History of Syria in Timeline
Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a West Asian country in the Eastern Mediterranean and Levant, bordering Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, and Lebanon, with a western coastline on the Mediterranean Sea. It is a republic with a transitional government divided into 14 governorates. Damascus serves as its capital and largest city. Syria covers an area of 185,180 square kilometers (71,500 sq mi) and has a population of approximately 25 million, making it the 57th-most populous and 87th-largest country in the world.
1916: Sykes-Picot Agreement
In 1916, Allied diplomats secretly agreed on the post-war division of the Ottoman Empire in the Sykes-Picot Agreement.
1918: Negotiation over Mosul region
In 1918, France ceded the region of Mosul to the British zone of influence after the discovery of oil.
1920: Syria becomes a League of Nations mandate
In 1920, Syria became a League of Nations mandate, and the established border was internationally recognized.
1920: Establishment of the Kingdom of Syria and French Occupation
In 1920, a short-lived Kingdom of Syria was established under Faisal I, but French troops occupied Syria later that year after the San Remo conference proposed that the League of Nations put Syria under a French mandate.
July 1925: Battle of al-Kafr
On 21 July 1925, Sultan al-Atrash won the Battle of al-Kafr against the French.
August 1925: Battle of al-Mazraa
On 2–3 August 1925, Sultan al-Atrash won the Battle of al-Mazraa against the French.
1927: Resistance ends
In the spring of 1927, resistance to French rule in Syria ended.
September 1936: Negotiation of a treaty of independence with France
In September 1936, Syria and France negotiated a treaty of independence, but it never came into force.
1937: al-Atrash returns to Syria
In 1937, al-Atrash returned to Syria after the signing of the Syrian-French Treaty.
1940: Discovery of Natural Gas
In 1940, natural gas was discovered at the field of Jbessa.
July 1941: British and Free French occupation of Syria
In July 1941, the British and Free French occupied Syria during the Syria-Lebanon campaign.
1945: De jure independence as a parliamentary republic
In 1945, the First Syrian Republic gained de jure independence as a parliamentary republic, becoming a founding member of the United Nations, which legally ended the French Mandate.
April 1946: Withdrawal of French troops
In April 1946, French troops withdrew, granting Syria de facto independence.
1946: Independence and Agriculture
In 1946, at independence, agriculture was the most important sector of Syria's economy.
May 1948: Syrian invasion of Palestine
In May 1948, Syrian forces invaded Palestine, along with other Arab states, attacking Jewish settlements and aiming to prevent the establishment of the state of Israel.
1948: Establishment of Israel
The remaining Jewish population dwindled as a result of the establishment of Israel in 1948.
March 1949: Husni al-Za'im's coup d'état
In March 1949, Colonel Husni al-Za'im carried out a coup d'état in Syria, marking the first military overthrow in the Arab World since the start of World War II.
1949: Multiple coup attempts
From 1949, Syria experienced multiple coup attempts after its independence.
1949: Recognition of Turkish Sovereignty over the Sanjak of Alexandretta
In 1949, the Syrian government briefly recognized Turkish sovereignty over the Sanjak of Alexandretta.
1953: Agriculture's contribution to GDP
Between 1953 and 1976, agriculture's contribution to GDP increased by only 3.2%.
1954: Overthrow of Shishakli and restoration of parliamentary system
In 1954, Shishakli was overthrown in a coup, and the parliamentary system was restored.
November 1956: Syria signs pact with the Soviet Union
In November 1956, Syria signed a pact with the Soviet Union, giving a foothold for communist influence within the government in exchange for military equipment.
1956: Discovery of Petroleum
In 1956, petroleum in commercial quantities was first discovered in the northeast of Syria.
February 1958: Creation of the United Arab Republic
On 1 February 1958, Syrian President Shukri al-Quwatli and Egypt's Nasser announced the merging of Egypt and Syria, creating the United Arab Republic.
