ancient region of southwestern Asia bordering on the Mediterranean Sea and covering modern Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan
2
former French mandate (1920–44) comprising theLe*vant States\lə-ˈvant\ (Syria, Lebanon, Latakia, and Jebel ed Druz); administrative capital Beirut, legislative capital Damascus
3
country in southwestern Asia bordering on the Mediterranean Sea; capital Damascus area 71,498 square miles (185,180 square kilometers), population 19,454,000
Note: Syria was a republic from 1944 to 1958 and became one again in 1961. From 1958 to 1961, it was a province of the United Arab Republic.