History of Syria in Timeline

Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a West Asian country situated in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. Bordering Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, and Lebanon, it features a Mediterranean coastline to the west. Damascus serves as its capital and largest city. Governed as a republic under a transitional government, Syria is divided into 14 governorates. The country has a population of approximately 25 million people spread across an area of 185,180 square kilometers.

1916: Sykes-Picot Agreement

In 1916, during World War I, French and British diplomats secretly agreed on the post-war division of the Ottoman Empire in the Sykes-Picot Agreement.

1918: Negotiation with France to cede Mosul to the British zone

In 1918, the discovery of oil in the region of Mosul led to another negotiation with France to cede this region to the British zone of influence, which was to become Iraq.

1920: Establishment of the Kingdom of Syria and French occupation

In 1920, a short-lived independent Kingdom of Syria was established under Faisal I. However, French troops occupied Syria later that year after the San Remo conference proposed that the League of Nations put Syria under a French mandate.

1920: Syria became a League of Nations mandate

In 1920, the border of Syria was recognized internationally when Syria became a League of Nations 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 lasted until the spring

In the spring of 1927, resistance against the French in Syria lasted.

September 1936: Syria and France negotiated a treaty of independence

In September 1936, Syria and France negotiated a treaty of independence, and Hashim al-Atassi was the first president to be elected under the first incarnation of the modern republic of Syria. However, the treaty never came into force because the French Legislature refused to ratify it.

1937: Al-Atrash returned to Syria

In 1937, Sultan al-Atrash returned to Syria after the signing of the Syrian-French Treaty.

1939: French Allowed Plebiscite on Sanjak of Alexandretta

In 1939, while Syria was still a French mandate, the French allowed a plebiscite regarding the Sanjak of Alexandretta joining Turkey.

1940: Syria came under the control of Vichy France

In 1940, with the fall of France during World War II, Syria came under the control of Vichy France.

1940: Discovery of Natural Gas

Natural gas was discovered at the field of Jbessa in 1940.

July 1941: British and Free French occupied Syria

In July 1941, the British and Free French occupied Syria during the Syria-Lebanon campaign.

1945: Syria gained de jure independence

In 1945, the First Syrian Republic gained de jure independence as a parliamentary republic and became a founding member of the United Nations, legally ending the French Mandate.

April 1946: French troops withdrew, granting de facto independence

In April 1946, French troops withdrew from Syria, granting the nation de facto independence.

April 1946: French evacuated troops

In April 1946, continuing pressure from Syrian nationalists and the British forced the French to evacuate their troops, leaving the country in the hands of a republican government that had been formed during the mandate.

1946: Agriculture most important sector

At independence in 1946, agriculture (including minor forestry and fishing) was the most important sector of the economy, and in the 1940s and early 1950s, agriculture was the fastest growing sector.

May 1948: Syrian forces invaded Palestine

In May 1948, Syrian forces invaded Palestine, along with other Arab states, and immediately attacked Jewish settlements, aiming to prevent the establishment of the state of Israel.

1948: Establishment of Israel and Jewish Emigration

In 1948, with the establishment of Israel, the remaining Jewish population in Syria dwindled due to the civil war, with only 100 Jews living in Syria today.

March 1949: Syrian coup d'état

In March 1949, Colonel Husni al-Za'im led the first military overthrow of the Arab World since the start of the Second World War in Syria.

1949: Multiple coup attempts

Between 1949 and 1971, the post-independence period in Syria was tumultuous, marked by multiple coup attempts.

1949: Syria Recognizes Turkish Sovereignty Briefly

In 1949, Syria recognized Turkish sovereignty over the Sanjak of Alexandretta for a short period.

1953: Contribution to GDP Increased

Between 1953 and 1976, agriculture's contribution to GDP increased (in constant prices) by only 3.2%, approximately the rate of population growth.

1954: Overthrow of Shishakli and restoration of parliamentary system

In 1954, Shishakli was overthrown in a coup, and the parliamentary system in Syria was restored.

November 1956: Syria signed a pact with the Soviet Union

In November 1956, as a direct result of the Suez Crisis, 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

In September 1958, Law 134 was passed in response to concern about peasant mobilization and expanding peasants' rights to strengthen the position of sharecroppers and agricultural laborers in relation to land owners. This law led to the creation of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, which announced the implementation of new laws that would allow the regulation of working condition especially for women and adolescents, set hours of work, and introduce the principle of minimum wage for paid laborers and an equitable division of harvest for sharecroppers.

