Wikipedia

Damascus

caipital an the seicont lairgest ceety o Sirie as well as the caipital o the Damascus Govrenorate
For ither uises, see Damascus (disambiguation).

Damascus (Arabic: دِمَشق‎ Dimashq, commonly kent as الشام al-Shām, cried the "Ceety o Jasmin" Arabic: مدينة الياسمين‎ Madīnatul Yāsmīn) an aa, is the caipital an the seicont lairgest ceety o Sirie as well as the caipital o the Damascus Govrenorate. In addeetion tae be ane o the auldest continuously inhabitit ceeties in the warld, Damascus is a major cultural an releegious centre o the Levant. Currently, the ceety haes an estimatit population o aboot 1,711,000 (2009 est.).[1]

Damascus

دِمَشق Dimashq
Ceety
Official seal of Damascus
Seal
Eik-name(s): 
(Madīnatu 'l-Yāsmīn) Ceety o Jasmin
Damascus is located in Syrie
Damascus
Damascus
Coordinates: 33°30′47″N 36°17′31″E / 33.51306°N 36.29194°E / 33.51306; 36.29194Coordinates: 33°30′47″N 36°17′31″E / 33.51306°N 36.29194°E / 33.51306; 36.29194
KintraSirie
GovrenoratesDamascus Govrenorate
Govrenment
 • GovrenorBishr Al Sabban
Area
 • Ceety105 km2 (41 sq mi)
 • Urban
77 km2 (30 sq mi)
Elevation
680 m (2,230 ft)
Population
 (2009 est.[1])
 • Ceety1,711,000
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Area code(s)Kintra code: 963, Ceety code: 11
DemonymDamascene
WebsiteDamascus Govrenorate
Sources: Damascus city area [2]

Locatit in soothwastren Sirie, it is the centre o a lairge metropolitan aurie o 2.4 million fowk (2004), makkin it the kintra's lairgest metropolitan aurie.[3] Geographically embeddit on the eastren fuithills o the Anti-Lebanon muntain range 80 km (50 mi) inland frae the eastren shore o the Mediterranean Sea on a plateau 680 metres (2,200 ft) abuin sea-level, Damascus experiences a semi-arid climate due tae the rain shadow effect. The Barada River flows throu Damascus.

Etymology

eedit

The name o Damascus first appeared in the geographical leet o Thutmose III as T-m-ś-q in the 15t century BC.[4] In Arabic, the ceety is cried دمشق الشام (Dimashq al-Shām), awtho this is aften shortened tae aither Dimashq or al-Shām bi the ceetizens o Damascus, o Sirie an ither Arab neighbors. Al-Shām is an Arabic term for north an for Sirie (Sirie—pairticularly historical Greater Sirie—is cried Bilād al-Shām—بلاد الشام, "land o the north"—in Arabic.) The etymology o the auncient name "T-m-ś-q" is uncertain, but it is suspectit tae be pre-Semitic. It is attestit as 𒁲𒈠𒊭𒅗 Dimašqa in Akkadian, 𒁲𒈠𒊭𒅗T-ms-ḳw in Egyptian, Dammaśq (דמשק) in Auld Aramaic an Dammeśeq (דמשק) in Biblical Ebreu. The Akkadian spellin is the earliest attestation, foond in the Amarna letters, frae the 14t century BC. Later Aramaic spellins o the name aften include an intrusive resh (letter r), aiblins influenced bi the ruit dr, meanin "dwellin". Sicweys, the Qumranic Darmeśeq (דרמשק), an Darmsûq (ܕܪܡܣܘܩ) in Syriac.[5][6] The Inglish an Laitin name o the ceety is "Damascus" which wis importit frae Greek: Δαμασκός, which oreeginatit in Aramaic: דרמשק; "a well-watered place".[7][8]

Subdiveesions

eedit
 
al-Merjeh square

Damascus is dividit intae mony destricts. Amang them thare are:

Sports

eedit
 
Al-Fayhaa sports complex

Popular sports include fitbaa, basketbaw, soummin an table tennis. Damascus is hame tae mony sports clubs, includin Al Jaish, Al Wahda an Al Majd.

The fift an the seivent Pan Arab Gemmes wur held in Damascus in 1976 an 1992, respectively.

