Damascus دِمَشق Dimashq | |
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Ceety | |
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Eik-name(s): (Madīnatu 'l-Yāsmīn) Ceety o Jasmin | |
Coordinates: 33°30′47″N 36°17′31″E / 33.51306°N 36.29194°ECoordinates: 33°30′47″N 36°17′31″E / 33.51306°N 36.29194°E | |
Kintra | Sirie |
Govrenorates | Damascus Govrenorate |
Govrenment | |
• Govrenor | Bishr Al Sabban |
Area | |
• Ceety | 105 km2 (41 sq mi) |
• Urban | 77 km2 (30 sq mi) |
Elevation | 680 m (2,230 ft) |
Population (2009 est.[1]) | |
• Ceety | 1,711,000 |
Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
Area code(s) | Kintra code: 963, Ceety code: 11 |
Demonym | Damascene |
Website | Damascus Govrenorate |
Sources: Damascus city area [2] |
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]
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.
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]
Damascus is dividit intae mony destricts. Amang them thare are:
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.
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]