1958: Progress in redistribution of land

Agrarian reform measures introduced from 1958 to 1961, allowed for more progress in redistribution of land than any other reforms in Syria's history, since independence.

1958: Pan-Arab union with Egypt

In 1958, Syria entered a brief pan-Arab union with Egypt.

1960: Introduction of Television

In 1960, television was introduced to Syria and Egypt when both were part of the United Arab Republic, broadcasting in black and white.

September 1961: Syria seceded 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: Progress in redistribution of land

Agrarian reform measures introduced from 1958 to 1961, allowed for more progress in redistribution of land than any other reforms in Syria's history, since independence.

1961: Coup d'état terminated union with Egypt

In 1961, a coup d'état in Syria led to the termination of the pan-Arab union with Egypt.

1961: Instability followed the 1961 coup

The instability that followed the 1961 coup culminated in the 8 March 1963 Ba'athist 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, resulted in the new Syrian cabinet being dominated by Ba'ath members.

1963: Ba'ath Party coup

In 1963, a coup d'état carried out by the military committee of the Ba'ath Party established a one-party state in Syria, which ran the country under martial law until 2011.

1963: Emergency Law Enacted

In 1963, the Emergency Law was enacted, effectively suspending most constitutional protections. It 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 to establish a one-party state and shaped a socio-political order by enforcing its state ideology.

February 1966: Intra-party rebellion against the Ba'athist Old Guard

On 23 February 1966, the neo-Ba'athist Military Committee carried out an intra-party rebellion against the Ba'athist Old Guard (Aflaq and Bitar), imprisoned President Amin al-Hafiz and designated a regionalist, civilian Ba'ath government on 1 March.

1966: Further coups

In 1966, Internal power-struggles within Ba'athist factions caused further coups.

1967: Israel Occupies Golan Heights

In 1967, Israel occupied the western two-thirds of Syria's Golan Heights region.

1967: Syria joined the Six-Day War

In 1967, when the Six-Day War broke out between Egypt and Israel, Syria joined the war and attacked Israel as well. In the final days of the war, Israel captured two-thirds of the Golan Heights in under 48 hours.

1968: Establishment of Iraqi-led ba'ath movement

The coup of 1966 led to the schism within the original pan-Arab Ba'ath Party, and in 1968, one Iraqi-led ba'ath movement was established.

November 1970: Hafez al-Assad deposed Salah Jadid

In November 1970, Hafez al-Assad, who at the time was Minister of Defense, deposed Salah Jadid, who was Syria's effective ruler from 1966.

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 Syrian government.

1970: Hafez al-Assad came to power

In 1970, a coup saw Hafez al-Assad come to power, establishing a hereditary dictatorship in Syria.

1970: Retreat of Syrian forces during Black September

The 1970 retreat of Syrian forces sent to aid the Palestine Liberation Organization led by Yasser Arafat during the "Black September (also known as the Jordan Civil War of 1970)" hostilities with Jordan reflected disagreement between Jadid and Assad.

1971: Multiple coup attempts

Between 1949 and 1971, the post-independence period in Syria was tumultuous, marked by multiple coup attempts.

January 1973: Implementation of New Constitution Leads to National Crisis

On January 31, 1973, Hafez al-Assad implemented a new constitution that did not require the President of Syria to be a Muslim, leading to demonstrations organized by the Muslim Brotherhood.

October 1973: Yom Kippur War

On 6 October 1973, Syria and Egypt initiated the Yom Kippur War against Israel, leading to initial Syrian gains that were later reversed by the Israel Defense Forces, who pushed deeper into Syrian territory and largely destroyed the village of Quneitra.

1974: Disengagement Agreement with Syria Violated

In December 2024, Israel violated the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria by taking control of the U.N.-patrolled buffer zone on Syrian territory during its invasion of Syria.

1974: Petroleum Leading Resource

Petroleum became Syria's leading natural resource and chief export after 1974.

1976: Contribution to GDP Increased

Between 1953 and 1976, agriculture's contribution to GDP increased (in constant prices) by only 3.2%, approximately the rate of population growth. From 1976 to 1984 growth in agriculture declined to 2% a year, and its importance in the economy declined as other sectors grew more rapidly.

1976: Agriculture's contribution to GDP declined

By 1985 agriculture (including a little forestry and fishing) contributed only 16.5% to GDP, down from 22.1% in 1976.

