Damascus Governorate
{{hatnote|For the Ottoman territory sometimes known as the "Damascus Governorate", see Damascus Eyalet and Syria Vilayet.}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Damascus Governorate
| native_name = {{Script/Arabic|محافظة دمشق}}
| native_name_lang = ar
| settlement_type = Governorate
| image_skyline = Damascus, Syria, Panoramic view of Damascus.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| image_map = Damascus in Syria (+Golan hatched).svg
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Map of Syria with Damascus highlighted
| coordinates = {{coord|33.513|36.292|type:adm1st_region:SY|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint = Damascus
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Syrian revolution.svg}} Syria
| parts_type = Manatiq (Districts)
| parts_style = para
| p1 =
| established_title =
| established_date =
| seat_type = Capital
| seat = Damascus
| leader_title = Governor
| leader_name = Maher Marwan{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/video/watch/idRW651811122024RP1/|title= 'A different Syria' will emerge, says de facto governor of Damascus|publisher=Reuters|access-date=14 December 2024|date=11 December 2024}}
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 =
| population_footnotes =
| population_total = 2,685,000{{Cite web|url=https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/cities/22610/damascus/population|access-date=23 September 2022|title=Damascus metro population 2022|publisher=macrotrends.net}}
| population_as_of = 2022 est.
| population_density_km2 = auto
| blank_name_sec1 = Main language(s)
| blank_info_sec1 = Arabic
| timezone = AST
| utc_offset = +3
| iso_code = SY-DI
| website =
| footnotes =
| module = {{Infobox mapframe |wikidata=yes |zoom=11 |height=250 |stroke-width=2 | {{WikidataCoord|display=i}}}}
}}
Damascus Governorate ({{langx|ar|مُحافظة دمشق}} {{transl|ar|ALA|Muḥāfaẓat Dimashq}}) is one of the fourteen governorates (provinces) of Syria. Completely surrounded by the Rif Dimashq Governorate, it consists only of the city of Damascus, the capital of Syria.
The governorate's area is around 107 km2, encompassing the area of the city of Damascus, while the population is around 2,503,000.
Municipalities of Damascus Governorate
{{Main|Municipalities of Damascus}}
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, block 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, an irrigated farmland where many vegetables, cereals, and fruits have been farmed since ancient times.
The governorate occupies an area of 107 km2, 79 km2 of which is urban while the rest is occupied by Mount Qasioun which overlooks the city.
Climate
Damascus has a cold desert climate (BWk) in Köppen-Geiger system,{{cite journal|author=M. Kottek|author2=J. Grieser |author3=C. Beck |author4=B. Rudolf |author5=F. Rubel |title=World Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification updated|journal=Meteorol. Z.|volume=15|pages=259–263|url=http://koeppen-geiger.vu-wien.ac.at/pics/kottek_et_al_2006.gif|doi=10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0130|access-date=1 August 2013|year=2006|issue=3 }} due to the rain shadow effect of the Anti-Lebanon mountains{{cite web
|url=http://www.climates.com/ASIA/PDF/SYR02ASA.pdf
|title=SUNSHINE GUIDE TO THE DAMASCUS AREA, SYRIA
|last=Tyson
|first=Patrick J.
|year=2010
|publisher=www.climates.com
|access-date=26 November 2010
}} 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 {{convert|130|mm|0|abbr=on}}, occurring from October to May.
