Syria Geography/Syria Country/Syria
Learn about the 14 Governorates and capital of the country of Syria with this fun educational music video for children and parents of all ages. Brought to you by Kids Learning Tube! Don't forget to sing along!
Support Kids Learning Tube by becoming a Patreon today at the link below! You can vote for the video of the week, get your name int he credits and supports something you believe in!
I'd love to thank my Patreon supporters: Tio Bio, Logan Miller,Isaac D, Hayden Brown, Sridhar Raamakrishnan, ILYASnYusuf Tunkara, Cody Stetson, Caleb Sedgwick, Jack Gilroy, Kawan Yates, Joanne Mazzarelli, Joseph Webb, Dylan Shaughnessy, Sydney and Jackson, Xavier Monarres, , Julius Caruso, Ava and Alex Savalli, Kannon Hoover, Eli Zatlin,Logan Varnell, Connor & Audrey Hsu, Trev Faulk Jr., Jonathan, Soren Whipple , Rocky, Hagen, Caston, and Ada, Steel Moscardini, Holden Sibary, Lincoln Cervantez, Jonah Baran, Akash Deshmukh, Brayden Ching, Philip Segal, Declan Ocean, Isla and Mia, Parker Templeton, Matthew Leache, Jaxon Gish, Matt B, Jesse Guzelyurt, Sajel Patel, Mauro Johnson, The Richards/Steele Family, Jake Milan. You all do so much to keep Kids Learning Tube alive!
KLT Website:
T-Shirts:
Music Downloads:
Facebook:
Subscribe:
Tweet Us:
Instagram:
Add us on Google+:
iTunes:
Music: Copyright 2015, 2016, 2017 Kids Learning Tube
Video: Copyright 2015, 2016, 2017 Kids Learning Tube
Lyrics:
We’re the Governorates of Syria
Located in Western Asia
Touching the Mediterranean Sea
The Governorates of Syria
Surrounded by Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Cypress, and Turkey
I’m the Aleppo Governorate
محافظة حلب
Aleppo is my capital
Now don’t you forget
Raqqa Governorate
مُحافظة الرقة
I have a capital named Raqqa
Nice to meet ya
I’m As-Suwayda Governorate you see
السويداء
As-Suwayda is my capital within me
I’m the Governorate of Damascus How are you
مُحافظة دمشق
Damascus is the name of the countries capital this is true
Daraa Governorate That’s who I am
مُحافظة درعا
Daraa is my capital understand
Deir Ez-Zor Governorate
مُحافظة دير الزور
Deir Ez-Zor is also the name of my capital Now here’s some more
I am a Governorate of Syria I am Hama
مُحافظة حماة
Hama is my capital it is what you just saw
We’re the Governorates of Syria
Located in Western Asia
Touching the Mediterranean Sea
The Governorates of Syria
Surrounded by Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Cypress, and Turkey
I’m Al-Hasakah located in the Northeast
محافظة الحسكة
Al-Hasakah is the capital within me
I’m Homs The largest Governorate in Syria
مُحافظة حمص
Homs is my capital I will be seeing ya
Idlib Governorate
مُحافظة ادلب
My capitals named Idlib
It’s this star on me
My name is Latakia touching the Mediterranean Sea
مُحافظة اللاذقية
Latakia is the capitals name within me
Quneitra Governorate is my name you can see
مُحافظة القنيطرة
This is my star and my capital Quneitra
the abandoned town in me
Rif Dimashq Governorate is right here
محافظة ريف دمشق
Douma is my capital that had just appeared
I’m the Governorate Tartus
On the Mediterranean Sea
مُحافظة طرطوس
Tartus is the capital name that is within me
I am Syria a country in Western Asia
سوريا
Damascus is my capital Peace to all of ya
We’re the Governorates of Syria
Located in Western Asia
Touching the Mediterranean Sea
The Governorates of Syria
Surrounded by Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Cypress, and Turkey
SWEIDA.avi
SWEIDA, JABAL AL ARAB, SYRIA, MINUMENTS, MOSAIC
And now... Sweida and the Druze!