1976: Transition to Color Television

In 1976, television broadcasts in Syria transitioned from black and white to color.

1976: Government Survives Armed Revolts

In 1976, the Syrian government survived a series of armed revolts led mostly by Islamists of the Muslim Brotherhood.

1976: Syria Enters Lebanon

In early 1976, Syria entered Lebanon, beginning their 29-year military presence.

1981: Israel Annexes Golan Heights

In 1981, Israel effectively annexed the western two-thirds of Syria's Golan Heights region.

1981: Israel Occupies Shebaa Farms

In 1981, Israel occupied the Shebaa farms, along with the rest of the Golan Heights.

1981: Majority of population classified as rural

In 1981, as in the 1970s, 53% of the population was still classified as rural, although movement to the cities continued to accelerate.

1982: Government Survives Armed Revolts

By 1982, the Syrian government had 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 Syrian military troops and Ba'athist paramilitaries killed between 2,000 and 40,000 people (Islamists and civilians).

1983: Agriculture employed 30% of the labor force

In contrast to the 1970s, by 1983 agriculture employed only 30% of the labor force.

1984: Growth in agriculture declined

From 1976 to 1984 growth in agriculture declined to 2% a year, and its importance in the economy declined as other sectors grew more rapidly.

1985: Agriculture's contribution to GDP declined

By 1985 agriculture (including a little forestry and fishing) contributed only 16.5% to GDP, down from 22.1% in 1976.

1985: Investment budget saw a sharp rise in allocations for agriculture

In 1985, the Syrian government had taken measures to revitalize agriculture. The 1985 investment budget saw a sharp rise in allocations for agriculture, including land reclamation and irrigation.

1991: Participation in Gulf War and Madrid Conference

In 1991, Syria participated in the United States-led Gulf War against Saddam Hussein and also participated in the multilateral Madrid Conference.

June 2000: Bashar al-Assad elected president

In June 2000, Bashar al-Assad was elected president of Syria after his father's death.

2000: Hezbollah Claims Shebaa Farms Not Included in Israeli Withdrawal

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: Bashar al-Assad succeeded 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, negotiations between Syria and Israel failed after Assad's meeting with U.S. President Bill Clinton in Geneva, and no further direct talks have occurred since.

2001: Suppression of the Damascus Spring

By autumn 2001, authorities had suppressed the Damascus Spring movement, imprisoning some of its leading intellectuals.

2001: Syria's share in global exports eroded

Since 2001, Syria's share in global exports has eroded gradually.

October 2003: Israel Bombed Site Near Damascus

In October 2003, Israel bombed a site near Damascus, alleging it was a terrorist training facility for members of Islamic Jihad.

2003: Iraqi-led ba'ath movement ended

The coup of 1966 led to the schism within the original pan-Arab Ba'ath Party, and the Iraqi-led ba'ath movement ended in 2003.

March 2004: Clashes in al-Qamishli

In March 2004, Syrian Kurds and Arabs clashed in al-Qamishli, with signs of rioting seen in Qamishli and Hasakeh.

2004: Poverty rate increase

In 2004, the poverty rate in Syria was at 11%.

2005: Syria Ends Military Presence in Lebanon

In 2005, Syria ended its military presence in Lebanon after the assassination of Rafic Hariri, which led to international condemnation and the Cedar Revolution.

2005: Syrian Military Withdraws from Lebanon

In 2005, the Syrian military withdrew from Lebanon in response to domestic and international pressure after the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

2005: UNDP announces poverty levels

In 2005, the UNDP announced that 30% of the Syrian population lived in poverty, and 11.4% lived below the subsistence level.

2005: Obligatory Military Service Period Decreased

In 2005, the obligatory military service period was decreased from two and a half years to two years.

2006: High population growth

A big challenge for Syria before the civil war was its high population growth (in 2006 the 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 to be Israeli, reportedly carried out Operation Orchard against a suspected nuclear reactor under construction by North Korean technicians.

2007: Poverty rate increase

In 2007, the poverty rates increased from 11% in 2004 to 12.3%. Main exports included crude oil, refined products, raw cotton, clothing, fruits, and grains. The bulk of imports are raw materials essential for industry, vehicles, agricultural equipment, and heavy machinery.

