Aleppo Governorate
Encyclopedia
Aleppo Governorate is one of the fourteen governorates of Syria
. It is the most populous governorate in Syria with a population of more than 4,744,000 (2010 estimate), almost 23% of the total population of Syria. The governorate is the fifth in area with an area of 18,482 km², about 10% of the total area of Syria. The capital is the city of Aleppo
. The governorate is represented by 52 deputies in the parliament (out of 250), of whom 20 come from the city of Aleppo. The governor since 2009 is Ahmad Ali Mansoura.
Together with the Governorate of Idlib (and the disputed Sanjak of Alexandretta), the Governorate of Aleppo make up the Northern Region of Syria. Historically, the Northern Region was the most fertile and the most densely populated in Syria; this explains why the Governorate of Aleppo has by far the largest number of towns (32 towns), villages (1430 villages), and farms (1424 farms) in Syria (compare to 28 towns, 190 villages, and 82 farms in Rif Dimashq
Governorate). It also explains why the Northern Region has a much larger number of archaeological sites and remains than elsewhere in Syria.
, Gaziantep
, and Şanlıurfa
provinces of Turkey
. To the west lie the Sanjak of Alexandretta (disputed with Turkey) and the Idlib Governorate. To the south lie the Ḥamā Governorate
River Euphrates
forms most of the southern half of the eastern boundary with the Raqqah Governorate.
The governorate lies on a plateau known as the Aleppo plateau
. The eastern and northern boundaries of the governorate correspond roughly to the eastern and northern boundaries of the plateau, although the northeastern portion of the governorate crosses the Euphrates valley into the Jazīrah plateau. The southeastern end of the governorate is continuous with the arid steppe of the northern Syrian Desert
. To the south lie the eastern plains of Hama, and to the southwest lie the northern plains of Idlib.
The average elevation of the terrain is 379 metres (1,243.4 ft). The surface gradually slopes down in north-south and west-east directions. The surface undulates gently with an amplitude of 10-30 m for each wave. The lowlands are covered with combined Paleozoic
and Mesozoic
sediments that average 4-5 km in thickness over the whole surface.
Starting from the valley of the Euphrates, the terrain rises forming the Manbij plain
and then sinks again at the Dhahab river
valley in the east of Aleppo Governorate. The Dhahab drains the highlands north of Bāb
and runs in a north-south direction for about 50 km until it drains into Lake Jabboul. West of the Dhahab valley the terrain rises again forming Mount ʻAqīl (Mount Taymar) west of Bāb and Mount Ḥaṣṣ west of Lake Jabboul. The terrain sinks again forming the valley of River Quwēq. The endpoint of Quwēq, the Maṭkh swamp (249 metres (816.9 ft)), is the lowest point in Aleppo Governorate. West of the Quwēq is Mount Simeon. South of Mount Simeon are the plains of Idlib
. River ʻIfrīn
runs west of Mount Simeon. To the west of River ʻIfrīn the land rises again forming Mount Kurd
. The highest point in the governorate, Mount Bulbul (1269 metres (4,163.4 ft)), is located in the northern part of Mount Kurd. River ʻIfrīn runs from north to south between Mount Simeon and Mount Kurd and then turns west to the Orontes valley, thus separating Mount Kurd from Mount Ḥārim
to the south.
The governorate is generally deforested except for a dispersed forest of about 50 square kilometres (19.3 sq mi) on the eastern slope of Mount Kurd where it faces the plain of Aʻzāz
. The main trees are Aleppo Pine
and oak
.