Military or Media War?
Four years of war in Syria have passed... and while it has changed many of the country's features, the unchanged reality is that the Islamist extremist groups leave nobody in peace, enacting a policy similar to that of George W. Bush:
You either pledge allegiance to us, or you're with the infidels!
The media supporting what they call the uprising in Syria, just like the extremists they support, never leave any community in peace!
Recently, they've focused on the Druze community day and night.
(Quoted from a report at ORIENT TV, a Saudi-funded TV):
During a meeting with a large crowd of the Druze community, Sheik Al-Hinnawi said that counting on what used to be called the Syrian army, after the recent events, won't be useful for the Druze people anymore
In fact, the channel used archive footage of the Sheikh with the voice muted!
It failed to broadcast Al-Hinnawi's speech! This is understandable! Because he said something else!
We will keep maintaining the national unity, the unity of Syria, from Tal Kojak - in the northeast - to southern Daraa, and from the Mediterranean to the Iraqi border
Moreover, some Western media called on Israel to meet its moral duty by creating a security zone in southern Syria!
This media campaign preceded an attack on Al-Thaala airport at the doorsteps of Sweida.
The Syrian government's response wasn't loud in the media, but rather it was decisive on the ground. The Syrian army, backed by volunteer resistance fighters, as well as the moral support of the locals, has severely defeated the aggressors.
However, the latter ones explained that they have cancelled the attack as a gesture of goodwill towards the Druze people.
Yes indeed! Al Nusra Front has already committed a goodwill gesture in Idlib, when they massacred 20 Druze people for not following the Front's understanding of Islam!
But the reality that didn't find its way to these media is that just behind the airport there are families living and taking care of their land
like Um Fadi who can see the airport from her window
UM FADI - a local from Al-Thaala village:
Even if they besiege us or whatever they do, we are holding on to our land. We are able to earn our lives from our work, homes and land
Such media didn't forget to call on the Druze people to stop sending their sons to the army, but these images are much more credible.
MEC || Watch Different
Daesh fully withdraws from Aleppo province
The Syrian military says Daesh terrorists have fully withdrawn from the country’s Aleppo province after about four years of intense fighting.
Syria’s military says the takfiri terrorists have retreated toward rural areas in Hama and Raqa. The pullout is a strategic victory for the Syrian Army because it relieves pressure on a crucial government supply route. The development comes after the Syrian Army recaptured the Ithriya-Rasafa road and the areas east of Khanaser. The Army retook the city of Aleppo from militants last December.
Watch Live:
Twitter:
LiveLeak:
Facebook:
Google+:
Instagram:
Dailymotion:
Syrian War Updates 21st June,2018
Dynamics in the southern front in Syria have reached a tipping point. Russian-Israeli coordination is taking precedence over the ceasefire agreement that US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached on the sidelines of the G20 summit last year.
Iran and the United States are both facing increasing pressure in the area, while both the Syrian regime and the Syrian armed opposition are on alert over a potential clash to settle the question of who controls the southwest border areas.
US' ambivalent role on the southern front
The US used to play a significant role on the southern front. The Amman-based US-led Military Operations Center (MOC) was providing training and weaponry to a number of Free Syrian Army (FSA) groups operating in southwest Syria between 2014 and 2016.
The US and the FSA groups did not see eye to eye on whether the priority was to fight the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group or the Syrian regime. Ultimately, when Washington signed the ceasefire agreement with Moscow, it closed the supply lines to the southern front.
Jordan sealed off its border with Syria after it was overwhelmed by the large number of refugees fleeing the Syrian war. Since then, the southern front became a low priority issue for the Trump administration compared with the high-level US diplomatic and military engagement on the northern front.
But the Russian-Israeli coordination, which has increased to unprecedented levels in recent weeks at the expense of both the US and Iran, has compelled the Trump administration to come back on the scene.
