Syria

Climate: mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

Terrain: primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west.

Environment Issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; depletion of water resources; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water

Ethnic Groups: Arab ~50%, Alawite ~15%, Kurd ~10%, Levantine ~10%, other ~15% (includes Druze, Ismaili, Imami, Nusairi, Assyrian, Turkoman, Armenian).

Languages: Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian, French, English.

Government Type: presidential republic; highly authoritarian regime

URGENT is engaged in the following activities within Syria:

Praise God that Christian Syrians are allowed by their government to practice their faith. Though Christians are not given full rights as citizens, they are able to worship together. Christians who convert from Islam, however, are subject to attacks by militant Islamists. Remaining areas in the country are controlled by extremist groups, and in these areas it is not possible to publicly practice Christianity. (Source: Open Doors)