Carbon and hydrogen are the two main constituents of hydrocarbons in petroleum bitumen, in addition to which other elements such as oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen and a small amount of some metals are also found. Recognition of hydrocarbons, which are the major constituents of petroleum bitumen, affects all physical, chemical, mechanical and, consequently, bitumen behavior. 

Syria's highest point is Mount Jabal al-Sheikh, 2,814 meters (9,232 feet) on the Lebanese border. Semi-arid steppe zones, nestled between the wet shores of the Mediterranean on one side and the desert on the other, cover about three-quarters of the country. These steppe zones host hot, dry winds blowing through the desert.