It is currently trying to pressure Russia to fulfil its commitments from the July 2017 ceasefire. The negotiated plan reportedly trades the US vacating al-Tanf base for withdrawing Iranian forces and their backed militias from southwest Syria. Al-Tanf is located in the southern part of Homs governorate, on the border with Iraq and was used by US forces to train Syrian rebels in the past. The Syrian regime and its Iranian allies have hoped to take control of the area and the al-Waleed border crossing for a while in order to open the Baghdad-Damascus highway.
The US offer to Russia includes keeping all Syrian and foreign militias 20 to 25km away from the Jordanian border, transferring the opposition fighters and their families to Idlib, reopening the Nasib border crossing (near Deraa city) with Jordan, and forming a joint US-Russian mechanism to oversee the agreement.
The key US interlocutor, Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs David Satterfield, is on his way out and will soon be replaced by David Schenker whose views on Syria are more aligned with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and White House National Security Adviser John Bolton.
It is not clear whether this reported US offer will stand. Moreover, if the US does not vacate al-Tanf, Iran and the Syrian regime will most likely attempt to block any deal on the southern front.
Two scenarios for the US
Washington has a rather limited set of options. The first scenario would see the US taking a backseat and giving up all influence in southwest Syria in return for keeping Iran away from the Jordanian and Israeli borders.
Russia will then exclusively dominate the rules of engagement in this area. Hence Israel will be able to blame only Moscow in case of any agreement violation. Washington will also leave once again the impression of giving up on allies, the FSA in this case, but US forces can instead focus their resources on protecting their assets in the friendlier environment of northeast Syria.
The second scenario would see the Trump administration opting to revive its role in the southern front. US fighter jets or drones could target Syrian regime attempts to expand territorial control in Deraa and Quneitra provinces. The US could also re-open the supply lines via Jordan to the FSA groups, which would technically mean re-escalation of the Syrian civil war.
The Pentagon wants to avoid both scenarios.
MediaCSM : Syria This is how we live.
Syria | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Syria
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
You can upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Syria (Arabic: سوريا Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic: الجمهورية العربية السورية al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest. Syria's capital and largest city is Damascus. A country of fertile plains, high mountains, and deserts, Syria is home to diverse ethnic and religious groups, including Syrian Arabs, Greeks, Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds, Circassians, Mandeans and Turks. Religious groups include Sunnis, Christians, Alawites, Druze, Isma'ilis, Mandeans, Shiites, Salafis, Yazidis, and Jews. Sunni make up the largest religious group in Syria.
Syria is a unitary republic consisting of 14 governorates and is the only country that politically espouses Ba'athism. It is a member of one international organization other than the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement; it has become suspended from the Arab League on November 2011 and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and self-suspended from the Union for the Mediterranean.In English, the name Syria was formerly synonymous with the Levant (known in Arabic as al-Sham), while the modern state encompasses the sites of several ancient kingdoms and empires, including the Eblan civilization of the 3rd millennium BC. Its capital Damascus and largest city Aleppo are among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. In the Islamic era, Damascus was the seat of the Umayyad Caliphate and a provincial capital of the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt. The modern Syrian state was established in mid-20th century after centuries of Ottoman and a brief period French mandate, and represented the largest Arab state to emerge from the formerly Ottoman-ruled Syrian provinces. It gained de-jure independence as a parliamentary republic on 24 October 1945, when Republic of Syria became a founding member of the United Nations, an act which legally ended the former French Mandate – although French troops did not leave the country until April 1946. The post-independence period was tumultuous, and a large number of military coups and coup attempts shook the country in the period 1949–71. In 1958, Syria entered a brief union with Egypt called the United Arab Republic, which was terminated by the 1961 Syrian coup d'état. The republic was renamed into the Arab Republic of Syria in late 1961 after December 1 constitutional referendum, and was increasingly unstable until the Ba'athist coup d'état, since which the Ba'ath Party has maintained its power. Syria was under Emergency Law from 1963 to 2011, effectively suspending most constitutional protections for citizens. Bashar al-Assad has been president since 2000 and was preceded by his father Hafez al-Assad, who was in office from 1971 to 2000.