{{Weather box
| location = Damascus (Damascus International Airport) 1981–2010
| metric first = Y
| single line = Y
| Jan record high C = 24.0
| Feb record high C = 29.0
| Mar record high C = 34.4
| Apr record high C = 38.4
| May record high C = 41.0
| Jun record high C = 44.8
| Jul record high C = 46.0
| Aug record high C = 44.6
| Sep record high C = 42.0
| Oct record high C = 37.8
| Nov record high C = 31.0
| Dec record high C = 25.1
|year record high C = 46.0
| Jan high C = 12.6
| Feb high C = 14.5
| Mar high C = 19.0
| Apr high C = 24.7
| May high C = 30.1
| Jun high C = 34.6
| Jul high C = 37.0
| Aug high C = 36.8
| Sep high C = 33.9
| Oct high C = 28.1
| Nov high C = 20.1
| Dec high C = 14.3
|year high C = 25.5
| Jan mean C = 6.1
| Feb mean C = 7.7
| Mar mean C = 11.4
| Apr mean C = 16.2
| May mean C = 20.8
| Jun mean C = 25.0
| Jul mean C = 27.3
| Aug mean C = 27.0
| Sep mean C = 24.0
| Oct mean C = 19.0
| Nov mean C = 12.1
| Dec mean C = 7.5
|year mean C = 17.0
| Jan low C = 0.7
| Feb low C = 1.9
| Mar low C = 4.3
| Apr low C = 7.9
| May low C = 11.4
| Jun low C = 15.0
| Jul low C = 17.9
| Aug low C = 17.7
| Sep low C = 14.4
| Oct low C = 10.3
| Nov low C = 4.8
| Dec low C = 1.7
| year low C = 9.0
| Jan record low C = −12.2
| Feb record low C = −12.0
| Mar record low C = −8.0
| Apr record low C = −7.5
| May record low C = 0.6
| Jun record low C = 4.5
| Jul record low C = 9.0
| Aug record low C = 8.6
| Sep record low C = 2.1
| Oct record low C = -3.0
| Nov record low C = −8.0
| Dec record low C = −10.2
|year record low C = -12.2
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 25.0
| Feb precipitation mm = 26.0
| Mar precipitation mm = 20.0
| Apr precipitation mm = 7.0
| May precipitation mm = 4.0
| Jun precipitation mm = 1.0
| Jul precipitation mm = 0.0
| Aug precipitation mm = 0.0
| Sep precipitation mm = 0.3
| Oct precipitation mm = 6.0
| Nov precipitation mm = 21.0
| Dec precipitation mm = 21.0
|year precipitation mm =
| Jan precipitation days = 8
| Feb precipitation days = 8
| Mar precipitation days = 6
| Apr precipitation days = 3
| May precipitation days = 2
| Jun precipitation days = 0.1
| Jul precipitation days = 0.1
| Aug precipitation days = 0.1
| Sep precipitation days = 0.2
| Oct precipitation days = 3
| Nov precipitation days = 5
| Dec precipitation days = 7
|year precipitation days =
| Jan snow days = 1
| Feb snow days = 1
| Mar snow days = 0.1
| Apr snow days = 0
| May snow days = 0
| Jun snow days = 0
| Jul snow days = 0
| Aug snow days = 0
| Sep snow days = 0
| Oct snow days = 0
| Nov snow days = 0
| Dec snow days = 0.2
|year snow days =
|Jan humidity = 76
|Feb humidity = 69
|Mar humidity = 59
|Apr humidity = 50
|May humidity = 43
|Jun humidity = 41
|Jul humidity = 44
|Aug humidity = 48
|Sep humidity = 47
|Oct humidity = 52
|Nov humidity = 63
|Dec humidity = 75
|year humidity = 56
| Jan sun = 164.3
| Feb sun = 182.0
| Mar sun = 226.3
| Apr sun = 249.0
| May sun = 322.4
| Jun sun = 357.0
| Jul sun = 365.8
| Aug sun = 353.4
| Sep sun = 306.0
| Oct sun = 266.6
| Nov sun = 207.0
| Dec sun = 164.3
|year sun = 3164.1
|Jand sun = 5.3
|Febd sun = 6.5
|Mard sun = 7.3
|Aprd sun = 8.3
|Mayd sun = 10.4
|Jund sun = 11.9
|Juld sun = 11.8
|Augd sun = 11.4
|Sepd sun = 10.2
|Octd sun = 8.6
|Novd sun = 6.9
|Decd sun = 5.3
|yeard sun = 8.5
|source 1 = Pogoda.ru.net{{cite web
| url = http://www.pogodaiklimat.ru/climate2/40080.htm
| title = The Climate of Damascus 1981–2010
| publisher = Weather and Climate (Погода и климат)
| access-date = 26 April 2017
| language = ru}}
|source 2 = NOAA (sunshine hours, 1961–1990)
{{cite web
| url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_VI/SY/40080.TXT
| title = Damascus INTL Climate Normals 1961–1990
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = 26 April 2017}}
| date = February 2014}}
== Demographics ==
{{Bar box
| title=Religious composition of Damascus Governorate (2011)
| titlebar=#ddd
| float=right
| bars=
{{Bar percent|Sunnis|Green|90}}
{{Bar percent|Alawites|Red|5}}
{{Bar percent|Christians|Blue|3}}
{{Bar percent|Shias|Black|1}}
{{Bar percent|Druze|Black|0.3}}
{{Bar percent|Ismailis|Orange|0.1}}
}}
By the end of 2011, Damascus’s population reached 1,754,000. This amounts to 8% of Syria’s population. It is composed of 95% Arabs, 4% Kurds, and 1% other ethnicities, including Palestinians, Armenians, Assyrians, Turkmen, Circassians, and Chechens.
As for religious composition, Sunni Muslims made up the absolute majority with 90% of the governorate, while Alawite Muslims made up 5%, Christians (mainly Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Syriac Orthodox, Syriac Catholic, and Armenian Orthodox) made up 3%, Twelver Shia Muslims made up 1%, the Druze made up 0.3%, and Ismaili Muslims made up 0.1%.