Governorates of Syria

Governorates of Syria محافظات سوريا (Arabic)
Damascus Rif Dimashq Quneitra Daraa As-Suwayda Homs Tartus Latakia Hama Idlib Aleppo Raqqa Deir ez-Zor Al-Hasakah
Category	Unitary State
Location	Syrian Arab Republic
Number	14 Governorates
Populations	90,000 (Quneitra) – 4,868,000 (Aleppo)
Areas	110 km2 (41 sq mi) (Damascus) – 42,220 km2 (16,302 sq mi) (Homs)
Government	provincial councils and their executive bureaus
Subdivisions	District

Syria Is a unitary state, but for administrative purposes, it is divided into fourteen governorates (muhafazat, singular muhafazah). The governorates are divided into sixty districts (manatiq, singular mintaqah), which are further divided into subdistricts (nawahi,singular nahia). The nawahi contain villages, which are the smallest administrative units.

Each governorate is headed by a governor, appointed by the president, subject to cabinet approval. The governor is responsible for administration, health, social services, education, tourism, public works, transportation, domestic trade, agriculture, industry, civil defense, and maintenance of law and order in the governorate. The minister of local administration works closely with each governor to coordinate and supervise local development projects. The governor is assisted by a provincial council, all of whose members are popularly elected for four-year terms. In addition, each council elects from among its member an executive bureau which administers the day to day issues between provincial council sessions. Each executive officer is charged with specific functions.

Districts and subdistricts are administered by officials appointed by the governor. These officials work on local matters with elected district councils and serve as intermediaries between the central government and traditional local leaders, such as village chiefs, clan leaders, and councils of elders.

List

Governorate name	Area (km²)	Population (2010)	Population density (km²)	Districts	Photo	Location
Aleppo Governorate	18,500	4,600,166	248.65	8
Ar Raqqah Governorate	19,616	919,000	46.84	3
As-Suwayda Governorate	5,550	364,000	65.58	3
Damascus Governorate	1,599	2,211,042	18,273.07	1
Daraa Governorate	3,730	998,000	267.65	3
Deir ez-Zor Governorate	33,060	1,200,500	36.31	3
Hama Governorate	8,883	1,593,000	179.33	5
Hasaka Governorate	23,334	1,272,702	55.54	4
Homs Governorate	42,223	1,762,500	41.74	6
Idlib Governorate	6,097	1,464,000	240.11	5
Latakia Governorate	2,297	1,278,486	556.58	4
Quneitra Governorate	1,861	87,000	46.74	2
Rif Dimashq Governorate	18,032	2,831,738	157.03	9
Tartus Governorate	1,892	785,000	414.90	5

Capital

Country	Capital	Space (km²)	Population (2010)	Population density (inhabitants/km²)	Divisions	Science	Location	Administrative divisions
Syria	Damascus	185.180	22,515,750	118,91	14 Governorates, 60 Districts

See also

• Districts of Syria
• ISO 3166-2:SY
• List of cities in Syria
• List of towns and villages in Syria