Leisur activities

eedit

Coffeehooses, whaur—in addition tae Arabic coffee an tea—nargileh (watter pipes) are servit, proliferate Damascus. Card gemmes, tables (backgammon variants), an chess are activities frequentit in cafes.[9]

Tishreen Pairk is bi far the lairgest pairk in Damascus. It is hame tae the yearly held Damascus Flouer Shaw. Ither pairks include Aljahiz, Al sibbki, Altijara an Alwahda. Damascus' Ghouta (Oasis) is a popular destination for recreation an aw. Thare are several recreation centers in Damascus includin several stadiums, soummin puils an gowf courses. Forby, The Sirie Arab Horse Association in Damasacus affers a wide range o activities an services for horse breeders an riders.[10]

Nearbi attractions

eedit
 
Zabadani resort near Damascus
  • Madaya: a sma muntainous toun weel kent holiday resort.
  • Bloudan: a toun locatit 51 km northwast o Damascus, its moderate temperatur an law humidity in simmer attracts mony visitors frae Damascus an throughoot Sirie, Lebanon an the Persie Guwf.
  • Zabadani: a ceety in close tae the mairch wi Lebanon. Its mild wather alang wi the scenic views, made the toun a popular resort baith for tourists an for visitors frae ither Sirie ceeties.
  • Maaloula: a toun dominatit bi speakers o Wastren Neo-Aramaic.
  • Saidnaya: a ceety locatit in the muntains, 1,500 metre (4,921 ft) abuin sea level, it wis ane o the episcopal ceeties o the auncient Patriairchate o Antioch.

Twin touns an sister ceeties

eedit

References

eedit
  1. ↑ a b Central Bureau Of Statistics in Syria: Chapter 2: Population & Demographic Indicators Archived 2011-02-13 at the Wayback Machine Table 3: Estimates of Population actually living in Syria in 31 December 2009 by Mohafazat and six (in thousands)
  2. ↑ Albaath.news statement by the governor of Damascus, Syria Archived 2011-05-16 at the Wayback Machine (in Arabic), April 2010
  3. ↑ Central Bureau of Statistics Syria Syria census 2004 Archived 2013-03-10 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ List I, 13 in J. Simons, Handbook for the Study of Egyptian Topographical Lists relating to Western Asia, Leiden 1937. See also Y. AHARONI, The Land of the Bible: A Historical Geography, London 1967, p147, No. 13.
  5. ↑ "(in Book Reviews) ''Ancient Damascus: A Historical Study of the Syrian City-State from Earliest Times Until Its Fall to the Assyrians in 732 BC.'', Wayne T. Pitard. Review author: Paul E. Dion, ''Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research'', No. 270, Ancient Syria. (May, 1988), p. 98". Links.jstor.org. Retrieved 20 Juin 2010.
  6. ↑ "''The Stele Dedicated to Melcarth by Ben-Hadad of Damascus'', Frank Moore Cross. ''Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research'', No. 205. (Feb., 1972), p. 40". Links.jstor.org. Retrieved 20 Juin 2010.
  7. ↑ "Online Etymology Dictionary". Etymonline.com. Retrieved 20 Juin 2010.
  8. ↑ "Damascus – Wiktionary". En.wiktionary.org. 9 Mey 2010. Retrieved 20 Juin 2010.
  9. ↑ Beatties and Pepper, 2001, p. 102.
  10. ↑ "Syrian Arab Horse Association". Saha-sy.org. Retrieved 20 Juin 2010.
  11. ↑ UAEinteract.com, Sister Cities delegates praise Dubai 'best practices' UAE – The Official Web Site – News, Uaeinteract.com, archived frae the original on 14 Mey 2011, retrieved 29 Mey 2009
  12. ↑ "Sister Cities", Toledo Turismo, Patronato Municipal de Turismo, archived frae the original on 19 September 2008, retrieved 16 October 2008
  13. ↑ Ayuntamento de Córdoba Archived 2010-07-03 at the Wayback Machine Córdoba City Council Web, sister cities
  14. ↑ "International Relations – São Paulo City Hall – Official Sister Cities". Prefeitura.sp.gov.br. Retrieved 20 Juin 2010.
  15. ↑ Sister Cities of Istanbul – Turkey, Sister Cities of Istanbul – Turkey, archived frae the original on 22 October 2014, retrieved 24 November 2009
  16. ↑ Yerevan Municipality – Sister Cities, © 2005–2009 www.yerevan.am, archived frae the original on 2 October 2011, retrieved 22 Juin 2009 freemit airtin in |publisher= (help)
  17. ↑ The Syrian-Iranian Joint Supreme Committee meetings (in Arabic), Alwehda Publications, 8 Mairch 2009, retrieved 30 November 2009
  18. ↑ محافظة دمشق ومنطقة نينغيشيا الصينية توقعان على اتفاقية توأمة, Syria News, archived frae the original on 23 Mey 2013, retrieved 22 Apryle 2010
  19. ↑ Damascus, Ankara become sister cities, Worldbulletin.net, 6 Julie 2010, retrieved 9 November 2010
  • eDamascus – Offeecial wabsteid for Damascus
Taen frae "https://sco.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Damascus&oldid=896255"