Since March 2011, Syria has been embroiled in an armed conflict, with a number of countries in the region and beyond involved militarily or otherwise. As a result, a number of self-proclaimed political entities have emerged on Syrian territory, including the Syrian opposition, Rojava, Tahrir al-Sham and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Syria is ranked last on the Global Peace Index, making it the most violent country in the world due to the war, although life continues normally for most of its citizens as of December 2017. The war caused 470,000 deaths (February 2016 SCPR estimate), 7.6 million internally displaced people (July 2015 UNHCR estimate) and over 5 million refugees (July 2017 registered by UNHCR), making population assessment difficult in recent years.
Druze | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Druze
00:02:45 1 Location
00:03:43 2 History
00:03:51 2.1 Etymology
00:06:43 2.2 Early history
00:09:38 2.3 Closing of the faith
00:11:34 2.4 During the Crusades
00:13:30 2.5 Persecution during the Mamluk and Ottoman period
00:15:30 2.6 Ma'an dynasty
00:20:31 2.7 Shihab Dynasty
00:22:22 2.8 Qaysites and the Yemenites
00:23:23 2.9 Civil War of 1860
00:25:22 2.10 Rebellion in Hauran
00:26:12 3 Modern history
00:26:58 3.1 In Syria
00:33:00 3.2 In Lebanon
00:35:08 3.3 In Israel
00:36:13 3.4 In Jordan
00:36:30 4 Beliefs
00:36:39 4.1 God
00:38:53 4.2 Scriptures
00:39:21 4.3 Reincarnation
00:40:22 4.4 Pact of Time Custodian
00:41:27 4.5 Sanctuaries
00:41:44 4.6 Esotericism
00:42:58 4.7 Seven Druze precepts
00:43:49 4.8 Taqiyya
00:44:34 4.9 Other beliefs
00:45:10 5 Religious symbol
00:46:48 6 Prayer houses and holy places
00:47:57 7 Initiates and ignorant members
00:51:25 8 Culture
00:51:33 8.1 Cuisine
00:52:17 9 Origins
00:52:26 9.1 Ethnic origins
00:52:35 9.1.1 Arabian hypothesis
00:53:52 9.1.2 Druze as a mixture of Middle Eastern tribes
00:55:51 9.1.3 Iturean hypothesis
00:56:39 9.2 Genetics
01:00:53 10 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
You can upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
The Druze (; Arabic: درزي darzī or durzī, plural دروز durūz; Hebrew: דרוזי drūzī plural דרוזים, druzim) are an Arabic-speaking esoteric ethnoreligious group originating in Western Asia who self-identify as Al-Muwaḥḥidūn (lit. The People of Monotheism). Jethro of Midian is considered an ancestor of all people from the Mountain of Druze region, who revere him as their spiritual founder and chief prophet. It is a monotheistic and Abrahamic religion based on the teachings of Hamza ibn-'Ali ibn-Ahmad and the sixth Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, and Greek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle.The Epistles of Wisdom is the foundational text of the Druze faith. The Druze faith incorporates elements of the Isma'ili sect of Shia Islam, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, Pythagoreanism, Hinduism and other philosophies and beliefs, creating a distinct and secretive theology known to interpret esoterically religious scriptures, and to highlight the role of the mind and truthfulness. The Druze follow theophany, and believe in reincarnation or the transmigration of the soul. At the end of the cycle of rebirth, which is achieved through successive reincarnations, the soul is united with the Cosmic Mind (al-ʿAql al-kullī).Although dwarfed by other, larger communities, the Druze community played an important role in shaping the history of the Levant, where it continues to play a large political role. As a religious minority in every country, they have frequently experienced persecution, but in Lebanon and Israel where Druze judges, parliamentarians, diplomats, and doctors occupy the highest echelons of society. Even though the faith originally developed out of Ismaili Islam, Druze are not considered Muslims, although Al Azhar of Egypt recognizes them as one of the Islamic sects akin to Shia. Fatimid caliph Ali az-Zahir, whose father al-Hakim is a key figure in the Druze faith, was particularly harsh, causing the death of many Druze in Antioch, Aleppo, and northern Syria. Persecution flared up during the rule of the Mamluks and Ottomans. Most recently, Druze were targeted by the ISIL and Al-Qaeda in order to cleanse Syria and neighboring countries of non-Islamic influence.The Druze faith is one of the major religious groups in the Levant, with between 800,000 and a million adherents. They are found primarily in Syria, Lebanon and Israel, with small communities in Jordan and outside Southwestern Asia. The oldest and most densely-populated Druze communities exist in Mount Lebanon and in the south of Syria around Jabal al-Druze (literally the Mountain of the Druzes). The Druze's social customs differ markedly from those of Muslims or Christians, and they are known to form close-knit, cohesive communities which do not fully allow non-Druze in, thoug ...
