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The roughly 23 million inhabitants of Syria are an overall indigenous Levantine people. While modern-day Syrians are commonly described as Arabs by virtue of their modern-day language and bonds to Arab culture and history, they are, in fact,[citation needed] largely a blend of the various Semitic speaking groups indigenous to the region.

Arabs 90%, other ethnic groups such as Kurds 9%, Assyrians/Syriacs,[9] Armenians, Circassians, and Syrian Turkmen 1% [4

Archaeologists have demonstrated that Syria was the center of one of the most ancient civilizations on earth. Around the excavated city of Ebla in northern Syria, discovered in 1975, a great Semitic empire spread from the Red Sea north to Turkey and east to Mesopotamia from 2500 to 2400 B.C. The city of Ebla alone during that time had a population estimated at 260,000. S

Syria was occupied successively by Canaanites, Phoenicians, Hebrews, Arameans, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Nabataeans, Byzantines, and, in part, Crusaders before finally coming under the control of the Ottoman Turks

rst organized Christian Church at Antioch in ancient Syria, from which he left on many of his missionary journeys

The Egyptian authorities must end their appalling policy of unlawfully detaining and forcibly returning hundreds of refugees who have fled the armed conflict in Syria, said Amnesty Internation

towards refugees from Syria.More and more refugees are risking their lives to make the treacherous journey by sea to Europe – often paying smugglers up to US $3,500 each to make the trip.

t effectively seal off borders to refugees fleeing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria sends an entirely wrong message. Egypt should b

With 4 million people inside Syria who are in need of assistance, including more than 2 million internally displaced people, some 200,000 women will likely be pregnant this year

Spring 2013 — Since the beginning of conflict in Syria nearly two years ago, over a million people, mostly women and children, have been registered as refugees in neighbouring countries. Between December 2012 and January 2013, more than 255,000 Syrians fled the country.

. From Syria to Egypt and beyond, partisans yearn to crush old rivals or sectarian foes once and for all.” The language is telling; a perpetuation of the old stereotype of the “angry Arab” with passionate fury fuelled by intemperate Mediterranean blood. Language like this subtly (or not so subtly) underscores the division between “us” – rational beings – and “them” – the dangerous other.

“If you’re Arab, emphasise that fact, since all Arabs are exactly alike and every Arab speaks for all Arabdom. Be sure to divide the entire population of Syria into "good guys" and "bad guys".”

The truth is, we are failures. Two years on, our readers barely remember where Damascus is, and the world instinctively describes what’s happening in Syria as “that mayhem,” because nobody understands anything about Syria—only blood, blood, blood.

UNHCR Global Report 2012 - Syrian Arab Republic1 Jun 2013 | UNHCR Fundraising Reports UNHCR Global Appeal 2013 Update - Syrian Arab Republic1 Dec 2012 | UNHCR Fundraising Reports UNHCR Global Report 2011 - Syrian Arab Republic1 Jun 2012 | UNHCR Fundraising Reports UNHCR Global Appeal 2012-2013 - Syrian Arab Republic

Surviving in the city: A review of UNHCR's operation for Iraqi refugees in urban areas of Jordan, Lebanon and Syria

2005 UNHCR Statistical Yearbook Country Data Sheet - Syrian Arab Republic30 Apr 2007 | Country Data Sheets 2004 UNHCR Statistical Yearbook Country Data Sheet - Syrian Arab Republic21 Aug 2006 | Country Data Sheets 2003 UNHCR Statistical Yearbook Country Data Sheet - Syrian Arab Republic1 Jan 2005 | Country Data Sheets 2002 UNHCR Statistical Yearbook Country Data Sheet - Syrian Arab Republic

en these complicated procedures, we understand that Syrians are not welcome in Egypt anymore."

Three weeks later, the new military government that took over imposed new, stricter rules for Syrian refugees trying to cross the border. They now needed a visa, as well as national security approval to be in Egypt.

"I wish I had been killed in Syria rather than lead this humiliating life in Egypt," says Amer Feras, who came to Cairo after he lost his wife and youngest daughter in the jet attack that Assad's forces launched this January on Homs city, 161 kilometers north of Damascus.

126,034

The Syrian Arab Republic is a medium-income country, ranked 106 out of 177 countries on the 2005 human development index.

changing from a centralized economy to a social market economy

The population of the Syrian Arab Republic was 17.8 million in 2004. The population growth rate was 2.45 per cent during 2000-2005, down from 3.3 per cent between 1981 and 1994. Improvements in health care contributed to declining fertility rates, a sharp fall in mortality rates, and increased life expectancy at birth (70 years for males and 72.1 years for females in 2004).

3,300 Syrians have arrived in Italy by boat over recent weeks, many fleeing troubled Egypt where they had first found a haven from war, the UN refugee agency said

“The majority have come from Egypt,” Edwards told reporters

UNHCR estimates that 4,600 Syrians have arrived by sea in Italy since 2013 began, a massive increase on last year’s total of 369.

Total Persons of Concern 2,199,668

Syrian refugees in Egypt often face illegal detention or deportation, Amnesty International says

"The Egyptian authorities have a duty to provide protection to anyone who has fled the conflict in Syria and is seeking safe refuge in their country," Sherif Elsayed Ali, Amnesty International's head of refugee and migrants' rights

"Instead of offering vital help and support... the Egyptian authorities are arresting and deporting them."

Dozens of men with clubs and knives stormed a charity for Syrian refugees a few days after the Egyptian military ousted President Mohamed Morsi — making it clear they were no longer welcome in Egypt.

Syria, more than two million people have fled the country, most of them taking up residence as refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. But as many as 300,000 have eventually made their way to Egypt

“My Egyptian brother, my Egyptian sister,” the fliers said. “Fight the Syrian occupation and defend your jobs.”