D. Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the world. Carbon-14 dating at an archeological site on the outskirts of the city suggests that the area has been occupied since around 6300 BC. Another ancient city, Aleppo, is Syria's largest with 2.9 million people.

Q: Protests are aimed at the Assad family which has ruled Syria for 40 years. Officially, the nation is a . . .

A. Absolute monarchy

B. Secular republic

C. Constitutional monarchy

D. Islamic republic

---

B. Syria's constitution was adopted in 1971 and defines the nation as a secular republic with Islam recognized as the majority religion.

---

Q: After a stay of nearly 30 years, Syria in 2005 pulled its "peacekeeping" troops out of its eastern neighbor . . .

A. Jordan

B. Lebanon

C. Turkey

D. Iraq

---

B. Syria sent 40,000 troops into Lebanon in 1976 during a civil war which also involved troops from Israel, the United States and France.

---

Q: In ancient times, Syria was ruled at times by Persians, Greeks, Romans and many others. Which foreign power controlled Syria before its independence in 1946?

A. France

B. Britain

C. Italy

D. Germany

---

A. During World War I, French and British diplomats secretly agreed how to carve up the Turkish Ottoman Empire, an ally of Germany. France's "zone of influence" included Syria and Lebanon.

---