Raqqa Governorate ( ar, مُحافظة الرقة, Muḥāfaẓat ar-Raqqah) is one of the fourteen
governorates 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 ...
. It is situated in the north of the country and covers an area of 19,618 km
2.
The capital is
Raqqa
Raqqa ( ar, ٱلرَّقَّة, ar-Raqqah, also and ) ( Kurdish: Reqa/ ڕەقە) is a city in Syria on the northeast bank of the Euphrates River, about east of Aleppo. It is located east of the Tabqa Dam, Syria's largest dam. The Hellenistic, ...
. The
Islamic State of Iraq and Levant claimed full control of this province as of August 24, 2014 when its fighters captured Tabqa Airbase in the southwest part of the province. However, the
Syrian Democratic Forces
, war = the Syrian Civil War
, image = Flag of Syrian Democratic Forces.svgborder
, caption = Flag
, active = 10 October 2015 – present
, ideology = DemocracyDecentralizationSecularism ...
now control much of the province; all of the area north of the
Euphrates River
The Euphrates () is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia ( ''the land between the rivers''). Originating in Turkey, the Eup ...
including the provincial capital of
Raqqa
Raqqa ( ar, ٱلرَّقَّة, ar-Raqqah, also and ) ( Kurdish: Reqa/ ڕەقە) is a city in Syria on the northeast bank of the Euphrates River, about east of Aleppo. It is located east of the Tabqa Dam, Syria's largest dam. The Hellenistic, ...
and the city of
al-Thawrah are under SDF control, with the government holding the southern part of the governorate after
a successful offensive was launched with the aid of
Liwa al-Quds, tribal militias and
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...
n air support, which resulted in the recapture of the city of
Resafa
Resafa ( ar, الرصافة Reṣafa), also sometimes spelled Rusafa, and known in the Byzantine era as Sergiopolis (in greek Σεργιούπολις, Σεργιόπολις, "city of Saint Sergius") and briefly as Anastasiopolis (Αναστασ ...
, and the capture of many oil fields in Ar-Raqqah province, including various oil and gas stations.
History
Modern Syria (1946–2011)
Al-Rashid Governorate (named after
Harun al-Rashid
Abu Ja'far Harun ibn Muhammad al-Mahdi ( ar
, أبو جعفر هارون ابن محمد المهدي) or Harun ibn al-Mahdi (; or 766 – 24 March 809), famously known as Harun al-Rashid ( ar, هَارُون الرَشِيد, translit=Hārūn ...
) was separated from the neighbouring
Deir ez-Zor Governorate
Deir ez-Zor Governorate ( ar, مُحافظة دير الزور / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat Dayr az-Zawr'') is one of the fourteen governorates (provinces) of Syria. It is situated in eastern Syria, bordering Iraq. It has an area of 33,060 km2 ...
on 17 November 1957, during the reign of President
Shukri al-Quwatli. The Governorate was later renamed on 1 January 1970 to Raqqa Governorate.
Syrian Civil War (2011-present)
As of 19 September 2012, the town of
Tal Abyad, directly across the border from the Turkish town of Akçakale, was already under rebel control.
On 11 February 2013, Syrian rebels, including
al-Nusra
Al-Nusra Front or Jabhat al-Nusra ( ar, جبهة النصرة لأهل الشام, Jabhat an-Nuṣrah li-Ahl ish-Sham lit. ''Front of the Supporters of the People of Syria/the Levant''), known as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham ( ar, جبهة فتح ال ...
fighters, took control of the
Tabqa Dam, and
Tabqa city, according to SOHR and videos posted by rebels. Tabqa Dam, on the
Euphrates
The Euphrates () is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Tigris–Euphrates river system, Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia ( ''the land between the rivers'') ...
river, is the largest hydroelectric dam in Syria and provides electricity to many areas, including
Aleppo
)), is an adjective which means "white-colored mixed with black".
, motto =
, image_map =
, mapsize =
, map_caption =
, image_map1 =
...
. Tabqa is also known as Thawrah.