Arable land makes up 66% of the total area in the governorate. The main crops are olives, figs, plums, pomegranates, vegetables, grains, rice, and pistachios. Pistachio is called in Syria fustuq Ḥalabī (Aleppo pistachio). Agriculture was traditionally supported by rivers; the main rivers in Aleppo are the Quwēq, ʻIfrīn, Sājūr
, Dhahab, Aswad
, and Euphrates. However, all of these rivers arise in Turkey, and due to irrigation projects on the Turkish side of the border the flow of these rivers dropped so much that most of them could no longer support agriculture. The Quwēq, for example, dried up completely in the 1950s. The vanishing of the rivers forced farmers to depend largely on rainfall and on water diverted from the Euphrates. A pumping station at Maskanah (95 km east of Aleppo) provides drinking water for Aleppo from the Euphrates. Recently Euphrates water has been diverted to revive the dead Qwēq river, and thus revive agriculture in the plains south of Aleppo. Urban areas, highlands, swamps, forests, and grazing land make up 34% of the total area of the governorate. The remaining 14% is a desert area in the southeast that is continuous with the Syrian Desert and known as Aleppo Desert (Arabic: بادية حلب).
The largest lake in the governorate is Lake Jabboul, a Ramsar
salt lake located 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) southeast of Aleppo. Lake Assad (the largest lake in Syria) separates Aleppo Governorate from Raqqa Governorate. Other artificial lakes include the Lake of 17 April on River ʻIfrīn and the revived Shabāʼ Lake on River Quwēq.
Archeological sites are abundant in the governorate, especially at Mount Simeon in the west and the plains that extend beyond towards Antioch
and Idlib
. This region, known as the Limestone Massif
, has the largest concentration of Late Antiquity churches in the world, with a unique Syrian architectural style. It also has the famous Dead Cities
of Syria.
Aleppo is traversed by the northeasterly line of equal latitude and longitude.
A ninth district (Atarib District
) was created in December 2008 from part of Jabal Samʻān district. The districts are divided into 34 subdistricts (Nāḥiyas).
In Classical Antiquity, the region was contained in three regions: Chalybonitis (center is Chalybon or Aleppo), Chalcidice (center is Qinnasrīn
العيس), and Cyrrhestica (center is Cyrrhus
النبي حوري). This was the most fertile and populated region in Syria. Under the Romans the region was made in 193 CE part of the province of Coele Syria or Magna Syria, which was ruled from Antioch
. The province of Euphratensis was established in the 4th century CE in the east, its center was Hierapolis (Manbij).
Under the Rashidun
and Umayyad
Muslims, the region was part of the Jund Qinnasrīn. In the Abbasid
period the region was under the independent rule of the Hamdanids. The Mamluk
s and later the Ottoman
s governed the area until 1918. Under the Ottomans, the region was part of the Vilayet of Aleppo
.
During the French Mandate
the region was part of the brief State of Aleppo
.
are found mostly in the northern districts. The Kurds are found mostly in Ifrīn
and Ayn Al-Arab. The Turkmen live in about 140 villages, mostly in Al-Bāb
, Jarāblus
, and A'zāz
. Other ethnic minorities also exist, mostly of Caucasian
and Balkan stock. Armenian
s and Syrian Christians
are found in the cities.
Most people are Sunni Muslim except for the Armenian
s and Syrian Christians
, who are Christian of different denominations. Few Arabs are Shia Muslim, Alawite
, or Christian
. The Shia Arabs live in a hadnful of villages to the west of Aleppo. The Alawites and Christians live in Aleppo city.
The Arabs speak the North Syrian dialect of Arabic
, which is a transitional dialect between Syrian and Mesopotamian Arabic. Bedouin
ic influence is evident in the language and culture of the Arabs. The Bedouinic influence increases steadily from west to east, until it reaches a peak in the easternmost parts. People in Raqqa, although sedentary, are plain Bedouins in terms of language and culture.
Governorates of Syria
Syria has fourteen governorates, or muhafazat . The governorates are divided into sixty districts, or manatiq , which are further divided into subdistricts, or nawahi...
