Syria - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Syria, it was name ultimately derived from the ancient Assyrians who dominated northern Mesopotamia, but whose reach also extended westward to the Levant; over time, the name came to be associated more with the western area. The Government system in this country is the presidential republic; highly authoritarian regime type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah (Latakia), Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq (Damascus), Halab (Aleppo), Hamah, Hims (Homs), Idlib, Rif Dimashq (Damascus Countryside), Tartus
National symbols
Northern bald ibis; national colors: red, white, black, green.
The flag
The National flag of Syria has three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; two small, green, five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; the band colors derive from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black), overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white); identical to the former flag of the United Arab Republic (1958-1961) where the two stars represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; the current design dates to 1980.
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note: similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band; Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the white band; and that of Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band
The National Anthem
| Title | "Humat ad-Diyar" (Guardians of the Homeland) |
|---|---|
| Lyric/music | Khalil Mardam BEY/Mohammad Salim FLAYFEL and Ahmad Salim FLAYFEL |
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note: adopted 1936, restored 1961; between 1958 and 1961, while Syria was a member of the United Arab Republic with Egypt, the country had a different anthem
More about the government of Syria
| Date of Independence | 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration) |
|---|---|
| National holiday | Independence Day (Evacuation Day), 17 April (1946); note - celebrates the leaving of the last French troops and the proclamation of full independence |
| Legal system | mixed legal system of civil and Islamic (sharia) law (for family courts) |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICC |
| Constitution | |
| History | Syria's 2012 constitution was rescinded by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham-led government in January 2025; in March 2025, interim authorities announced a transitional constitution to remain in effect for up to five years |
| Citizenship | |
| Citizenship by birth | no |
| Citizenship by descent only | the father must be a citizen of Syria; if the father is unknown or stateless, the mother must be a citizen of Syria |
| Dual citizenship recognized | yes |
| Residency requirement for naturalization | 10 years |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | vacant; former President Bashar al-ASAD was overthrown by Islamist rebels on 8 December 2024; ASAD and his family flew to Moscow where they were granted political asylum |
| Head of government | Prime Minister Muhammad al-BASHIR (since 8 December 2024) |
| Cabinet | Council of Ministers appointed by the president |
| Elections/appointments | president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 26 May 2021 (next to be held in 2028); the president appoints the vice president and prime minister |
| Election results | 2021: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD (Ba'th Party) 95.2%, Mahmoud Ahmad MAREI (Democratic Arab Socialist Union) 3.3%, other 1.5% 2014: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD (Ba'th Party) 88.7%, Hassan al-NOURI (independent) 4.3%, Maher HAJJER (independent) 3.2%, other/invalid 3.8% |
| Legislative branch | |
| Legislature name | People's Assembly (Majlis Al-Chaab) |
| Legislative structure | Unicameral |
| Number of seats | 250 (all directly elected) |
| Electoral system | Plurality/majority |
| Scope of elections | Full renewal |
| Term in office | 4 years |
| Most recent election date | 7/15/2024 |
| Percentage of women in chamber | 9.6% |
| Expected date of next election | July 2028 |
| Judicial branch | |
| Highest court(s) | Court of Cassation (organized into civil, criminal, religious, and military divisions, each with 3 judges); Supreme Constitutional Court (consists of 7 members) |
| Judge selection and term of office | Court of Cassation judges appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), a judicial management body headed by the minister of justice with 7 members, including the national president; judge tenure NA; Supreme Constitutional Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the SJC; judges serve 4-year renewable terms |
| Subordinate courts | Courts of first instance; magistrates' courts; religious and military courts; Economic Security Court; Counterterrorism Court |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador (vacant); note - on 6 February 2012, the US suspended operations at its embassy in Damascus; Czechia serves as a protecting power for US interests in Syria |
| Mailing address | 6110 Damascus Place, Washington DC 20521-6110 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://sy.usembassy.gov/ |
| National heritage | |
| Total World Heritage Sites | 6 (all cultural) |
| Selected World Heritage Site locales | Ancient City of Damascus; Ancient City of Bosra; Site of Palmyra; Ancient City of Aleppo; Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din; Ancient Villages of Northern Syria |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Syria
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International organization participation
All Important Facts about Syria
Want to know more about Syria? Check all different factbooks for Syria below.