As of September 2014, governance has been fully reestablished with previous personnel who pledge allegiance to the new regime. Only the police and soldiers are ISIL fighters, who receive confiscated lodging previously owned by non-Sunnis and others who fled. ISIL asserts that it is providing welfare services, that it has established price controls, and that it has imposed taxes on the wealthy. The Raqqa Dam continued to provide electricity and water. The exportation of oil brought in tens of millions of dollars.
As of July 2017, the
Syrian Democratic Forces
, war = the Syrian Civil War
, image = Flag of Syrian Democratic Forces.svgborder
, caption = Flag
, active = 10 October 2015 – present
, ideology = DemocracyDecentralizationSecularism ...
occupy the majority of the province, including the city of Raqqa, which they
have captured from ISIL following a months-long siege. A few months before the capture of Raqqa, the Syrian government launched the
Southern Raqqa offensive, which cleared southern Raqqa and southeastern
Aleppo
)), is an adjective which means "white-colored mixed with black".
, motto =
, image_map =
, mapsize =
, map_caption =
, image_map1 =
...
from
ISIL militants. With the south part of the governorate under government control and the northern part under
Rojava, the governorate has been fully cleared from ISIL.
Geography
Settlements
Raqqa
Raqqa ( ar, ٱلرَّقَّة, ar-Raqqah, also and ) ( Kurdish: Reqa/ ڕەقە) is a city in Syria on the northeast bank of the Euphrates River, about east of Aleppo. It is located east of the Tabqa Dam, Syria's largest dam. The Hellenistic, ...
is the provincial capital; other major settlements include Abu Hamad, Abu Susah, Al Hawrah, Al Qaltah,
Al-Sabkhah,
Al-Thawrah, Ar Ruhayyat, Ar Rusafah, Ath Thadyayn, Bash Dulki, Dulq Maghar, Fatsat ath Thayb, Hamrat Nasir, Jubb al Abyad, Kasrat Muraybit,
Ma'adan
Ma'adan ( ar, معدان) is a Syrian town in Raqqa District, Raqqa. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Ma'adan had a population of 8,663 in the 2004 census.
Syrian Civil War
Ma'adan was captured by rebel forces in t ...
, Matir, Nasiriyah,
Suluk and
Tell Abyad.
Districts
The governorate is divided into three
districts
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions ...
(
manatiq
Minṭaqah ( ; plural ''manāṭiq'' ) is a first-level administrative division in Saudi Arabia and Chad and for a second-level administrative division in several other Arab countries. It is often translated as ''region'' or ''district'', but the ...
). The districts are further divided into ten sub-districts (
nawahi):
*
Raqqa District (4 sub-districts)
**
Raqqa Subdistrict
**
Al-Sabkhah Subdistrict
**
Al-Karamah Subdistrict
**
Maadan Subdistrict
*
Tell Abyad District (3 sub-districts)
**
Tell Abyad Subdistrict
Tell Abyad Subdistrict or Tell Abyad Nahiyah ( ar, ناحية تل أبيض) is a Syrian nahiyah (subdistrict) located in Tell Abyad District in Raqqa. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Tell Abyad Subdistrict had a popu ...
**
Suluk Subdistrict
Suluk Subdistrict or Suluk Nahiyah ( ar, ناحية سلوك) is a Syrian Nahiyah (Subdistrict) located in Tell Abyad District in Raqqa
Raqqa ( ar, ٱلرَّقَّة, ar-Raqqah, also and ) ( Kurdish: Reqa/ ڕەقە) is a city in Syria on the n ...
**
Ayn Issa Subdistrict
*
Al-Thawrah District (3 sub-districts)
**
Al-Thawrah Subdistrict
**
Al-Mansurah Subdistrict
**
Al-Jarniyah Subdistrict
Al-Jarniyah Subdistrict ( ar, ناحية الجرنية, nahiyah al-Jarniyah) is a subdistrict of Al-Thawrah District in Raqqa Governorate (Syria), approximately west of Raqqa. The subdistrict population at the 2004 census was 31,786.
Al-Jarniya ...
Demographics
As per the 2004 Syrian census the population was 793,500.
A 2011
UNOCHA estimate put the population at 944,000, though this has likely changed since the start of the war.
References
External links
eraqqaThe First Complete website for Raqqa news and services
{{Authority control
Governorates of Syria
Upper Mesopotamia