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A tattoo of President Bashar al-Assad. Photograph: Damir Sagolj/Reuters

3. President Bashar: Bashar al-Assad was in London, pursuing a career in ophthalmology when his elder brother, Basil – heir apparent to the presidency – died in a car crash in 1994. Bashar was recalled to be groomed for power. When his father died in 2000, Bashar was made head of the army and leader of the Ba'ath party. But at 34, he was too young to become president under the Syrian constitution. The age qualification was hastily revised and he was "elected" president in a referendum. His wife, Asma Akhras, was born in Britain to Syrian parents. She formerly worked as an investment banker at JP Morgan.

Israeli tanks operate near the Syrian border in the Golan Heights. Photograph: Reuters

4. The occupied Golan: The Golan Heights, a mountainous and strategically import area bordering the Sea of Galilee, was captured by Israel during the 1967 war. Part of it was handed back after the 1973 war, but the return of the remaining territory has been one of the Syrian regime's principal goals ever since. There is a spot on the ceasefire line known as Shouting Valley where Syrians use megaphones to hail their relatives on the other side.

5. The Hama massacre: In 1982 Syrian forces launched a brutal assaulton the city of Hama to quell an uprising by the Muslim Brotherhood, killing thousands. Memories of the event, which is rarely mentioned publicly in Syria, continue to cast a long shadow over political opposition to the regime.

6. Elegant lines: Syria has some of the world's most beautiful railway stations.

Pro-Syrian supporters of Hezbollah rally in Lebanon. Photograph: Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images

7. Syria and Lebanon: Lebanon was separated from Syria under the French mandate, since it was largely a Christian enclave, and became officially independent in 1943. From Damascus, Lebanon still tends to be viewed as part of Syria's traditional sphere of influence. Syria used its military to stabilise Lebanon after the 1975-91 civil war but also meddled extensively in Lebanese politics.

Protests and diplomatic pressure afterthe assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri in 2005 forced Syria (which was widely blamed for the attack) to withdraw its troops. However, Syrian influence continues, with Lebanese politics divided into the pro-Syrian "March 8" camp and the "March 14" camp backed by Saudi Arabia and the US.

8. Hooray for the president: During public speeches in Syria, it is customary to applaud each time the name of President Assad is mentioned.

Alawite women. Photograph: Lefteris Pitarakis/AP

9. Religion and the Alawites: The Alawitesare a secretive religious sect usually regarded as an offshoot of Shia Islam. In Syria they are a tiny minority but, through the president's family and others in senior positions, they are dominant within the regime. About 74% of Syria's inhabitants are Sunni Muslims; Shia Muslims (including the Alawites and Ismailis) account for 13%, various Christian groups 10%, and Druze 3%. Jewish communities have existed in Syria for centuries but today their number is extremely small – probably no more than a few dozen people.

10. Crony capitalism: Despite its socialist origins, the Syrian regime is plagued by corruption and crony capitalism – especially involving relatives of the president. A particular target of protesters is Rami Makhlouf, Assad's cousin, who was sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2008 on the grounds that he "improperly benefits from and aids the public corruption of Syrian regime officials".

11. Kurdish aspirations: Syria has a marginalised Kurdish minority who are thought to number about 1.75 million – roughly 10% of the total population – and the regime has made persistent efforts over the years to Arabise them. Many of the Kurds, meanwhile, aspire to have their own independent state including other Kurds from Turkey, Iraq and Iran. Kurdish discontent flares up from time to time, though the regime generally denies that Syria has problems relating to ethnicity.

The Vision of Saint Paul on the Road to Damascus. Photograph: Corbis

12. Road to Damascus: It was on the road to Damascus, according to the Bible, that St Paul was dazzled by a heavenly light and converted to Christianity. He later escaped arrest in the city by being lowered from a window in a basket.

13. Cold steel: Swords made from Damascus steel have been much prized over the centuries. According to written sources, blades were prepared by heating and then cooling them rapidly – sometimes by plunging them into the urine of red-headed boys or into the body of a muscular slave.

14. Shia pilgrims: Syria is a popular destination for Shia pilgrims from Iran. In Damascus, many visit the shrine of Sayidda Zeinab(granddaughter of the prophet Muhammad and daughter of Ali, the fourth caliph). Historical and religious ties are part of the background to Syria's current relationship with Iran, though both countries see themselves as stalwart opponents of American and Israeli influence in the region.

A Hezbollah rally in Beirut. Photograph: Hussein Malla/AP

15. Syria and Hezbollah: Syria (along with Iran) supports the armed Lebanese Shia movement, hezbollah. Besides providing a means to wield influence in Lebanon, this gives Syria an important bargaining chip in any future negotiations with Israel.

16. Political suicide: The disgraced former prime minister Mahmoud Zuabi allegedly shot himself in 2000 when police arrived to arrest him on corruption charges. Five years later, the interior minister Ghazi Kanaan also apparently shot homself in mysterious circumstances.

17. Silken threads: Damascus was once a major centre for weaving and trading in textiles. Damask – using an ancient technique for weaving patterns into cloth – derives its name from the city.

Krak des Chevaliers. Photograph: Sylvester Adams/Getty

18. Crusader territory: Parts of Syria were conquered by the Crusaders. The 11th century Crusader fortress Krak des Chevaliers – still remarkably well preserved – is now a major tourist attraction.

19. The Argentinian connection: About 1.3m Argentinians are of Syrian or Lebanese origin, many of them having settled there during the 19th century. The parents of former Argentinian president carlos menem came from the Syrian village of Yabrud.

TE Lawrence. Photograph: Corbis

20. Assault in Deraa: Deraa, the centre of the 2011 uprising, is where TE Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia") was captured during the first world war while reconnoitring in disguise and, according to his account, was severely beaten and sexually abused by the Turkish governor. The incident affected Lawrence deeply and is said to have awakened his masochistic tendencies which later resulted in him paying military colleagues to beat him.