Syria = Desert?

[Andreas]

I don't think so, judging e.g. from this report;

Toudaigaku Check the topo maps.

The topography of Syria can be roughly divided into Jebel Ansarieh, the mountainous area 1,200 to 1,500 m high which starts from Hatay region, in the south of Turkey and runs in a S-N direction, the 1,500 to 2,800 m high Anti-Lebanon Mountains etc., and the plateau which develops in the east of these mountainous areas.

Jebel Ansarieh runs south to north, in the west of Ghab, which continues from Bekka Valley, and is separated from the Lebanon Mountains by the Tripoli-Homs depression, but its topographical characteristics are similar to those of the Lebanon Mountains, i.e., its extreme eastern part is the main ridge, and its western slope is gentle, while its eastern slope declines sharply to the Ghab swamp with a 1,300 m cliff. Anti-Lebanon Mountains, which runs parallel to the Lebanon Mountains, are 25 to 30 km wide, and about 140 km long. With Mt, Hermon in its southernmost part as the highest peak, the mountains decrease in height as they stretch to the northeast, continuing on to the south of Homs. The plateau is not necessarily flat all over, but is quite varied in topography. First of all, Jebel ed Drouz, near the border of Jordan, is a mountain rising to a height of 1,700 m, as shown in Fig. 11, and consists of volcanic cones. Basalt flow is widespread over the plateau and reached Rift valley, running down Yarmouk valley. The mountains called Palmyrides branch out from the Anti-Lebanon Mountains near Dmeir, east of Damascus, maintaining a 1,000 to 1,300 m altitude, and pass Palmyra, situated in the center of the Syrian desert, continuing on to Jebel al Bichri, near the Euphrates. The area along the north bank of the Euphrates is called the Jezire region. Nahr el Balikh at Raqqa, and the Nahr el Khabour at southeast of Deir ez Zor, join the Euphrates. The area consists of rolling terrain with not much undulation. Only Jebel Aabd el Aaziz is 700 to 900 m high and breaks the monotony. It is the Orontes which flows north along the boundary of the western mountains and plateau, having its source in Bekka Valley. Passing Homs, Hama, Ghab and the territory of Turkey, it enters the Mediterranean.

Damascus is a city with up to >2m inhabitants. If I read this table correctly, there are seven cities with >1m, of these 2 >2m, of these 1 >3m inhabitants. Should give a lot of opportunity for MOUT.

All the best

Andreas

[Battlefront.com]

Thanks for the link Andreas! Syria, although arid in general, is not a desert country. I would liken most of it to Spain or parts of SW USA, not at all like what is found on the Arabian pininsula.

Here is a link of pictures from all over Syria:

http://www.syriatourism.org/new/modules.php?op=modload&name=My_eGallery&file=index

I'm sure the Syrian Ministry of Tourism wouldn't be happy to know we're using their images to help create a wargame setting, but such is life

Steve

[Dirtweasle]

Not sure where to post this, but some might be interested in Amarji - A Heretic's Blog

This is the blog haven of Syrian author Ammar Abdulhamid, the place where he gets to express his thoughts and vent his frustration with regard to the ever so pretentious march of human folly...

One post -

End of the End!

Should I be glad that my predictions regarding eminent regimefall seem about to come true?

Should my ego be gratified when analysts of the caliber of Volker Perthes seem to have reached the same conclusions?

Well, all I can say is that things have never been squarely and solely about my ego. Nor should I be expected to be gald with the potential mayhem that we seem poised to face soon.

Still, The Mehles Report is not out yet, and though it is increasingly likely to be quite damning, contrary to what our wishful thinkers in the region are asserting, it is not clear yet whether it will implicate specific figures within the Syrian security establishment.

As such, the Syrian President, our perennial lion cub who simply refuses to grow up, might be given one final shot at debaathification from the top. Knowing him, however, he is more likely to waste this opportunity by falling into a new self-congratulatory coma, as has been his want over the preceding years.

Indeed, what I fear more than the Mehlis Report, much more, is for our leaders to try to outsmart the world again. It is this addiction of theirs that got us into hot water to begin with. It is this very addiction that is likely to cause our country’s collapse in the not-so-distant morrow.

Oh, for joy for joy.

Anyhow you get an interesting viewpoint from Abdulhamid on current affairs, news, rants, etc...

[Aacooper]

It looks like Andreas read the table of Governorates (i.e. provinces/states) for population.

For cities, it appears Halab and Damascus have > 1 million.

[bo_tellin]

Originally posted by Battlefront.com:

I would liken most of it to Spain or parts of SW USA, not at all like what is found on the Arabian pininsula.

Is this Syria?:

http://www.ordesa.com/gallery/gallery-2.htm

No it isn´t, this is Spain

[hoolaman]

Originally posted by Battlefront.com:

I'm sure the Syrian Ministry of Tourism wouldn't be happy to know we're using their images to help create a wargame setting, but such is life

Steve

Well they do call them tours of duty.

[Andreas]

Originally posted by Aacooper:

It looks like Andreas read the table of Governorates (i.e. provinces/states) for population.

For cities, it appears Halab and Damascus have > 1 million.

Hi Anthony

Completely correct, I looked at the wrong table. Having said that, the city census is getting on to 12 years old, and the population of the Hims Governorate has increased by 200,000 in the period, which at least would make Hims a substantial city as well (if we assume that the growth is co-inciding with further urbanisation).

All the best

Andreas

[Mace]

Here's some more maps:

Syrian 1:100000 Topographical maps

Unfortunately maps aren't available for all of Syria, but at least it seems to include those of the most populated centres, including Damascus.

[Pandur]

syria seems to be interesting...

i was in jordan, once, and if it is like there it will be cool!

and meybe you guys are interested, if some area is desert or not desert, is governed by the rainfall there. so if it rains les than a few(approx. 0-5) mm per year its called desert.

so north and south pole is mostly desert too, all is frozen there, hardly any rain = desert

and i !think! syria have meybe a bit more rain than what would be needed to be a desert.

greetings

[nijis]

Syria's a pretty varied country, and its appearance also changes considerably according to the time of year and the amount of rainfall. Big dry Arabian-style deserts are out east, with mountains running in the west, and a Mediterranean coastal zone which is much like other coastal zones in the eastern Mediterranean. South of Damascus there's rolling hills and plains, which are green at some times of year and barren at others -- much like Jordan around Amman, for those who have been there. There's also the Euphrates river valley, whose terrain is much like that of al-Anbar province, Iraq (a narrow band of cultivation running through the desert). Damascus is a medium-sized city by developing-world standards, and includes an old city which still has its medieval layout, a colonial-era new town with broader, straighter streets, some wealthy suburbs that don't look much different than Western suburbia, and some pretty tightly-packed slum districts.

[ October 12, 2005, 06:56 AM: Message edited by: nijis ]