Asia · capital city
What Is the Capital of Syria?
Damascus
The capital of Syria is Damascus. About 2.6 million people live in the Damascus urban area — 10.1% of the country's population.
2.6 million
Urban area population
UTC+3
Time zone
33.50°N
Latitude · 36.30°E
Yes
Largest city
Damascus at a glance
Name origin
The city has an ancient, pre-Semitic name of unknown origin.
Time zone
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). No daylight saving time.
Coordinates
33 30 N, 36 18 E · IANA time zone Asia/Damascus
Location of Syria
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey
Largest cities in Syria
1
Damascus Capital
2.6 million2
Aleppo
2.2 million3
Hims
1.4 million4
Hamah
996,000Urban-area population · CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Capitals of neighbouring countries
Capitals closest to Damascus
Beirut, Lebanon — 85 km
Amman, Jordan — 176 km
Jerusalem, Israel — 217 km
Nicosia, Cyprus — 327 km
Cairo, Egypt — 612 km
Baghdad, Iraq — 752 km
Ankara, Türkiye — 778 km
Yerevan, Armenia — 1,039 km
Straight-line distance between capitals.
Frequently asked questions about Damascus
What is the capital of Syria?
The capital of Syria is Damascus. About 2.6 million people live in the Damascus urban area — 10.1% of the country's population.
Is Damascus the largest city in Syria?
Yes — Damascus is also the largest urban area of Syria (2.6 million).
What time zone is Damascus in?
Damascus is on UTC+3 — UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). There is no daylight saving time.
Where does the name Damascus come from?
The city has an ancient, pre-Semitic name of unknown origin.
Which capital is closest to Damascus?
Among the capitals of neighbouring countries, Beirut (Lebanon) is the closest, 85 km away in a straight line.
Data: CIA World Factbook (public domain); population: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).