Syria
Asiatic Turkey, bounded by Euphrates and Syrian Desert on the east, by the Mediterranean on the west, by Alma Dagh mountains, north, and Egypt, south. Area, 114,530. Pop. before the World War about 3,500,000. The physical conformation of Syria is throughout simple and uniform. A range of mountains, split in the N. into two parallel chains-Libanus and Anti-Libanus-fronts the Mediterranean, ranging in height from 6,000 feet in the N. up to 10,000 feet in the central parts, but SYRIA falling again in the S. to 3,500 feet.
Behind these mountains lies a table-land, that gradually falls away E. to the desert. The prevailing winds being W., the slopes of the mountains next the Mediterranean and the valleys ensconced among them, together with the immediate seaboard, get a tolerably plentiful supply of moisture during the rainy half of the year (October to May) snow even falls on the highest summits of the mountain ranges. The climate on the plateau is generally dry, and in certain localities hot. The valley of the Jordan is remarkably hot. The soil is in many parts possessed of good fertility, and in ancient times, when irrigation was more extensively practiced, yielded a much greater return than it does at the present time. Damascus is noted for its gardens and orchards. Hauran produces excellent wheat. Northern Syria is the home of the olive. The vine grows in nearly all parts of the country. Fruit (oranges, figs, etc.) is cultivated on the coast plains. Sheep and goats are the most important of the domestic animals.
The principal exports are silk, cereals, wool, olive oil, lemons and oranges, soap , sponges, sesame, licorice, cottons, and tobacco. Manchester (England) goods constitute the chief item in the imports .
Besides these there are woolens, rice, copper and iron, sacking, timber, and hides. The chief port is Beyrout, and to it must be added Acre, Caiffa (Haifa), Tyre, and Tripoli. The pop. is estimated at 3,675,000. The bulk of the inhabitants are Mohammedans, but do not all profess the orthodox Sunnite creed: for instance, there are the Druses, certain sects of Shiites, and others. The Christians make up about one-fifth of the total. The principal ethnic elements in the population are descendants of the ancient Syrians (Aramæans) and Aramæans) Arabs, these last both settled and nomad; besides there are Jews, Turks, and Europeans.
The earliest historical records that treat of Syria are those that relate the histories of the Hittites, the Phoenicians, and the Hebrews. The first named were for several centuries supreme in northern Syria, and at times stretched their authority S. as far as the hills of southern Palestine. Yet they had most formidable rivals on both sides of them in Assyria and Egypt, from both of which countries their subjects derived no small share of their skill in manufacturing industry, and in the arts and manners of life. The other two peoples mentioned occupied the most prominent place in southern Syria. Nevertheless at different periods we read of flourishing Aramæan (Semitic) principalities, such as SYRIAC Damascus, Hamath, Zobah, and similar petty states. These, as well as most of northern Syria, were conquered during the 8th century B. C. by the kings of Assyria; the Jewish kingdoms experienced the same fate at the hands of the Babylonian kings in the 7th and 6th centuries. As previous to the 9th century B. C. Syria had been the battle ground of the Egyptian and Hittite armies, SO afarmies, so after that period it was, as a province of Assyria (Babylonia), involved in the struggle between that great empire and Egypt. (The Greeks first knew this region as a province of Assyria; hence the contracted name Syria.) Toward the end of the 6th century B. C. Syria fell under the dominion of the Persian empire; and two centuries later it was conquered by Alexander of Macedon. of Macedon .
When his empire broke to pieces the Seleucidæ made Antioch the capital of their empire of Syria. From the Seleucidæ it passed, through the hands of Tigranes of Armenia, to the Romans, for whom it was won by Pompey in 64 B. C. Under in 64 B. c. Under these new masters the country flourished and became celebrated for its thriving industries, its commercial prosperity, and its architectural magnificence (see BAALBEK:
NABATÆANS: PALMYRA). On the division of the Roman world Syria became part of the Byzantine empire, and of it remained a province till its conquest by the Mohammedan Arabs in 636. It still continued to be prosperous under the Arabs and their successors the Egyptian sovereigns, in spite of the unsettled period of the Crusades. The first severe blow it suffered came from the Mongols in 1260, and its ruin was completed when in 1516 it passed from the Egyptians to the Ottoman Turks. By the Anglo- French agreement of 1916 Syria was divided into two zones under these powers. these powers .
Following the World War disputes arose between Great Britain and France regarding mutual rights in the territory. Their differences were adjusted. In were adjusted. 1917 British forces under General Alunder General Allenby captured Beersheba Oct. 31, Gaza, 31, Gaza , Nov. 7, and Jaffa on Nov. 17. On Dec. 9 a triumphal entry was made into Jerusalem and Great Britain created the independent state of Palestine to which Sir Herbert Samuel (q. v.) was appointed Commissioner in 1920 .
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