September 1958: Law 134 passed
On 4 September 1958, Law 134 was passed, strengthening the position of sharecroppers and agricultural laborers in relation to land owners.
1958: Agrarian reform measures introduced
In 1958, agrarian reform measures were introduced in Syria, consisting of legislation regulating the relationship between agriculture laborers and landowners; legislation governing the ownership and use of private and state domain land and directing the economic organization of peasants; and measures reorganizing agricultural production under state control.
1960: Introduction of Television
In 1960, television was introduced to Syria and Egypt, when both were part of the United Arab Republic.
September 1961: Syria secedes from the United Arab Republic
On 28 September 1961, Syria seceded from the union with Egypt after a coup and terminated the political union.
1961: Land redistribution reforms progress
From 1958 to 1961, agrarian reforms allowed for more progress in redistribution of land in Syria's history, since independence.
1961: Termination of union with Egypt
In 1961, a coup d'état terminated Syria's union with Egypt.
1961: Instability followed the coup
The instability followed the 1961 coup.
March 1963: Ba'athist coup
On 8 March 1963, a Ba'athist coup engineered by members of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, led by Michel Aflaq and Salah al-Din al-Bitar, occurred.
1963: Ba'ath Party coup
In 1963, the Ba'ath Party's military committee carried out a coup d'état, establishing a one-party state in Syria.
1963: Emergency Law in Effect
In 1963, the Emergency Law was put into effect and was justified by the government in the light of the continuing war with Israel over the Golan Heights.
1963: Ba'ath Party monopolised power
The 1963 Ba'athist coup marked a "radical break" in modern Syrian history, after which the Ba'ath party monopolised power in the country.
February 1966: Intra-party rebellion
On 23 February 1966, the neo-Ba'athist Military Committee carried out an intra-party rebellion against the Ba'athist Old Guard.
1966: Internal power struggles within Ba'athist factions
In 1966, internal power-struggles within Ba'athist factions caused further coups.
1967: Six-Day War
In 1967, Syria joined the Six-Day War and attacked Israel, resulting in Israel capturing two-thirds of the Golan Heights.
1967: Israel Occupied Golan Heights
In 1967, during the Six-Day War, Israel occupied the western two-thirds of Syria's Golan Heights region.
1967: Government Supervision of Schools
Since 1967, all schools, colleges, and universities in Syria have been under close government supervision by the Ba'ath Party.
1968: Establishment of Iraqi-led Ba'ath movement
Following a coup, one Iraqi-led Ba'ath movement was established in 1968.
November 1970: Hafez al-Assad deposes Salah Jadid
From 1966 until November 1970, Salah Jadid was Syria's effective ruler, when he was deposed by Hafez al-Assad.
November 1970: Syrian Corrective Movement
In November 1970, the Syrian Corrective movement, a bloodless military coup, installed Hafez al-Assad as the strongman of the government.
1970: Jordan Civil War
In 1970, Syrian forces retreated during the "Black September" hostilities in Jordan.
1970: Hafez al-Assad comes to power
In 1970, a coup saw Hafez al-Assad come to power, establishing a hereditary dictatorship in Syria.
1971: End of Coup Attempts
1971 marks the end of multiple coup attempts in the country between 1949 and 1971.
January 1973: Implementation of New Constitution
On 31 January 1973, Hafez al-Assad implemented a new constitution, which led to demonstrations due to the removal of the requirement for the president to be Muslim.
October 1973: Yom Kippur War
On 6 October 1973, Syria and Egypt initiated the Yom Kippur War against Israel, leading to initial Syrian gains reversed by the Israel Defense Forces.
1974: Petroleum became Syria's chief export
After 1974, Petroleum became Syria's leading natural resource and chief export.
1976: Armed revolts led by Islamists
Between 1976 and 1982, the government survived a series of armed revolts led mostly by Islamists of the Muslim Brotherhood, through a series of repressions and massacres.