Druze | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
00:02:23 1 Location
00:03:12 2 History
00:03:21 2.1 Etymology
00:05:52 2.2 Early history
00:08:25 2.3 Closing of the faith
00:10:07 2.4 During the Crusades
00:11:49 2.5 Persecution during the Mamluk and Ottoman period
00:13:33 2.6 Ma'an dynasty
00:17:52 2.7 Shihab Dynasty
00:19:28 2.8 Qaysites and the Yemenites
00:20:22 2.9 Civil War of 1860
00:22:04 2.10 Rebellion in Hauran
00:22:49 3 Modern history
00:23:30 3.1 In Syria
00:28:39 3.2 In Lebanon
00:30:31 3.3 In Israel
00:31:28 3.4 In Jordan
00:31:44 4 Beliefs
00:31:52 4.1 God
00:33:51 4.2 Scriptures
00:34:16 4.3 Reincarnation
00:35:10 4.4 Pact of Time Custodian
00:36:07 4.5 Sanctuaries
00:36:23 4.6 Esotericism
00:37:27 4.7 Seven Druze precepts
00:38:13 4.8 Taqiyya
00:38:53 4.9 Other beliefs
00:39:24 5 Religious symbol
00:40:51 6 Prayer houses and holy places
00:41:51 7 Initiates and ignorant members
00:44:53 8 Culture
00:45:01 8.1 Cuisine
00:45:41 9 Origins
00:45:49 9.1 Ethnic origins
00:45:58 9.1.1 Arabian hypothesis
00:47:05 9.1.2 Druze as a mixture of Middle Eastern tribes
00:48:50 9.1.3 Iturean hypothesis
00:49:31 9.2 Genetics
00:53:04 10 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
Listen on Google Assistant through Extra Audio:
Other Wikipedia audio articles at:
Upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
Speaking Rate: 0.9934845800889014
Voice name: en-AU-Wavenet-D
I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
The Druze (; Arabic: درزي darzī or durzī, plural دروز durūz; Hebrew: דרוזי drūzī plural דרוזים, druzim) are an Arabic-speaking esoteric ethnoreligious group originating in Western Asia who self-identify as Al-Muwaḥḥidūn (lit. The People of Monotheism). Jethro of Midian is considered an ancestor of all people from the Mountain of Druze region, who revere him as their spiritual founder and chief prophet. It is a monotheistic and Abrahamic religion based on the teachings of Hamza ibn-'Ali ibn-Ahmad and the sixth Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, and Greek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle.The Epistles of Wisdom is the foundational text of the Druze faith. The Druze faith incorporates elements of the Isma'ili sect of Shia Islam, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, Pythagoreanism, Hinduism, and other philosophies and beliefs, creating a distinct and secretive theology known to interpret esoterically religious scriptures, and to highlight the role of the mind and truthfulness. The Druze follow theophany, and believe in reincarnation or the transmigration of the soul. At the end of the cycle of rebirth, which is achieved through successive reincarnations, the soul is united with the Cosmic Mind (al-ʿAql al-kullī).Although dwarfed by other, larger communities, the Druze community played an important role in shaping the history of the Levant, where it continues to play a large political role. As a religious minority in every country, they have frequently experienced persecution, except in Lebanon and Israel, where Druze judges, parliamentarians, diplomats, and doctors occupy the highest echelons of society. Even though the faith originally developed out of Ismaili Islam, Druze are not considered Muslims, although Al Azhar of Egypt recognizes them as one of the Islamic sects akin to Shia. Fatimid caliph Ali az-Zahir, whose father al-Hakim is a key figure in the Druze faith, was particularly harsh, causing the death of many Druze in Antioch, Aleppo, and northern Syria. Persecution flared up during the rule of the Mamluks and Ottomans. Most recently, Druze were targeted by the ISIL and Al-Qaeda in order to cleanse Syria and neighboring countries of non-Islamic influence.The Druze faith is one of the major religious groups in the Levant, with between 800,000 and a million adherents. They are found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, with small communities in Jordan and parts of Southwestern Asia. The oldest and most densely-populated Druze communities exist in Mount Lebanon and in the south of Syria around Jabal al-Druze (literally the Mountain of th ...