. It is the most populous governorate in Syria with a population of more than 4,744,000 (2010 estimate), almost 23% of the total population of Syria. The governorate is the fifth in area with an area of 18,482 km², about 10% of the total area of Syria. The capital is the city of Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
. The governorate is represented by 52 deputies in the parliament (out of 250), of whom 20 come from the city of Aleppo. The governor since 2009 is Ahmad Ali Mansoura.
Together with the Governorate of Idlib (and the disputed Sanjak of Alexandretta), the Governorate of Aleppo make up the Northern Region of Syria. Historically, the Northern Region was the most fertile and the most densely populated in Syria; this explains why the Governorate of Aleppo has by far the largest number of towns (32 towns), villages (1430 villages), and farms (1424 farms) in Syria (compare to 28 towns, 190 villages, and 82 farms in Rif Dimashq
Rif Dimashq
Rif Dimashq is one of the 14 governorates 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 Governorate completely surrounds the...
Governorate). It also explains why the Northern Region has a much larger number of archaeological sites and remains than elsewhere in Syria.
Borders and landscape
The governorate has a 221 kilometres (137.3 mi) long northern boundary with the KilisKilis Province
Kilis Province is a province in south-central Turkey. It used to be the southern part of the province of Gaziantep and was formed in 1994. The town of Kilis is home to around 67% of the inhabitants of the province, the other towns and villages are very small.-History:There is evidence of human...
, Gaziantep
Gaziantep Province
Gaziantep Province is a province in south-central Turkey. Its capital is the city of Gaziantep which had a population of 853,513 as of 2000. Its neighbours are Adıyaman at north, Şanlıurfa at east, Syria and Kilis at south, Hatay at southwest, Osmaniye at west and Kahramanmaraş at northwest.An...
, and Şanlıurfa
Sanliurfa Province
Şanlıurfa Province or simply Urfa Province is a province in Southeast Anatolia, Turkey. The city of Şanlıurfa is the capital of the province which bears its name. The population is 1,663,371 ....
provinces of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. To the west lie the Sanjak of Alexandretta (disputed with Turkey) and the Idlib Governorate. To the south lie the Ḥamā Governorate
Hama Governorate
Hama is one of the fourteen governorates of Syria. It is situated in western-central Syria. Its area depends of sources. It varies from 8,844 km² to 8,883 km². Governorate has a population of 1,593,000...
River Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
forms most of the southern half of the eastern boundary with the Raqqah Governorate.
The governorate lies on a plateau known as the Aleppo plateau
Aleppo plateau
Aleppo plateau is a low, gently undulating plateau of northern Syria. It lies at the northern end of the junction between the Arabian Plate and the African Plate at the Dead Sea Rift. The plateau lies mostly in the Aleppo Governorate and Idlib Governorate...
. The eastern and northern boundaries of the governorate correspond roughly to the eastern and northern boundaries of the plateau, although the northeastern portion of the governorate crosses the Euphrates valley into the Jazīrah plateau. The southeastern end of the governorate is continuous with the arid steppe of the northern Syrian Desert
Syrian Desert
The Syrian Desert , also known as the Syro-Arabian desert is a combination of steppe and true desert that is located in the northern Arabian Peninsula covering 200,000 square miles . also the desert is very rocky and flat...
. To the south lie the eastern plains of Hama, and to the southwest lie the northern plains of Idlib.
The average elevation of the terrain is 379 metres (1,243.4 ft). The surface gradually slopes down in north-south and west-east directions. The surface undulates gently with an amplitude of 10-30 m for each wave. The lowlands are covered with combined Paleozoic
Paleozoic
The Paleozoic era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon, spanning from roughly...
and Mesozoic
Mesozoic
The Mesozoic era is an interval of geological time from about 250 million years ago to about 65 million years ago. It is often referred to as the age of reptiles because reptiles, namely dinosaurs, were the dominant terrestrial and marine vertebrates of the time...
sediments that average 4-5 km in thickness over the whole surface.
