Syria, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east and southeast, Jordan to the south, and Israel and Lebanon to the southwest. It is a republic under a transitional government and comprises 14 governorates. Damascus is the capital and largest city. With a population of 25 million across an area of 185,180 square kilometers (71,500 sq mi), it is the 57th-most populous and 87th-largest country. The name “Syria” historically referred to a wider region. The modern state encompasses the sites of several ancient kingdoms and empires, including the Eblan civilization.