Syria | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Syria
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written
language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through
audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio
while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using
a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
In case you don't find one that you were looking for, put a comment.
This video uses Google TTS en-US-Standard-D voice.
SUMMARY
=======
Syria (Arabic: سوريا Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic: الجمهورية العربية السورية al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest. Syria's capital and largest city is Damascus. A country of fertile plains, high mountains, and deserts, Syria is home to diverse ethnic and religious groups, including Syrian Arabs, Greeks, Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds, Circassians, Mandeans and Turks. Religious groups include Sunnis, Christians, Alawites, Druze, Isma'ilis, Mandeans, Shiites, Salafis, Yazidis, and Jews. Sunni make up the largest religious group in Syria.
Syria is a unitary republic consisting of 14 governorates and is the only country that politically espouses Ba'athism. It is a member of one international organization other than the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement; it has become suspended from the Arab League on November 2011 and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and self-suspended from the Union for the Mediterranean.In English, the name Syria was formerly synonymous with the Levant (known in Arabic as al-Sham), while the modern state encompasses the sites of several ancient kingdoms and empires, including the Eblan civilization of the 3rd millennium BC. Its capital Damascus and largest city Aleppo are among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. In the Islamic era, Damascus was the seat of the Umayyad Caliphate and a provincial capital of the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt. The modern Syrian state was established in mid-20th century after centuries of Ottoman and a brief period French mandate, and represented the largest Arab state to emerge from the formerly Ottoman-ruled Syrian provinces. It gained de-jure independence as a parliamentary republic on 24 October 1945, when Republic of Syria became a founding member of the United Nations, an act which legally ended the former French Mandate – although French troops did not leave the country until April 1946. The post-independence period was tumultuous, and a large number of military coups and coup attempts shook the country in the period 1949–71. In 1958, Syria entered a brief union with Egypt called the United Arab Republic, which was terminated by the 1961 Syrian coup d'état. The republic was renamed into the Arab Republic of Syria in late 1961 after December 1 constitutional referendum, and was increasingly unstable until the Ba'athist coup d'état, since which the Ba'ath Party has maintained its power. Syria was under Emergency Law from 1963 to 2011, effectively suspending most constitutional protections for citizens. Bashar al-Assad has been president since 2000 and was preceded by his father Hafez al-Assad, who was in office from 1971 to 2000.
Since March 2011, Syria has been embroiled in an armed conflict, with a number of countries in the region and beyond involved militarily or otherwise. As a result, a number of self-proclaimed political entities have emerged on Syrian territory, including the Syrian opposition, Rojava, Tahrir al-Sham and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Syria is ranked last on the Global Peace Index, making it the most violent country in the world due to the war, although life continues normally for most of its citizens as of December 2017. The war caused 470,000 deaths (February 2016 SCPR estimate), 7.6 million internally displaced people (July 2015 UNHCR estimate) and over 5 million refugees (July 2017 registered by UNHCR), making population assessment difficult in recent years.