United Arab Republic (U.A.R.) was a union of two independent Middle Eastern countries, Egypt and Syria. President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt and Shukri al-Kuwatly of Syria proclaimed the union on Feb. 1, 1958. Nasser was chosen as the union’s president. Syrian rebels ended it on Sept. 29, 1961, setting up an independent government for Syria. Egypt continued to use the name United Arab Republic until 1971, when the country changed its official name to the Arab Republic of Egypt.
The U.A.R. had a centralized government, with Cairo as the capital. Egypt and Syria became provinces, with provincial capitals at Cairo for Egypt and Damascus for Syria.
Before World War I (1914-1918), most of the Middle East was part of the Ottoman Empire. But Britain had gained control of Egypt in 1882, and kept it until 1922, when it granted Egypt nominal independence. After World War I, the Middle East was carved into a number of political divisions. Syria, along with Lebanon, became a League of Nations mandate of France, which controlled them until after World War II (1939-1945).
Following World War II, many Arabs wanted to be united under a single government. Nasser came into power in Egypt during the 1950’s, and he became the leader of the Arab unity movement. Many Arab leaders were suspicious of the West and turned to the Soviet Union for assistance. Nasser accepted Soviet aid, although he suppressed Communism within Egypt. The Communists also gained great power in Syria. The desire for Arab unity, the fear of Communist influence in Syria, and Nasser’s ambition all contributed to the formation of the United Arab Republic.
Nasser regarded the union of Egypt and Syria as the first step toward uniting all the Arab states. On March 8, 1958, Yemen agreed to form a federation with the U.A.R. The union was called the United Arab States, and had Hodeida (now Al Hudaydah), Yemen, as its permanent seat. The United Arab States was not a true federation. Yemen maintained its own membership in the United Nations and had separate relations with other countries. Nasser dissolved the United Arab States in December 1961. He declared that the federation was no longer of any value.
Nasser made clear that the U.A.R. would be neutral in world affairs. In 1959, he accused the Soviet Union of trying to interfere with the internal affairs of the republic. At the same time, he improved relations with the West.
The government introduced many reforms in both provinces. But many Syrians began to feel that Nasser was raising the level of living in Egypt only by lowering it in Syria. Finally, late in 1961, Syrian officers in the U.A.R. army carried out an almost bloodless revolt and proclaimed an independent Syria, ending the existence of the U.A.R.
