Syria: A Country Profile

Capital: Damascus (population estimated at 5 million in 2004).
Other Major Cities: Aleppo (4.5 million), Homs (1.8 million), Hamah (1.6 million), Al
Hasakah (1.3 million), Idlib (1.2 million), and Latakia (1 million).
Independence: Syrians celebrate their independence on April 17, known as Evacuation Day, in
commemoration of the departure of French forces in 1946.
Public Holidays: Public holidays observed in Syria include New Year's Day (January 1);
Revolution Day (March 8); Evacuation Day (April 17); Egypt's Revolution Day (July 23); Union
of Syria, Egypt, and Libya (September 1); Martyrs' Day, to commemorate the public hanging of
21 dissidents in 1916 (May 6); the beginning of the 1973 October War (October 6); National Day
(November 16); and Christmas Day (December 25). Religious feasts with movable dates include
Eid al Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice; Muharram, the Islamic New Year; Greek Orthodox
Easter; Mouloud/Yum an Nabi, celebration of the birth of Muhammad;...