Maten al-Sahel (), is a village in

Tartus Governorate Tartus Governorate, also transliterated as Tartous Governorate ( / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat Ṭarṭūs''), is one of the 14 governorates of Syria. It is situated in western Syria, bordering Latakia Governorate to the north, Homs and Hama Governo ...

, northwestern

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

the Syrian government renamed the village Maten al-Sahel, "Coast". This village is located 280 km north-west of

Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

, near the Mediterranean coast. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics, Maten al-Sahel had a population of 2,101 in the 2004 census.General Census of Population and Housing 2004
Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Tartus Governorate. The majority of the population are members of the

Eastern Orthodox Christian Eastern Orthodoxy, otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity, is one of the three main Branches of Christianity, branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholic Church, Catholicism and Protestantism ...

community, with an Alawite Muslim minority.

Geography

Maten al-Sahel is situated on the top of mountain about 300 m above the level of the sea and looks down upon the coastal lands from the western side of the town with a wonderful view. The distance from the Tartus-Lattakia highway is 4 km and it is a sort of difficult mountainous road between olive tree fields. The village is surrounded by green valleys, and there are many roads across these valleys and mountains that are suitable for sport activities such as walking and cycling especially in the spring.

Prices

*Taxi's fee from Damascus Airport to the Bus Station: $15 *Bus Ticket from Damascus to Tartus (300 km, 3hours) by Al-Kadmous Company: $3 *Car from Tartus to Almaten: $3 *Private mini-bus directly from Damascus Airport to Maten al-Sahel (with town's private cars): $60 *Private mini-bus for a daily trip: from $65

Demographics and services

The area around al-Maten is known to have been settled since the 18th century. Total population of al-Maten is about 3,500. The educational level in al-Maten is extremely high as the percentage of the illiteracy among the new generation is almost 0%, and the most of population are holding high degrees. al-Maten has all the requirements of modern life such as electrical networks, phones, mobile coverage, health center, and a developing transport system including two buses and many private cars and mini-buses.

Economy

The main industries in al-Maten are: agriculture, government, and immigration. Agriculture is the traditional job in al-Maten. More than 90% of the population depends on it as the main source of income.

Tomato The tomato (, ), ''Solanum lycopersicum'', is a plant whose fruit is an edible Berry (botany), berry that is eaten as a vegetable. The tomato is a member of the nightshade family that includes tobacco, potato, and chili peppers. It originate ...

es in green houses and

olive oil Olive oil is a vegetable oil obtained by pressing whole olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea'', a traditional Tree fruit, tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin) and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking for frying foods, as a cond ...

are the most important crops produced in al-Maten.

Climate

The climate is temperate and

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

with hot, dry summers (maximum temperature 36 °C) and cool, variably rainy winters (minimum temperature 0 °C).

References

External links

Al-Maten Official Site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maten Sahel Populated places in Latakia District