2008: Syria hosted a population of refugees and asylum seekers

According to the World Refugee Survey 2008, published by the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, Syria hosted a population of refugees and asylum seekers numbering approximately 1,852,300. The vast majority of this population was from Iraq (1,300,000), but sizeable populations from Palestine (543,400) and Somalia (5,200) also lived in the country.

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: Obligatory Military Service Period Decreased

In 2008, the obligatory military service period was decreased to 21 months.

2009: Maternal Mortality Ratio

Prior to the conflict, in 2009, Syria had a maternal mortality ratio of 52 deaths per 100,000 live births.

2010: Value of exports decline

As of 2010, the value of overall exports was US$12 billion which then reduced to US$4 billion in 2012.

2010: Decline in Syrian GDP

From 2010 to 2023, the World Bank estimated that the Syrian GDP had contracted by 84%.

2010: Human Rights Watch Criticizes Syria's Human Rights Record

In 2010, Human Rights Watch referred to Syria's human rights record as "among the worst in the world."

2010: Syria dependent on oil and agriculture sectors

In 2010, Syria was classified by the World Bank as a lower middle income country, and remained dependent on the oil and agriculture sectors. The oil sector provided about 40% of export earnings.

January 2011: Start of Syrian Revolution

On 26 January 2011, public demonstrations began across Syria as part of the wider Arab Spring, evolving into a nationwide uprising demanding the resignation of Assad and an end to Ba'ath Party rule.

March 2011: Civilian Casualties

Between March 2011 and March 2021, more than 306,000 civilians were killed in the Syrian civil war.

March 2011: Start of displacement crisis

Since March 2011, about 9.5 million Syrians, half the population, had been displaced. By 2014, 4 million were outside the country as refugees.

April 2011: Emergency Law lifted

On April 21, 2011, the Emergency Law, which had been in effect since 1963 and effectively suspended most constitutional protections, was lifted.

November 2011: Syria Suspended from Arab League

In November 2011, following the violent suppression of the Arab Spring protests, the Syrian government was suspended from the Arab League.

November 2011: UN reports on deaths during uprising

In November 2011, the United Nations reported that during the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, of the over 3,500 deaths, over 250 were children as young as two years old, and boys as young as 11 years old had been gang-raped by security services officers.

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 having suspended Syria's membership due to the government's response to the protests.

2011: Internet activists arrested

Because of internet censorship laws, 13,000 internet activists were arrested in 2011 and 2012.

2011: End of martial law

In 1963, a coup d'état carried out by the military committee of the Ba'ath Party established a one-party state in Syria, which ran the country under martial law from 1963 until 2011.

2011: Supreme State Security Court Abolished

In 2011, Bashar al-Assad abolished the Supreme State Security Court.

2011: Obligatory Military Service Period Decreased

In 2011, the obligatory military service period was decreased to a year and a half.

2011: Start of 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 Increasingly Isolated Due to Civil War

Since the ongoing civil war of 2011, Syria has been increasingly isolated from the international community, with diplomatic relations severed by numerous countries.

2011: Syria Ranked "Not Free" by Freedom House

The 2011 Freedom House report ranked Syria "Not Free" in its annual Freedom in the World survey.

July 2012: Massacre in Hama

In July 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 citing "deep concern at the massacres and inhuman acts" perpetrated by forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad.

2012: Syrian Constitution Details Power Structure

According to the 2012 Syrian constitution, the President was the head of state, while the Prime Minister was nominally the head of government, with real power residing in the presidency.

2012: President Elected by Syrian Citizens

According to the 2012 constitution, the president was elected by Syrian citizens in a direct election.

2012: Value of 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. Also, the Syrian pound lost 80% of its value, with the economy becoming part state-owned and part war economy.

2012: Internet activists arrested

Because of internet censorship laws, 13,000 internet activists were arrested in 2011 and 2012.

2012: Rojava Gains De Facto 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 wider Syrian civil war.

2012: Industries Devastated, Sanctions Imposed

Since 2012, oil and tourism industries in particular have been devastated, with $5 billion lost. U.S. and European Union bans on oil imports, which went into effect in 2012, are estimated to cost Syria about $400 million per month. Around 40% of all employees in the tourism sector lost their jobs since the beginning of the war.

August 2013: Government suspected of using chemical weapons

In August 2013, the Syrian government was suspected of using chemical weapons against its civilians. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stated that it was undeniable that chemical weapons had been used and that al-Assad's forces had committed a moral obscenity.