Starting from the valley of the Euphrates, the terrain rises forming the Manbij plain
Manbij plain
Manbij plain is a vast plain on the eastern Aleppo plateau in northern Syria and southeastern Turkey. The plain runs along the western bank of river Euphrates for approximately 140 km from Nizip to Maskanah, with an average width of 15–30 km...
and then sinks again at the Dhahab river
Dhahab River
Dhahab River or Dhahab Valley , also in medieval times known as Buṭnān Valley , is an intermittent river in northern Syria.The river is located on the Aleppo plateau in the eastern part of Aleppo Governorate, 30 km east of Aleppo...
valley in the east of Aleppo Governorate. The Dhahab drains the highlands north of Bāb
Al-Bab
Al-Bāb is a Syrian city administratively belonging to the Aleppo Governorate. Al Bab is located northeast of Aleppo and has an area of 30 km². Al-Bab has an altitude of 471 meters. It has a population of 144,705 as of 2007, making it the 8th largest city per geographical entity in Syria...
and runs in a north-south direction for about 50 km until it drains into Lake Jabboul. West of the Dhahab valley the terrain rises again forming Mount ʻAqīl (Mount Taymar) west of Bāb and Mount Ḥaṣṣ west of Lake Jabboul. The terrain sinks again forming the valley of River Quwēq. The endpoint of Quwēq, the Maṭkh swamp (249 metres (816.9 ft)), is the lowest point in Aleppo Governorate. West of the Quwēq is Mount Simeon. South of Mount Simeon are the plains of Idlib
Idlib Governorate
Idlib Governorate is one of the fourteen governorates of Syria. It is situated in northwestern Syria, bordering Turkey. Its area depends on sources - estimated vary from 5,933 km² to 6,097 km². The Governorate has a population of 1,464,000...
. River ʻIfrīn
Afrin River
The Afrin River is a tributary of the Orontes River in Turkey and Syria. It rises in the Kartal Mountains in Gaziantep Province, Turkey, flows south through the city of Afrin in Syria, then reenters Turkey. It joins the Karasu at the site of the former Lake Amik, and its waters now flow to the...
runs west of Mount Simeon. To the west of River ʻIfrīn the land rises again forming Mount Kurd
Kurd-Dagh
Kurd-Dagh or Kurd Mountain , also called Aleppo Mountain , is a highland region in northwestern Syria and southeastern Turkey. It is located in the Aleppo Governorate of Syria and Kilis Province of Turkey.-Location and description:Mount Kurd is part of the Limestone Massif of northwestern Syria...
. The highest point in the governorate, Mount Bulbul (1269 metres (4,163.4 ft)), is located in the northern part of Mount Kurd. River ʻIfrīn runs from north to south between Mount Simeon and Mount Kurd and then turns west to the Orontes valley, thus separating Mount Kurd from Mount Ḥārim
Harim Mountains
Ḥārim Mountains are highlands in the north of Idlib Governorate in northwestern Syria. The mountains are located in the Ḥārim and Jisr Shuġūr districts of Idlib Governorate.-Location and description:...
to the south.
The governorate is generally deforested except for a dispersed forest of about 50 square kilometres (19.3 sq mi) on the eastern slope of Mount Kurd where it faces the plain of Aʻzāz
A'zaz
Azaz is a small town in Syria, roughly 20 miles north-northwest of Aleppo . It is most notable for being the site of the Battle of Azaz between the Crusader States and the Seljuk Turks on June 11, 1125.-History:...
. The main trees are Aleppo Pine
Aleppo Pine
Pinus halepensis, commonly known as the Aleppo Pine, is a pine native to the Mediterranean region. Their range extends from Morocco and Spain north to southern France, Italy and Croatia, and east to Greece and northern Tunisia, and Libya, with an outlying population in Syria, Lebanon, southern...
and oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
.
