Rif Dimashq Governorate
Rif Dimashq Governorate (Arabic: محافظة ريف دمشق Moḥaafaẓat Reef Demashq, literally, the "Governorate of the Countryside of Damascus", Damascus Suburb) is one of the fourteen governorates (provinces) of Syria. It is in the southwestern part of the country. It borders the governorates of Quneitra, Daraa and al-Suwayda (comprising the historic Hauran region) in the southwest, Homs in the north, Lebanon in the west and Jordan in the south. The capital is the city of Douma.
Rif Dimashq Governorate مُحافظة ريف دمشق | |
|---|---|
.svg) Map of Syria with Rif-dimashq highlighted | |
| Coordinates (Damascus): 33°30′N 37°00′E / 33.5°N 37°E | |
| Country |  Syria |
| Capital | Douma |
| Manatiq (Districts) | 10 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 18,032 km2 (6,962 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 2,836,000 |
| • Density | 160/km2 (410/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | SY-RD |
| Main language(s) | Arabic |
The Governorate completely surrounds the city-governorate of Damascus and it has an area of 18,032 km² and a population of 2,273,074 (2004 census).[1]
Districts change
The governorate is divided into ten districts (Arabic: مناطق ; manatiq). There were nine district until February 2009, when Qudsaya District was created from parts of Markaz Rif Dimashq and Al-Zabadani districts. The districts are further divided into 37 sub-districts.There is a small village belonging to the Damascus countryside (Ghouta) called Aqraba, which is characterized by its fields and agricultural orchards. (Arabic: نواحي ;nawahi).
| Districts | Population (Census 2004) |
|---|---|
| Markaz Rif Dimashq | 837,804 |
| Douma | 433,719 |
| Al-Qutayfah | 119,283 |
| Al-Tall | 115,937 |
| Yabroud | 48,370 |
| An-Nabek | 80,001 |
| Al-Zabadani | 63,780 |
| Qatana | 207,245 |
| Darayya | 260,961 |
| Qudsaya | 105,974 |
| Total Governorate | 2,273,074 |