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Syria is a unitary state, but for administrative purposes, it is divided into fourteen governorates, also called provincesorcounties in English (Arabic muḥāfaẓāt, singular muḥāfaẓah). The governorates are divided into sixty-five districts (manāṭiq, singular minṭaqah), which are further divided into subdistricts (nawāḥī, singular nāḥiyah). The nawāḥī contain villages, which are the smallest administrative units.
| Governorates of Syria محافظات سوريا (Arabic) | |
|---|---|
| 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 |
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| Subdivisions | |
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 each 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 members 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.
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (December 2023)
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| Governorate name | Area (km2) |
Population (2018) |
Population density (km2) |
Districts | Photo | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aleppo Governorate | 18,482 | 4,600,166 | 248.90 | 8 | 
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| Raqqa Governorate | 19,616 | 919,000 | 46.84 | 3 | 
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| As-Suwayda Governorate | 5,550 | 500,000 | 65.58 | 3 | 
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| Damascus Governorate | 106 | 2,211,042 | 20,858.89 | 1 | 
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| Daraa Governorate | 3,730 | 998,000 | 267.65 | 3 | 
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| Deir ez-Zor Governorate | 33,060 | 1,200,500 | 36.31 | 3 | 
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| Hama Governorate | 8,883 | 1,593,000 | 179.33 | 5 | 
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| Al-Hasakah | 23,334 | 1,272,702 | 55.54 | 4 | 
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| Homs Governorate | 42,223 | 1,762,500 | 41.74 | 6 | 
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| Idlib Governorate | 6,097 | 1,464,000 | 240.11 | 5 | 
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| Latakia Governorate | 2,297 | 1,278,486 | 556.58 | 4 | 
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| Quneitra Governorate | 1,861 | 87,000 | 46.74 | 2 | 
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| Rif Dimashq Governorate | 18,032 | 2,831,738 | 157.03 | 9 | 
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| Tartus Governorate | 1,892 | 785,000 | 414.90 | 5 | 
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