1976: Agriculture Contributes to GDP
By 1985 agriculture contributed only 16.5% to Syria's GDP, down from 22.1% in 1976.
1976: Decline in Agricultural Growth
From 1976 to 1984, growth in Syria's agriculture declined to 2% a year.
1976: Syria Entered Lebanon
In early 1976, Syria entered Lebanon at the invitation of Suleiman Franjieh, marking the beginning of their 29-year military presence.
1976: Color television broadcast
Television broadcasted in black and white until 1976 in Syria.
1981: Rural Population Statistics
In 1981, 53% of Syria's population was classified as rural.
1981: Israel Annexed Golan Heights
In 1981, Israel effectively annexed the Golan Heights, though this annexation is not recognized in international law.
1981: Israel Occupied Shebaa Farms
In 1981, Israel occupied the Shebaa farms, located at the intersection of the Lebanese-Syrian border and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
1982: Armed revolts led by Islamists
Between 1976 and 1982, the government survived a series of armed revolts led mostly by Islamists of the Muslim Brotherhood, through a series of repressions and massacres.
1982: Hama Massacre
In 1982, the Hama massacre occurred, where more than 40,000 people were killed by Syrian military troops and Ba'athist paramilitaries.
1983: Agriculture Employment Statistics
By 1983 agriculture employed only 30% of Syria's labor force.
1984: Agricultural Growth Decline
From 1976 to 1984 growth in agriculture declined to 2% a year, and its importance in the economy declined.
1985: Agriculture Contributes to GDP
By 1985 agriculture contributed only 16.5% to Syria's GDP, down from 22.1% in 1976.
1985: Government Measures to Revitalize Agriculture
In 1985, the Syrian government took measures to revitalize agriculture, including increased investment.
1991: Participation in the Gulf War
In 1991, Syria participated in the United States-led Gulf War against Saddam Hussein, marking a major shift in relations with Arab states and the Western world.
June 2000: Death of Hafez al-Assad and Election of Bashar al-Assad
On 10 June 2000, Hafez al-Assad died, and his son, Bashar al-Assad, was elected president in an unopposed election.
2000: Israeli Withdrawal from Lebanon
After Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000, Hezbollah claimed that the withdrawal was not complete because Shebaa was on Lebanese – not Syrian – territory.
2000: Real Per Capita GDP Growth
From 2000 to 2008, the real per capita GDP growth in Syria was just 2.5% per year.
2000: Death of Hafez al-Assad
In 2000, Hafez al-Assad died and was succeeded by his son, Bashar al-Assad.
2000: Failed Negotiations with Israel
In 2000, direct Syrian-Israeli talks ceased after Assad's meeting with U.S. President Bill Clinton in Geneva.
2001: Suppression of the Damascus Spring
By autumn 2001, authorities had suppressed the Damascus Spring movement, imprisoning some of its leading intellectuals.
2001: Erosion of Syria's Share in Global Exports
Since 2001, Syria's share in global exports has gradually eroded.
October 2003: Israeli Bombing Near Damascus
On 5 October 2003, Israel bombed a site near Damascus, alleging it was a terrorist training facility.
2003: End of Iraqi-led Ba'ath movement
Following a coup, the Iraqi-led Ba'ath movement which was established in 1968 ended in 2003.
March 2004: Clashes in al-Qamishli
In March 2004, Syrian Kurds and Arabs clashed in al-Qamishli, with signs of rioting in Qamishli and Hasakeh.
2005: Syria ends military presence in Lebanon
In 2005, Syria ended its military presence in Lebanon. The assassination of Rafic Hariri in 2005 led to international condemnation and triggered a popular Intifada in Lebanon, known as "the Cedar Revolution", which forced the Assad regime to end its 29-year-old military occupation in Lebanon.
2005: Syrian Military Withdrew from Lebanon
In 2005, the Syrian military withdrew from Lebanon in response to domestic and international pressure following the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
2005: UNDP Announced Poverty Levels
In 2005, the UNDP announced that 30% of the population lived in poverty.