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 was recognized as the "sole representative of the Syrian people" by several nations including the United States, United Kingdom, and France.

2013: Syrian Interim Government Formed

In 2013, the Syrian Interim Government was formed during the Syrian civil war.

August 2014: UN Human Rights chief criticizes international community

In August 2014, UN Human Rights chief Navi Pillay criticized the international community for its paralysis in dealing with the Syrian civil war, which had resulted in 191,369 deaths by that time. Pillay stated that war crimes were being committed with total impunity on all sides of the conflict.

2014: Damascus University Student Count

As of 2014, Damascus University had 210,000 students.

2014: Displacement crisis deepens

By 2014 about 9.5 million Syrians, half the population, had been displaced since March 2011; 4 million were outside the country as refugees.

2014: ISIS Control in Eastern Syria

In 2014, ISIS seized control of large parts of Eastern Syria, leading to a United States-led coalition launching an aerial bombing campaign against ISIS and providing support to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

2014: Intervention against Islamic State

In 2014, in response to rapid territorial gains made by the Islamic State during the civil war, several countries intervened on behalf of various factions opposing it.

May 2015: ISIS captured Syria's phosphate mines

In May 2015, ISIS captured Syria's phosphate mines, one of the Syrian government's last chief sources of income.

July 2015: Internally Displaced People

As of July 2015, the UNHCR estimated that there were 7.6 million internally displaced people due to the Syrian civil war.

2015: Intervention against Islamic State

In 2015, in response to rapid territorial gains made by the Islamic State during the civil war, several countries intervened on behalf of various factions opposing it.

April 2016: Parliamentary Elections Held in Government-Controlled Areas

On April 13, 2016, parliamentary elections were held in government-controlled areas of Syria for all 250 seats of the People's Council.

August 2016: Turkish Invasion of Northern Syria

In August 2016, Turkey launched a multi-pronged invasion of northern Syria to combat the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (Rojava), ISIS, and government forces.

2016: Turkish Forces Occupy Areas of Northern Syria

Since 2016, during the Syrian civil war, the Turkish Armed Forces and its ally the Syrian National Army have occupied areas of northern Syria.

April 2017: U.S. missile attack against Syrian air base

In April 2017, the U.S. Navy carried out a missile attack against a Syrian air base which had allegedly been used to conduct a chemical weapons attack on Syrian civilians, according to the U.S. government.

July 2017: Registered Refugees

As of July 2017, over 5 million refugees were registered by the UNHCR as a result of the Syrian civil war.

2017: Territorial defeat of Islamic State

In 2017, the Islamic State faced territorial defeat in both central and eastern Syria due to interventions by various countries.

2017: Syrian Salvation Government Formed

In 2017, the Syrian Salvation Government was formed during the Syrian civil war, controlling northern areas of the country.

2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index

In 2019, Syria had a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 3.64/10, ranking it 144th globally out of 172 countries.

2019: Syrian Population Estimate

In 2019, Syria's population was estimated to be approximately 18,500,000, with Syrian Arabs and Palestinian refugees making up about 74% of the population.

2019: Airstrike killed civilians in Syria

In 2019, a U.S. airstrike killed civilians in Syria which the U.S. Central Command later called legitimate in November 2021, after a New York Times investigation said the military had concealed the death of dozens of non-combatants.

2019: SDF Reaches 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.

2020: Religious Demographics in Syria

As of 2020, according to the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), 94.17% of Syrians were Muslims (79.19% Sunni and 14.10% Shia, including Alawites) and 3.84% were Christians.

2020: Refugee Crisis

By 2020, the UN estimated that over 5.5 million Syrians were living as refugees in the region, and 6.1 million others were internally displaced.

March 2021: Civilian Casualties

Between March 2011 and March 2021, more than 306,000 civilians were killed in the Syrian civil war.

November 2021: U.S. Central Command acknowledges airstrike

In November 2021, the U.S. Central Command called a 2019 airstrike that killed civilians in Syria legitimate, after a New York Times investigation said the military had concealed the death of dozens of non-combatants.

2021: Syria became the world's newest 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. Captagon was Syria's primary export, valued at a minimum of US$3.4 billion annually.

2021: Average Life Expectancy in Syria

In 2021, the average life expectancy in Syria was 73.1 years.

2022: Health Support Needs

As of 2022, approximately 15.3 million people in Syria were in need of health support, representing 72% of the population, which is a 25% increase from the previous year.

