Damascus Governorate ( ar, مُحافظة دمشق ') is one of the fourteen
governorates (provinces) of
Syria
Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
. Completely surrounded by the
Rif Dimashq Governorate
Rif Dimashq Governorate ( ar, محافظة ريف دمشق, ', literally, the "Governorate of the Countryside of Damascus", Damascus Suburb) is one of the fourteen governorates (provinces) of Syria. It is situated in the southwestern part of the ...
, it consists only of the city of
Damascus
)), is an adjective which means "spacious".
, motto =
, image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg
, image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg
, seal_type = Seal
, map_caption =
, ...
, the capital of Syria, and the suburb of
Yarmouk Camp
Yarmouk ( ar, مُخَيَّم ٱلْيَرْمُوْك / ALA-LC: ', ) is a district of the city of Damascus, populated by Palestinians, with hospitals and schools. It is located from the center of Damascus and within municipal boundaries (but ...
.
The governorate's area is around 107 km
2, encompassing the area of the city of Damascus and the Yarmouk Camp, while the population is around 1,711,000.
Geography
Damascus occupies a strategic location on a plateau which rises 680 m (2,230 ft) above sea level and about 80 km (50 mi) inland from the Mediterranean, sheltered by the Anti-Lebanon mountains, supplied with water by the Barada River. The Anti-Lebanon mountains which mark the border between Syria and Lebanon, bock precipitation from the Mediterranean sea, so that the region of Damascus is sometimes subject to droughts. However, in ancient times this was mitigated by the Barada River, which originates from mountain streams fed by melting snow. Damascus is surrounded by the
Ghouta
Ghouta ( ar, غُوطَةُ دِمَشْقَ / ALA-LC: ''Ḡūṭat Dimašq'') is a countryside and suburban area in southwestern Syria that surrounds the city of Damascus along its eastern and southern rim.
Name
Ghouta is the Arabic term (''g ...
, an irrigated farmland where many vegetables, cereals, and fruits have been farmed since ancient times.
The governorate occupies an area of 107 km
2, 79 km
2 of which is urban (77 in Damascus, 2 in Yarmouk Camp) while the rest is occupied by
Mount Qasioun which overlooks the city.
Climate
Damascus has a
cold desert climate (''BWk'') in
Köppen-Geiger system, due to the
rain shadow effect
A rain shadow is an area of significantly reduced rainfall behind a mountainous region, on the side facing away from prevailing winds, known as its leeward side.
Evaporated moisture from water bodies (such as oceans and large lakes) is carrie ...
of the Anti-Lebanon mountains
and the prevailing ocean currents. Summers are dry and hot with less humidity. Winters are cool and somewhat rainy; snowfall is infrequent. Annual rainfall is around , occurring from October to May.
References
{{Authority control
Governorates of Syria