Syria: An Economic Survey 



4. The eastern mountain range, with a maximum breadth 

 of 31.05 mi., running parallel to the western mountain range; 

 its average height is 983.7 yards, its highest point (Mt. 

 Hermon) 2,916.7 yards in height, whence it extends southward 

 over the Jolan and Ajlun mountain ranges into the Trans- 

 Jordanian plateau. In this eastern mountain range lie the 

 cities Aleppo, Damascus, Es Salt, and Kerak. The plateau 

 of El Leja and the Hauran Mountains may be considered an 

 annex of this zone. This region, as well as the tableland of 

 En Nukra is famous for its fertility, thanks to the formation 

 of the soil, which is covered by disintegrated basalt and lava. 

 In the east the mountain range gradually merges into the 

 Syrian Desert. 



Temperature. The mean annual temperature of the coastal 

 plain is 70 F. (57 in January, 84 in August), of the western 

 and eastern mountain ranges 61 (43 in January, 73 in August). 

 The Jordan Valley has a sub-tropical climate, the mean annual 

 temperature being 24 C. 



There is never any frost in the Jordan Valley. It is rare 

 in the coastal zone, but frequent in the mountain ranges and in the 

 northern part of the plain which lies between them. Here snow 

 occasionally falls, but it melts immediately except in altitudes of 

 more than 1,093 yards. The difference in climate between the 

 coastal zone and the Lebanon (a distance of only 12 to 18 mi.) is 

 remarkable. 



Rain. Rain falls only from October to April. The average 

 yearly rainfall varies from 400 to 900 mm., according to locality, 

 being smallest in the south and largest in the north. (Gaza has 

 420 mm., Jaffa 510 mm., Haifa 610 mm., Beirut 880 mm., Alex- 

 andretta 900 mm.) The mountain ranges have a greater rainfall 

 than the coast, (Jerusalem 660 mm., Hebron 650 mm., Damascus 

 700 mm.), whereas the depression has much less, especially the 

 Jordan Valley (Tiberias 440 mm., Jericho 200 mm.). The rain- 

 fall varies greatly from year to year. 



The rainy season may be divided into three parts : 



1. The autumn (former rains), usually beginning in the 

 middle of November and lasting 3-4 weeks (3/9 of total rain- 

 fall) ; 



2. The winter rains, during January and February (5/9 

 of rainfall) ; 



3. The late winter (latter rains), lasting from the middle 

 of March to the end of April (1/9 of rainfall). 



