Where in the World? The largest river in western Asia, the Euphrates, runs through this country where the world’s first know alphabet was discovered. This nations’ name came from its Assyrian conquerors, but Sumerians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Hittities, Canaanites (or Phoenicians), Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Ottomans, and the French are also part of its legacy. For the fifth and last time today, you hear the amplified call to prayer coming from thousand of mosque minarets.

Where on Earth are you? Can you find your place? Syria

Welcome to Syria

Barren desert makes up two-thirds of Syria, but there is also lush vegetation, the Mediterranean coastline, and several large rivers. It was in the ancient city of Ugarit on the Syrian coast that iron tools were developed and improved and royalty first wore purple robes. The purple dye came from a mollusk unique to Syria’s shores. What is a mollusk? Clams, oysters, and scallops are all mollusks. Mollusks are invertebrates (lacking a spinal column) that typically have soft, unsegmented bodies enclosed in a shell. Ugarit flourished from 15th to 12th centuries B.C., and archeologists have discovered much about the past there.

The Euphrates River has supported civilization for thousands of years in Syria. A wide and shallow river with constantly shifting sand bars, it is not navigable by ships, but it provides water crucial for irrigation. In 1968, the Euphrates became important for another reason; power. A single dam was built, and today this damn is Syria’s major source of electricity. If Syrians suffer from one of their regular power outages, why do they get frustrated with Turkey? Only 15% of Euphrates lies between Syria’s borders, where as 40% lies within Turkey’s. Turkey has built several dams, thus water rights are not confined to rivers in arid regions. They are worldwide. What should be the rules with ownership? If the head of the river is in my country, why should I care about the end of the river, perhaps several countries away from me?

The wondrous remains of arched, bridge-like structures can be found in Syria today. The Romans built them when Syria became part of their empire in 64 B.C. What could these structures be? (Hint: water) The remains of aqueducts, these structures are the legacy of the Roman water supply system. The water would run through conduits (channels) on top of the arches.

There are new homes being built in Syria, but there are also houses hundreds of years old. Why were the houses in the capital of Damascus constructed with high ceiling ? Hot air rises. With high ceilings, the rooms remain cooler.

Syria’s diverse cultural heritage and ancestral mix became their own when they gained independence in 1945, and the last of the French troops left in 1946. From 1958-1961, what country did Syria briefly join with to form the United Arab Republic in an attempt of the United Arab Republic to foster the belief that all Arab people should be part of one nation. Answer: Egypt. The attempt was short-lived because Egypt completely dominated Syria.

FAST FACTS – Syria More than 18,389,000 people live in Syria, although many people have fled the country in recent years. Syria has 71,498 square miles of land. Most of the land is either coastal lowlands, low hills or desert. Damascus, the capital of Syria, is the oldest continuously lived-in city in the world. Most people in Syria are Muslim. A few are Jewish or Christian. People in Syria speak Arabic, Armenian, Kurdish, Circassian, French and English. People in Syria can expect to live to be 70 years old. 77 percent of adults can read.

Where in the World? It’s your turn: Complete your “Where in the World?” page. 1 – fill in the country and continent. 2 – write a paragraph about Iran with at least 5 interesting details (important details). 3 – colour in Syria on the world map.