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 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 southwestern part of the country. It borders the governorates of Quneitra,

Daraa Daraa ( ar, دَرْعَا, Darʿā, Levantine Arabic: , also Darʿā, Dara’a, Deraa, Dera'a, Dera, Derʿā and Edrei; means "''fortress''", compare Dura-Europos) is a city in southwestern Syria, located about north of the border with Jord ...

and al-Suwayda (comprising the historic

Hauran The Hauran ( ar, حَوْرَان, ''Ḥawrān''; also spelled ''Hawran'' or ''Houran'') is a region that spans parts of southern Syria and northern Jordan. It is bound in the north by the Ghouta oasis, eastwards by the al-Safa field, to the s ...

region) in the southwest,

Homs ar, حمصي, Himsi , population_urban = , population_density_urban_km2 = , population_density_urban_sq_mi = , population_blank1_title = Ethnicities , population_blank1 = , population_blank2_t ...

in the north,

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lie ...

in the west and

Jordan Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...

in the south. The Governorate completely surrounds the city-

governorate A governorate is an administrative division of a state. It is headed by a governor. As English-speaking nations tend to call regions administered by governors either states or provinces, the term ''governorate'' is often used in translation from ...

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 = , ...

and it has an area of 18,032 km² and a population of 2,273,074 (2004 census).Rif Dimashq total population as of 2004 official census
The Governorate was a major site of fighting in the Syrian Civil War - see Rif Dimashq Governorate campaign.

Districts

The governorate is divided into ten

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 37 sub-districts ( nawahi). There were nine districts until February 2009, when Qudsaya District was created from parts of Markaz Rif Dimashq and Al-Zabadani districts. There is a small village belonging to the Damascus countryside (Ghouta) called Aqraba, which is characterized by its fields and agricultural orchards. ( nawahi). The governorate's total population (as of the 2004 census) is 2,273,074. * Markaz Rif Dimashq District (6 sub-districts; population: 837,804) ** Al-Kiswah Subdistrict ** Babbila Subdistrict ** Jaramana Subdistrict **

Al-Malihah Subdistrict Malihah Subdistrict ( ar, ناحية المليحة, Nāḥiyah al-Mulayḥa) is a subdistrict of Markaz Rif Dimashq District in the Rif Dimashq Governorate of Syria. The administrative centre is the town of al-Malihah. Neighbouring subdistricts ...

** Kafr Batna Subdistrict ** Arbin Subdistrict * Darayya District (3 sub-districts; population: 260,961) ** Darayya Subdistrict ** Sahnaya Subdistrict ** al-Hajar al-Aswad Subdistrict *

Douma District Douma District ( ar-at, منطقة دوما, manṭiqat Dūmā) is a district of the Rif Dimashq Governorate in southern Syria. The second largest district of Syria following Tadmur, it stretches from the northeastern outskirts of Metropolitan ...

(7 sub-districts; population: 433,719) ** Douma Subdistrict ** Harasta Subdistrict ** Al-Sabe' Biyar Subdistrict ** Al-Dumayr Subdistrict ** Al-Nashabiyah Subdistrict ** Al-Ghizlaniyah Subdistrict ** Harran al-Awamid Subdistrict * An-Nabek District (3 sub-districts; population: 80,001) ** An-Nabek Subdistrict ** Deir Atiyah Subdistrict ** Qara Subdistrict *

Qatana District Qatana District ( ar-at, منطقة قطنا, minṭaqat Qaṭana) is a district of the Rif Dimashq Governorate in southern Syria. The district is located just to the east of Mount Hermon. Administrative centre An administrative center is a s ...

(3 sub-districts; population: 207,245) ** Qatana Subdistrict ** Beit Jen Subdistrict ** Sa'sa' Subdistrict * Qudsaya District (3 sub-districts; population: 105,974)^* ** Qudsaya Subdistrict ** Al-Dimas Subdistrict ** Ain al-Fijah Subdistrict *

Al-Qutayfah District al-Qutayfah District ( ar-at, منطقة القطيفة, manṭiqat al-Qutayfah) is a district of the Rif Dimashq Governorate in southern Syria. Administrative centre An administrative center is a seat of regional administration or local gover ...

(4 sub-districts; population: 119,283) ** Al-Qutayfah Subdistrict ** Jayroud Subdistrict ** Maaloula Subdistrict ** Ar-Ruhaybah Subdistrict *

Al-Tall District al-Tall District ( ar-at, منطقة التل, manṭiqat al-Tall) is a district of the Rif Dimashq Governorate in southern Syria. The administrative centre An administrative center is a seat of regional administration or local government, ...

(3 sub-districts; population: 115,937) ** al-Tall Subdistrict ** Saidnaya Subdistrict ** Rankous Subdistrict * Yabroud District (2 sub-districts; population: 48,370) ** Yabroud Subdistrict ** Assal al-Ward Subdistrict *

Al-Zabadani District al-Zabadani District ( ar-at, منطقة الزبداني, manṭiqat al-Zabadani) is a district of the Rif Dimashq Governorate in southern Syria. Administrative centre is the city of al-Zabadani. At the 2004 census, the district had a populatio ...

(3 sub-districts; population: 63,780) ** Al-Zabadani Subdistrict ** Madaya Subdistrict ** Serghaya Subdistrict ^* - a newly-created district since 2009, formerly belonging to Markaz Rif Dimashq District and parts of Al-Zabadani District

References

Governorates of Syria {{RifDimashqSY-geo-stub