2005: Military Service Decreased
In 2005, the obligatory military service period in Syria was decreased from two and a half years to two years.
2006: High population growth
In 2006 Syria's population growth rate was 2.7%, leading to rapidly increasing demand for urban and industrial water.
September 2007: Operation Orchard
On 6 September 2007, foreign jet fighters, suspected as Israeli, reportedly carried out Operation Orchard against a suspected nuclear reactor.
2007: Poverty Rates Increased
In 2007, poverty rates increased from 11% to 12.3%.
2008: Refugee population in Syria
According to the World Refugee Survey 2008, Syria hosted approximately 1,852,300 refugees and asylum seekers.
2008: Real Per Capita GDP Growth
From 2000 to 2008, the real per capita GDP growth in Syria was just 2.5% per year.
2008: Military Service Decreased
In 2008, the obligatory military service period in Syria was decreased to 21 months.
2008: Physicians and Nurses per Inhabitants
In 2008, there were 14.9 physicians and 18.5 nurses per 10,000 inhabitants.
2010: Value of Overall Exports
As of 2010, the value of overall exports was US$12 billion.
2010: Human Rights Watch Report on Syria
In 2010, Human Rights Watch referred to Syria's human rights record as "among the worst in the world."
2010: Syria Classified as a "Lower Middle Income Country"
In 2010, Syria was classified by the World Bank as a "lower middle income country," dependent on the oil and agriculture sectors.
2010: Healthcare Spending
In 2010, spending on healthcare in Syria accounted for 3.4% of the GDP and life expectancy at birth was 75.7 years.
2010: Syrian GDP baseline
The World Bank estimated that the Syrian GDP had contracted by 84% from 2010 to 2023.
January 2011: Start of Public Demonstrations
On 26 January 2011, public demonstrations began across Syria, developing into a nationwide uprising demanding the resignation of Assad and the overthrow of his government.
March 2011: Beginning of the Syrian Civil War
From March 2011, the Syrian civil war resulted in more than 600,000 deaths. The war led to a massive refugee crisis, with an estimated 7.6 million internally displaced people.
March 2011: Beginning of displacement
Since March 2011, about 9.5 million Syrians have been displaced.
April 2011: Emergency Law Lifted
On April 21, 2011, the Emergency Law, which had been in effect since 1963, was lifted.
November 2011: UN Report on Deaths in Syria
As of November 9, 2011, the United Nations reported that over 3,500 deaths occurred during the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, with over 250 deaths being children.
November 2011: Syria Suspended from Arab League
In November 2011, following violent suppression of Arab Spring protests, the Syrian government was suspended from the Arab League.
December 2011: Arab League Observer Mission
In December 2011, the Arab League sent an observer mission to Syria as part of its proposal for peaceful resolution of the crisis, after suspending Syria's membership.
2011: Arrests of Internet Activists
In 2011 and 2012, 13,000 internet activists were arrested in Syria due to internet censorship laws.
2011: Supreme State Security Court Abolished
In 2011, Bashar al-Assad abolished the Supreme State Security Court in Syria.
2011: Freedom House Report on Syria
In 2011, Freedom House ranked Syria as "Not Free" in its annual Freedom in the World survey.
2011: Beginning of the Syrian Civil War
In 2011, the Arab Spring led to the start of a multi-sided civil war in Syria.
2011: Military Service Decreased
In 2011, the obligatory military service period in Syria was decreased to year and a half.
2011: Start of the Arab Spring and Syrian Civil War
Since the Arab Spring in 2011, Syria has been embroiled in a multi-sided civil war, leading to a refugee crisis.
2011: Syria's International Isolation
Since the start of the civil war in 2011, Syria has become increasingly isolated from the international community, leading to several countries severing diplomatic relations.
July 2012: Massacre in Hama Allegedly by Government Forces
On July 12, 2012, people opposing President Assad's rule claimed that more than 200, mostly civilians, were massacred and about 300 injured in Hama in shelling by the government forces.