Arable land makes up 66% of the total area in the governorate. The main crops are olives, figs, plums, pomegranates, vegetables, grains, rice, and pistachios. Pistachio is called in Syria fustuq Ḥalabī (Aleppo pistachio). Agriculture was traditionally supported by rivers; the main rivers in Aleppo are the Quwēq, ʻIfrīn, Sājūr
Sajur River
The Sājūr River is a long river originating in Turkey and flowing into the Euphrates in Syria. It is the smallest of the three rivers joining the Euphrates in Syria, and the only one that joins the Euphrates on its right bank...
, Dhahab, Aswad
Karasu (Hatay)
The Karasu or Aswad is a river in the provinces of Gaziantep and Hatay in Turkey. For part of its length it forms the border with Aleppo Governorate in Syria. It joins the Afrin River at the site of the former Lake Amik, and its waters now flow to the Orontes by a canal....
, and Euphrates. However, all of these rivers arise in Turkey, and due to irrigation projects on the Turkish side of the border the flow of these rivers dropped so much that most of them could no longer support agriculture. The Quwēq, for example, dried up completely in the 1950s. The vanishing of the rivers forced farmers to depend largely on rainfall and on water diverted from the Euphrates. A pumping station at Maskanah (95 km east of Aleppo) provides drinking water for Aleppo from the Euphrates. Recently Euphrates water has been diverted to revive the dead Qwēq river, and thus revive agriculture in the plains south of Aleppo. Urban areas, highlands, swamps, forests, and grazing land make up 34% of the total area of the governorate. The remaining 14% is a desert area in the southeast that is continuous with the Syrian Desert and known as Aleppo Desert (Arabic: بادية حلب).
The largest lake in the governorate is Lake Jabboul, a Ramsar
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
salt lake located 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) southeast of Aleppo. Lake Assad (the largest lake in Syria) separates Aleppo Governorate from Raqqa Governorate. Other artificial lakes include the Lake of 17 April on River ʻIfrīn and the revived Shabāʼ Lake on River Quwēq.
Archeological sites are abundant in the governorate, especially at Mount Simeon in the west and the plains that extend beyond towards Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
and Idlib
Idlib
Idlib is a city in northwestern Syria, capital of the Idlib Governorate. The city of Aleppo, which is roughly 60 km away, has an important economic presence in Idlib. The area around Idlib is very fertile, producing cotton, cereals, olives, figs, grapes, tomatoes, sesame seeds, wheat and almonds....
. This region, known as the Limestone Massif
Limestone Massif
The Limestone Massif or Belus Massif is a name applied to the highlands on the weastern part of the Aleppo plateau in northwestern Syria. The Massif is famed for having the Dead Cities of Syria....
, has the largest concentration of Late Antiquity churches in the world, with a unique Syrian architectural style. It also has the famous Dead Cities
Dead Cities
-History:The Dead Cities are a group of 700 abandoned settlements in northwest Syria between Aleppo and Hama. They date back to before the fifth century CE and contain many remains of Christian Byzantine architecture...
of Syria.
Climate
Aleppo Governorate has a semi-arid climate. The mountain series that run along the Mediterranean coast, namely Mount Alawites and Mount Amanus, largely block the effects of the Mediterranean on climate (rain shadow effect). The average temperature in the governorate is 18-20 C. The average precipitation ranges from 450 mm in the western parts of the governorate to 250 mm in the easternmost parts and 150 mm in the southeastern desert. 80% of precipitation occurs between October and March. Snow is rare. Average humidity is 58% in the west and 57% in the east.Aleppo is traversed by the northeasterly line of equal latitude and longitude.
