Syria is a Mediterranean country with a unique position at the crossroad of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa.

Occupying almost 200 km of the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean, Syria shares borders with Turkey in the North, Lebanon in the West, Palestine and Jordan in the south, Iraq in the East and has an area of 180.000 square kilometres.

The coastal and Turkish borders are defined by distinct mountain ranges; the Taurus mountains in the North, the Ansaryeh and Eastern Lebanese mountains in the West.

The rest of Syria is mostly flat fertile plains and desert apart from two small chains of hills in the Centre and South.

Biblical rivers, Euphrates and Orontes flow through the Syrian plains irrigating large areas, as do a number of smaller, less known rivers such as river Barada which flows through Damascus and the rivers Khabour and Balikh in the northeast of the country.

Syria is a land of contrasts; sea, mountains, plains and desert are all to be found within its borders.

The Syrian coast is 185 km long and mostly sandy; Golden sand at Lattakia and black volcanic sand at Ras El Bassit.

Coastal mountains are covered with pine forest. Fauna  and inhabited by wild animals ranging from squirrels to cerfs and boars. Mountains are a cool retreat during the hot summer.

The fertile plains extend from the Eastern side of coastal mountains for miles into the East and are exceptionally pleasant in the Spring when covered with bright wild flowers and looking like a colourful mosaic.

The Desert in the East with its sand and dust and occasional oasis. Inhabited by nomads, camels tents and the odd deer herd on the move seeking a water-hole, it is a place of both harshness and beauty.

"The Cradle of Civilisation", Syria was a very prominent and powerful region in ancient times. The birthplace of the alphabet, it warred and traded with the Roman Empire and cradled Christianity.

Through its lands passed the pilgrim's road to Mecca, the crusades and the silk-road to China. On its land lived the Phoenicians, marine merchants, lands merchants, the Akkadians, Ammoreans, Assyrians, Arameans and other glorious civilisations.

The Roman Empire, at times, had Syrians as emperors; Elagabal (218-222 A.D.), Septimus Alexandrus (222-235 A.D.) and Philip the Arab (244-249 A.D.), to name a few. Julia Domna (158-217 A.D.) the second wife of the emperor Septimus Severus, was also Syrian.

The Syrian Dynasty (VIIth century A.D.) was among the most powerful in the Byzantine Empire History.

Similarly, the Roman Catholic Church took Syrians for her 11th, 82nd, 84th, 87th, 88th and 90th Pope. St. Anicet, John V, St. Sergius 1st, Sisinnius, Constantin and St. Gregoire III, respectively.

The Omayyad Dynasty (661-750 A.D. and till 1030 in Cordoba, Spain), which Capital was Damascus, dominated the largest empire ever known till then. It went from the Indus plain to Spain.

Syria's History is varied and wonderful and the many splendid ruins one finds attest to its former splendour and glory.

Syria has approximately 17 million inhabitants, and by virtue of its rich history and position as gateway between East and West is an extremely ethnically and religiously diverse country. Ethnically: the features of a "typical Syrian" are usually Mediterranean but European and Asiatic features are often prominent and far from rare. This "Melting pot" results in an extraordinary variety of traditions and lifestyles.

Hospitality in Syria is a tradition as old as its civilisation. It is so inbred that in many ways 'tradition' is too weak a word to describe it. The warmth of the welcome one receives is always exceptional. It is part of Syrian ethics and courtesy to welcome guests especially travellers and it is not unusual for a stranger to be invited into the house of a local resident whether in the desert or the city and plied with tea, coffee, offers of assistance and, usually, questions!