August 2012: Syria Suspended from Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
In August 2012, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation suspended Syria due to "deep concern at the massacres and inhuman acts".
2012: Syrian Constitution
According to the 2012 Syrian constitution, the President of Syria was the head of the Syrian state, while the Prime Minister of Syria was nominally the head of government.
2012: Value of Overall Exports Slashed
As of 2012, the value of overall exports was slashed by two-thirds, from US$12 billion in 2010 to only US$4 billion in 2012.
2012: Arrests of Internet Activists
In 2011 and 2012, 13,000 internet activists were arrested in Syria due to internet censorship laws.
2012: Rojava Gained Autonomy
In 2012, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), also known as Rojava, gained its de facto autonomy in the context of the Rojava conflict and the Syrian civil war.
August 2013: Suspected Chemical Weapons Use
In August 2013, the Syrian government was suspected of using chemical weapons against its civilians.
2013: Formation of the Syrian Interim Government
In 2013, during the Syrian civil war, the Syrian Interim Government was formed as one of the alternative governments.
2013: Syrian Interim Government Invited to Arab League
In 2013, representatives of the Syrian Interim Government were invited to take up Syria's seat at the Arab League and were recognized as the "sole representative of the Syrian people" by several nations.
August 2014: UN Human Rights Chief Criticized International Community
In August 2014, UN Human Rights chief Navi Pillay criticized the international community over its "paralysis" in dealing with the civil war gripping the country.
2014: Damascus University Student Count
As of 2014, Damascus University had 210,000 students.
2014: Displacement Statistics
By 2014, about 9.5 million Syrians had been displaced since March 2011.
2014: Intervention against the Islamic State
In 2014, several countries intervened in the Syrian civil war in response to rapid territorial gains made by the Islamic State.
May 2015: ISIS Captured Syria's Phosphate Mines
In May 2015, ISIS captured Syria's phosphate mines, which was one of the Syrian government's last chief sources of income.
July 2015: Internally Displaced People
In July 2015, there were an estimated 7.6 million internally displaced people due to the Syrian Civil War.
2015: Intervention against the Islamic State
In 2015, several countries intervened in the Syrian civil war in response to rapid territorial gains made by the Islamic State.
April 2016: Parliamentary Elections Held
In April 2016, parliamentary elections were held in government-controlled areas of Syria, though many nations refused to accept the results, citing them as not representing the will of the Syrian people.
April 2017: U.S. Navy Carried Out Missile Attack
In April 2017, the U.S. Navy carried out a missile attack against a Syrian air base.
July 2017: Refugee Crisis
By July 2017, there were over 5 million Syrian refugees registered by UNHCR due to the Syrian Civil War.
2017: Formation of the Syrian Salvation Government
In 2017, during the Syrian civil war, the Syrian Salvation Government was formed as one of the alternative governments.
2017: Territorial defeat of the Islamic State
In 2017, the Islamic State experienced territorial defeat in both central and eastern Syria.
2019: SDF Agreement with Syrian Army
In 2019, the SDF announced an agreement with the Syrian Army, allowing them to enter SDF-held cities to deter a Turkish attack.
2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index
In 2019, the country had a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 3.64/10, ranking it 144th globally out of 172 countries.
2019: Airstrike that Killed Civilians in Syria
In 2019, there was an airstrike that killed civilians in Syria.
2019: Syria population estimate
Syria has a population of approximately 18,500,000 in 2019.
2020: Muslims and Christians
According to the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), 94.17% of Syrians are Muslims and 3.84% of Syrians are Christians as of 2020.
2020: Refugee and Internal Displacement Estimates
By 2020, the UN estimated that over 5.5 million Syrians were living as refugees and 6.1 million were internally displaced.
March 2021: Civilian Casualties of the Syrian Civil War
Between March 2011 and March 2021, more than 306,000 civilians were killed in the Syrian civil war.