Cities
The largest cities in Aleppo Governorate are:| City | Population |
|---|---|
| Aleppo Aleppo Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant... |
2,700,000 |
| Bāb Al-Bab Al-Bāb is a Syrian city administratively belonging to the Aleppo Governorate. Al Bab is located northeast of Aleppo and has an area of 30 km². Al-Bab has an altitude of 471 meters. It has a population of 144,705 as of 2007, making it the 8th largest city per geographical entity in Syria... |
145,000 |
| Safīrah | 107,000 |
| ʻIfrīn Afrin Afrin is a brand of nasal spray used to ease nasal congestion that is available over-the-counter in the USA. The generic name for this medication is Oxymetazoline hydrochloride. While useful in the short-term, 12-hour relief for sinus congestion, prolonged use may result in rebound congestion... |
80,000 |
| Manbij | 72,000 |
| Aʻzāz A'zaz Azaz is a small town in Syria, roughly 20 miles north-northwest of Aleppo . It is most notable for being the site of the Battle of Azaz between the Crusader States and the Seljuk Turks on June 11, 1125.-History:... |
64,000 |
| ʻAyn al-ʻArab | 55,000 |
| Jarābulus Jarabulus Jarābulus is a Syrian city administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. Jarabulus has an altitude of 367 and lies on the western bank of the River Euphrates. It has a population of 25,705. It is located near the Assad lake.... |
26,000 |
Districts
The governorate had 8 districts (Mintaqa's) in 2004:- Jabal SamʻānMount Simeon (district)Mount Simeon , also known as Jabal Sam'an, is a district of the Aleppo Governorate in Syria. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 2,490,751...
- ʻAfrīnAfrin DistrictAfrin is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 172,095. Its administrative centre is the city of 'Afrin....
- AʻzāzA'zaz DistrictA'zaz is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 251,769. Its administrative centre is the city of A'zaz....
- Safīrah
- BābAl Bab DistrictAl Bab is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 292,713. Its administrative centre is the city of Al Bab....
- ManbijManbij DistrictManbij is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 408,143. Its administrative centre is the city of Manbij....
- JarābulusJarabulus DistrictJarablus is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 58,889. Its administrative centre is the city of Jarabulus. Turkmen Elbeyli and Barak people forms the majority....
- ʻAyn al-ʻArab
A ninth district (Atarib District
Atarib District
Atarib is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. Its capital city is the city of Atārib.Until December 2008, this district was part of Mount Simeon District.-References:...
) was created in December 2008 from part of Jabal Samʻān district. The districts are divided into 34 subdistricts (Nāḥiyas).
History
Before 1960 both Idlib Governorate and Raqqa Governorate were part of Aleppo Governorate. Raqqa Governorate was called at first Rashīd Governorate (Arabic: محافظة الرشيد) and was renamed in 1962.In Classical Antiquity, the region was contained in three regions: Chalybonitis (center is Chalybon or Aleppo), Chalcidice (center is Qinnasrīn
Qinnasrin
Qinnasrin , was a historical town in northern Syria. It gained fame as an important religious and cultural centre of Syriac Christians before the coming of Islamic conquests....
العيس), and Cyrrhestica (center is Cyrrhus
Cyrrhus, Syria
Cyrrhus, or Kyrros was a city in ancient Syria founded by Seleucus Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals. Other names for the city include Hagioupolis, Nebi Huri نبي حوري, Khoros . Its ruins are located in northern Syria, near the Turkish border. It lies about 70 km northwest of Aleppo...
النبي حوري). This was the most fertile and populated region in Syria. Under the Romans the region was made in 193 CE part of the province of Coele Syria or Magna Syria, which was ruled from Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
. The province of Euphratensis was established in the 4th century CE in the east, its center was Hierapolis (Manbij).
Under the Rashidun
Rashidun
The Rightly Guided Caliphs or The Righteous Caliphs is a term used in Sunni Islam to refer to the first four Caliphs who established the Rashidun Caliphate. The concept of "Rightly Guided Caliphs" originated with the Abbasid Dynasty...
and Umayyad
Umayyad
The Umayyad Caliphate was the second of the four major Arab caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. It was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty, whose name derives from Umayya ibn Abd Shams, the great-grandfather of the first Umayyad caliph. Although the Umayyad family originally came from the...
