foreign occupations but Damascus has always mantained a status of a regional capital. During the Roman Empire, Syria comprised the whole Reigon of Levant.
In 1946, Syria attained independence from colonialist France, which however split a part of its territory in what is now Lebanon.
A part of Syria, the
Golan Heights is under occupation by Israel since 1967. Syria has been one of
Israel's harshest opponents, supporting also many resistance groups in
Palestine and Lebanon.
Post independence Syrian politics has been often in turmoil. Syria has recently abolished the Emergency Law which was effectively limiting civil rights since 1962, but political unrest has increased since then. The Government has responded with violent repressions that have attracted wide international condemnation.
On Internet, there is extensive video documentation of civilian protesters being fired upon by Syrian security; along with images posted by the Syrian Government of the casualties among its servicemen that the Syrian Government attributes to an armed insurgency prompted by hostile foreign powers.The Washington Post recently published US State Department secret records leaked on Wikileaks about U.S. secret backing of Syrian opposition.
EU has been the main
donor in Syria and in the last decades. it has been assisting Syria in its
efforts to improve the welfare of its population. However the violent
repression of political demonstrations has created a political gap. Bilateral
governament aid has been suspended but cooperation with Syrian civil society
remains in force.
Graphs
