What is the capital of Syria?

The capital of Syria is Damascus.

Damascus lies in southwestern Syria, near the eastern foothills of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains and along the Barada River. Its location around 680 metres above sea level helps explain the city’s dry climate, while springs and canals historically supported a fertile oasis known as the Ghouta.

The city is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited urban centres. It became the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate in 661, before the Abbasids transferred the caliphate’s political centre to Baghdad in 750. Damascus later remained a major regional, religious and cultural centre.

A common mix-up is Aleppo, Syria’s other famous historic city and a major commercial centre, but Aleppo is not the national capital. Damascus is also called the “City of Jasmine,” reflecting its long-standing cultural association with fragrant gardens and flowers.