Muslims, the region was part of the Jund Qinnasrīn. In the Abbasid
Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate or, more simply, the Abbasids , was the third of the Islamic caliphates. It was ruled by the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs, who built their capital in Baghdad after overthrowing the Umayyad caliphate from all but the al-Andalus region....
period the region was under the independent rule of the Hamdanids. The Mamluk
Mamluk
A Mamluk was a soldier of slave origin, who were predominantly Cumans/Kipchaks The "mamluk phenomenon", as David Ayalon dubbed the creation of the specific warrior...
s and later the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
s governed the area until 1918. Under the Ottomans, the region was part of the Vilayet of Aleppo
Vilayet of Aleppo
The Vilayet of Aleppo was a vilayet or province of the Ottoman Empire centered around Aleppo.-History:Thanks to its strategic geographic location on the trade route between Anatolia and the east, Aleppo rose to high prominence in the Ottoman era, at one point being second only to Constantinople in...
.
During the French Mandate
French Mandate of Syria
Officially the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon was a League of Nations mandate founded after the First World War and the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire...
the region was part of the brief State of Aleppo
State of Aleppo
The State of Aleppo was one of the five states that were established by the French High Commissioner in Syria and Lebanon General Henri Gouraud in the French Mandate of Syria which followed the San Remo conference and the collapse of King Faisal I's short-lived monarchy in Syria.The other states...
.
People
The people are mostly Arabs. Kurds and TurkmenSyrian Turks
Syrian Turks are Syrian citizens of Turkish descent, who have been living in the Syrian provinces of the Ottoman Empire before its dissolution and continue to live in the modern country of Syria...
are found mostly in the northern districts. The Kurds are found mostly in Ifrīn
Afrin District
Afrin is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 172,095. Its administrative centre is the city of 'Afrin....
and Ayn Al-Arab. The Turkmen live in about 140 villages, mostly in Al-Bāb
Al Bab District
Al Bab is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 292,713. Its administrative centre is the city of Al Bab....
, Jarāblus
Jarabulus District
Jarablus is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 58,889. Its administrative centre is the city of Jarabulus. Turkmen Elbeyli and Barak people forms the majority....
, and A'zāz
A'zaz District
A'zaz is a Syrian district administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. At the 2004 Census it had a population of 251,769. Its administrative centre is the city of A'zaz....
. Other ethnic minorities also exist, mostly of Caucasian
Caucasian peoples
This article deals with the various ethnic groups inhabiting the Caucasus region. There are more than50 ethnic groups living in the region.-Peoples speaking Caucasian languages:...
and Balkan stock. Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
s and Syrian Christians
Syrian Christians
Syrian Christians may refer to*the Christian minority in Syria*in older publications, the Syriac Christians*in a South Asian context, the Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala....
are found in the cities.
Most people are Sunni Muslim except for the Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
s and Syrian Christians
Syrian Christians
Syrian Christians may refer to*the Christian minority in Syria*in older publications, the Syriac Christians*in a South Asian context, the Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala....
, who are Christian of different denominations. Few Arabs are Shia Muslim, Alawite
Alawite
The Alawis, also known as Alawites, Nusayris and Ansaris are a prominent mystical and syncretic religious group centred in Syria who are a branch of Shia Islam.-Etymology:...
, or Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
. The Shia Arabs live in a hadnful of villages to the west of Aleppo. The Alawites and Christians live in Aleppo city.
The Arabs speak the North Syrian dialect of Arabic
North Syrian Arabic
North Syrian Arabic is the variety of Arabic spoken in Northern Syria. This dialect is spoken mainly in the region of Aleppo. It is a variant of Levantine Arabic.-External links:*...
, which is a transitional dialect between Syrian and Mesopotamian Arabic. Bedouin
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
ic influence is evident in the language and culture of the Arabs. The Bedouinic influence increases steadily from west to east, until it reaches a peak in the easternmost parts. People in Raqqa, although sedentary, are plain Bedouins in terms of language and culture.