Rif Dimashq Governorate

Rif Dimashq Governorate (Arabic: محافظة ريف دمشق, romanized: Moḥaafaẓat Reef Demashq, lit. "Damascus Countryside Governorate" or "Damascus Suburb") is one of the fourteen governorates (provinces) of Syria. It is situated in the southwestern part of the country. It borders the governorates of Quneitra, Daraa and al-Suwayda in the southwest, Homs in the north, Lebanon in the west and Jordan in the south. The capital is the city of Douma.

Rif Dimashq Governorate مُحافظة ريف دمشق
Governorate
Map of Syria with Rif-dimashq highlighted
Coordinates (Damascus): 33.5°N 37°E / 33.5; 37
Country	Syria
Control	Syrian transitional government
Capital	Douma
Manatiq (Districts)	10
Government
• Governor	Amer al-Sheikh
Area
• Total	18,032 km2 (6,962 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	2,836,000
• Density	160/km2 (410/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
ISO 3166 code	SY-RD
Main language(s)	Arabic

The Governorate completely surrounds the city and governorate of Damascus and it has an area of 18,032 km² and a population of 2,273,074 (2004 census).

The Governorate was a major site of fighting in the Syrian Civil War in the Rif Dimashq Governorate campaign.

Districts

Al-Qutayfah

Markaz
Rif Dimashq

Al-Nabk

Al-Tall

Darayya

Duma

Qatana

Yabrud

Zabadani

The governorate is divided into ten districts (manatiq). 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
  • Kafr Batna Subdistrict
  • Arbin Subdistrict
• Darayya District (3 sub-districts; population: 260,961)
  • Darayya Subdistrict
  • Sahnaya Subdistrict
  • al-Hajar al-Aswad Subdistrict
• Douma District (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 (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 (4 sub-districts; population: 119,283)
  • Al-Qutayfah Subdistrict
  • Jayroud Subdistrict
  • Maaloula Subdistrict
  • Ar-Ruhaybah Subdistrict
• Al-Tall District (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 (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

Demographics

Religious composition of Rif Dimashq Governorate (2011)
Sunnis			87%
Christians			5%
Alawites			4%
Druze			4%
Shias			0.9%
Ismailis			0.1%

At the end of 2011, the population of Rif Dimashq reached 2,836,000, accounting for 13% of Syria’s population. Sunni Muslims made up 87% of the governorate, while Christians made up 5%, Alawite Muslims made up 4%, Druze made up 4%, Twelver Shia Muslims made up 0.9%, and Ismaili Muslims made up 0.1%.