November 2021: U.S. Central Command Acknowledged Civilian Deaths
In November 2021, the U.S. Central Command called a 2019 airstrike that killed civilians in Syria "legitimate".
2021: Syria becomes a narcostate
As of 2021, the export of illegal drugs eclipsed the country's legal exports, leading the New York Times to call Syria "the world's newest narcostate".
2022: Syrian Elections Designated as a "Facade"
Electoral Integrity Project's 2022 Global report designated Syrian elections as a "facade" with the worst electoral integrity in the world.
2023: Syria Readmitted to the Arab League
After 11 years of suspension, Syria was readmitted to the Arab League in 2023.
2023: Syrian GDP was $6.2 billion
As of 2023, Syria's GDP was $6.2 billion and the new government has vowed to stamp out captagon production.
2023: Christian population
As per one estimate, the count of Christians affiliated with established denominations in Syria has dropped from approximately 2.5 million before the civil war, to about 500,000 in 2023.
2023: Corruption Perception Index
In 2023, Ba'athist Syria was ranked the 2nd lowest globally on the Corruption Perceptions Index.
2023: Freedom House Designation of Syria
In 2023, Freedom House designated Syria as "Worst of the Worst" among the "Not Free" countries, giving it the lowest score (1/100).
December 2024: Political Transition after Assad Regime Fall
Following the fall of the Assad regime on 8 December 2024, Syria is currently undergoing a political transition with a transitional government led by Mohammed al-Bashir formed to govern the country.
December 2024: Flare-up of Violence and Airstrikes
In December 2024, violence flared up with rebel factions taking control of Aleppo, prompting retaliatory airstrikes by Syrian regime forces, resulting in casualties and a NATO statement calling for civilian protection.
December 2024: Suspension of Constitution and Parliament
On 12 December 2024, the transitional government announced that the constitution and parliament would be suspended and a 'judicial and human rights committee' would be established to review the constitution.
December 2024: Appointment of Aisha al-Dibs
On 22 December 2024, Aisha al-Dibs was appointed as the Minister of Women's Affairs of the transitional government.
December 2024: Overthrow of Assad by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)
Prior to the fall of the Assad regime, the Islamist militant organization Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) led the overthrow of Assad in December 2024.
December 2024: Fall of Ba'athist regime
Prior to the fall of the Ba'athist regime on 8 December 2024, Syria was home to a burgeoning illegal drugs industry.
2024: Syrian Transportation Infrastructure
As of 2024 Syria has four international airports, no international rail services, and a road network of 69,873 kilometres.
2024: Deaths and Pro-Assad forces causing civilian casualties
By 2024, the Syrian civil war had resulted in more than 600,000 deaths, with pro-Assad forces causing more than 90% of the total civilian casualties.
2024: Fall of Ba'athist regime
From the 1963 seizure of power by its Military Committee to the fall of the regime in 2024, the Ba'ath party ruled Syria as a totalitarian state.
2024: Syria's Global Peace Index and Press Freedom Ranking
In 2024, Syria ranked 8th last on the Global Peace Index and was one of the most dangerous places for journalists.
2024: World Bank estimate of Syrian GDP contraction
In 2024, the World Bank estimated that the Syrian GDP had contracted by 84% from 2010 to 2023.
2024: Capture of Damascus and fall of Assad's regime
In late 2024, opposition forces captured Damascus, leading to the fall of Assad's regime.
January 2025: Appointment of Ahmed al-Sharaa as President
On 29 January 2025, Ahmed al-Sharaa was appointed as president for the transitional period during the Syrian Revolution Victory Conference.
February 2025: Announcement of New Government Formation
On 12 February 2025, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani announced that a new government would be formed by March 1, which "will represent the Syrian people as much as possible and take its diversity into account."
March 2025: End of Transitional Government Term
The transitional government, which has been in place since the fall of the Assad regime, is scheduled to end its term on 1 March 2025.