2022: Syrian Elections Designated as "Facade"

Electoral Integrity Project's 2022 Global report designated Syrian elections as a "facade" with the worst electoral integrity in the world.

2022: Infant Mortality Rate

In 2022, the infant mortality rate in Syria was estimated at 12.1 deaths per 1,000 live births.

2023: Syria Readmitted to Arab League

After 11 years, the Arab League readmitted Syria in 2023.

2023: Syria's GDP

As of 2023, Syria's GDP was $6.2 billion. Syria's new government has vowed to stamp out the production of captagon.

2023: WHO estimate of Syria's Population

As of 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated Syria's population at approximately 23.6 million.

2023: Syria designated as "Worst of the Worst"

In 2023, Freedom House's 50th edition of Freedom in the World designated Syria as "Worst of the Worst" among the "Not Free" countries, giving it a score of 1/100.

2023: Decline in Christian Population

In 2023, the count of Christians affiliated with established denominations in Syria dropped from approximately 2.5 million before the civil war to about 500,000.

December 2024: Israel Took Control of Buffer Zone

During its invasion of Syria in December 2024, Israel took control of the U.N.-patrolled buffer zone on Syrian territory, violating the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria.

December 2024: Rebel Offensive and Airstrikes in Aleppo and Idlib

In December 2024, rebel factions, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), took control of Aleppo, resulting in retaliatory airstrikes by Syrian regime forces and Russian aviation assets that targeted population centers and hospitals in rebel-held Idlib, causing at least 25 deaths; NATO issued a statement calling for civilian protection and a Syrian-led political solution.

December 2024: Suspension of Constitution and Parliament

On 12 December 2024, a spokesman of 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 Minister of Women's Affairs

On 22 December 2024, Aisha al-Dibs was appointed as the Minister of Women's Affairs in the transitional government.

December 2024: Formation of Syrian Caretaker Government

On 8 December 2024, a Syrian caretaker government was formed following the fall of the Assad regime. The transitional government replaced the caretaker government on 29 March 2025.

December 2024: Overthrow of Assad and Formation of Syrian Salvation Government

Prior to the fall of the Assad regime, Mohammed al-Bashir headed the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG) formed in the province of Idlib by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist militant organization which led the overthrow of Assad in December 2024.

December 2024: Fall of the Ba'athist Regime

Prior to the fall of the Ba'athist regime on December 8, 2024, Syria was home to a burgeoning illegal drugs industry run by associates and relatives of Bashar al-Assad. It mainly produced captagon, an addictive amphetamine popular in the Arab world.

December 2024: Political Transition

Syria is undergoing a political transition following the fall of the Assad regime on 8 December 2024, with a caretaker government led by Mohammed al-Bashir.

2024: No international rail services

As of 2024 there are no international rail services, but high-speed rail in Turkey is being extended close to the border. The road network in Syria is 69,873 kilometres (43,417 miles) long, including 1,103 kilometres (685 miles) of expressways.

2024: Impact of Syrian Civil War

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 the Ba'ath 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 dictatorship.

2024: Syrian GDP contracted

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, a series of offensives from a coalition of opposition forces led to the capture of Damascus and the fall of Assad's regime.

January 2025: Ahmed al-Sharaa appointed as president

On 29 January 2025, during the Syrian Revolution Victory Conference in Presidential Palace, the Syrian General Command appointed Ahmed al-Sharaa as president for the transitional period.

February 2025: Netanyahu Demanded Demilitarization of Southern Syria

On 23 February 2025, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded the complete demilitarization of southern Syria.

March 2025: Massacre of Alawite Civilians

In March 2025, the UK-based SOHR reported that Syrian security forces and pro-government fighters had committed a massacre of more than 1500 Alawite civilians during clashes in western Syria.

March 2025: SDF Agrees to Merge

On 10 March 2025, the SDF agreed to merge with the Syrian Armed Forces after SDF leader Mazloum Abdi met with al-Sharaa. Three days later al-Sharaa signed an interim constitution covering a five-year transitional period.

March 2025: Ratification of Interim Constitution

On 13 March 2025, al-Sharaa ratified an interim constitution, valid for five years, establishing a presidential system and the People's Assembly.

March 2025: Announcement of Syrian Transitional Government

On 29 March 2025, the Syrian transitional government was announced by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Damascus, where new ministers were sworn in and outlined their agendas.