Syria, a country in western Asia with a population of around 19 million, is home to a variety of diverse ethnic groups. Religion is a big part of Syria’s culture. Islam is the official religion of Syria. About 90% of Syrians are practicing Islam. The biggest religious group is Sunni Muslims, that makes up about 74% of the Muslims in Syria. There are many languages spoken in Syria, but Arabic is Syria’s official language. English, French, Armenian, and Kurdish are some of the other languages spoken in Syria.

Most people in Syria wear modern clothing, but some still wear more traditional clothes. For men this typically means a long gown called the “kaftan.” Women wear long robes that are usually black. Men and women both wear headwraps.

The most popular sport in Syria is football (American soccer).  They have a very successful football team which has qualified for more than four Asian Cups. Swimming, tennis, and basketball are other popular sports in Syria.

Syria’s current president is Bashar al-Assad. He is the son of the former president, Hafez al-Assad. When Hafez died in 2000, Bashar became president a month later. Bashar has been in office for 21 years, making him the second longest serving president in Syria. There is even a prime minister named Hussein Arnous. Hussein and Bashar are both part of the Ba’ath Party. The Ba’ath party promotes Arab socialism, Arab nationalism, pan-Arabism, and militarism. Syria is made up of many court types including military, civil, security, criminal, and religious. Like the United States, Syria’s government in divided into three types legislative, executive, and judicial.

Syria is mostly a patriarchal society. Women are often viewed as inferior to men and must be kept under a male’s custody, typcally a relative: father, husband, or even a son. Most women do not work and if they do it is usually in a crop field. Marriages in Syria are typically arranged or wished upon by their parents. Most marriages do not happen without their parents’ approval.

In Syria, households are quite crowded, with two or more generations living under the same roof. The eldest male is the head of the house. Women typically are not allowed to leave the house, and must stay inside with their family as their only social outlet.  Having children is very important to most Syrians. It is said that the more children you have, the more fortunate you are. Children are seen as gifts from God. Both boys and girls get education, but the boys must go through more school than girls.

The traditional home in Syria is the courtyard house. The courtyard house dates all the way back to 3000 BC! The house is built around a courtyard area so that all the rooms have access to the courtyard. It is a very popular housing structure. This floorplan gives the home more space to host dinners, which is a very common thing to do. Another popular type of housing is apartments. Many lower class families live in them and usually they will be located somewhere not nice.