Driving forces of land use change in Syria 2001

The total area of the Syrian Arab Republic is 18.5 million hectares out of which 6 million hectares are
cultivable and the remainder area is steppe and rocky mountains. The Syrian desert is suitable for grass growing and it is used as pastures during the years of sufficient rainfall. The climate is Mediterranean and characterized by rainy winters and dry and hot summers. From the climatic point of view, Syria could be divided into four regions according to the rainfall which is affected by the Syrian mountainous ranges and the Western Lebanese mountains. The coastal area is characterized by heavy rainfall in winters and moderate temperature and high relative humidity in summer. The interior area is characterized by rainy winters and hot and dry summers, and daily big differences between the maximum and minimum temperature.
Water basin resources are distributed as follows: Al jazeera, Aleppo (Quaick and Al jabbool), Al-Badia (Palmyra, Khanaser, Al zelf, Wadi el miah, Al rassafa, Al talf, Assabe’ biar), Horan (Al yarmook), Damascus, Al-Aassi (Orontes), and Al-Sahel basins. Rainfall and snowfall represent the major water supply for these basins except for al-jazeera and Al-Aassi basins, whose main sources are located in the neighboring countries. The three main water resources are (1) rivers, (2) lakes, and (3) dams.

Contact: Bashar Akkad, Ministère de l’Agriculture et de la Réforme Agraire, 7th floor, Akkad Building, Jaber Street, Tijara-Damas (Syrie)