Aram
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Aram | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
.svg) | |
| Capital | Darmsuq |
| Official languages | Aramaic |
| Demonym(s) | Aramaean(s) |
| Government | Unitary semi-presidential republic |
| Legislature | Motwa |
| Independence from France | |
• French Mandate | 1 December 1924 |
• Mandatory republic | 14 May 1930 |
• De jure independence | 24 October 1945 |
• De facto independence | 12 April 1946 |
| Area | |
• | 185,180 km2 (71,500 sq mi) |
• Water (%) | 1.1 |
| Population | |
• 2020 estimate | 25,000,000 |
• Density | 113.5/km2 (294.0/sq mi) |
| Currency | pound (or lira) (AMP) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Date format | dd/mm/yyyy |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +963 |
| ISO 3166 code | AA |
| Internet TLD | .aa |
Aram (/æɹˈæm/; Syriac script: ܐܪܡ; Hebrew script: ארם; both pronounced /ʔɑrɑm/) is a country in Western Asia, bordering Israel and Lebanon to the south-west, the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, and Jordan to the south. A country of fertile plains, deserts and high mountains (from which the country takes its name), Aram is home to diverse ethnic and religious groups, including Aramaeans (who constitute the largest ethnic group), Arabs, Kurds, Turks, Assyrians, Armenians, Circassians, Mandeans and Greeks. Religious groups include Christians (who constitute the largest religious group), Muslims, Jews, as well as others.
The name "Aram" historically referred to a wider region, broadly stretching from Mount Lebanon in the west to the Euphrates in the east. The modern state encompasses the sites of several ancient kingdoms and empires, with Aleppo (Aramaic: ܚܳܠܳܒ Halab) and the capital city Damascus (ܕܰܪܡܣܽܘܩ Darmsuq) being among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
The modern Aram was established in the mid-20th century after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and a brief period of French mandatory rule. Originally intended as another post-Ottoman Arab state, a mass campaign for a "Christian homeland in the Middle East" by a mix of Middle Eastern and European Christians, coupled with political pressure from the United States, United Kingdom and several other European countries, led to the foundation of a formally Christian state. Consequently, Aram is one of only two Christian majority countries in the Middle East, alongside Cyprus. It nominally gained independence from France on 24 October 1945 when it became a founding member of the United Nations, though French troops did not formally withdraw until 12 April 1946.
Post-independence, Aram is a liberal democracy (one of only two in the Middle East, alongside Israel), with a parliamentary system, proportional representation, and universal suffrage. The prime minister is head of government and the Motwa is the legislature. With an estimated population of around 25 million as of 2020, Aram is a developed country and an OECD member. It has the world's 35th-largest economy by nominal GDP.