Hama Governorate

History

Archaeological sites

• Al Qubays – medieval castle
• Apamea – Graeco-Roman city
• Bourzey castle – Byzantine castle
• Masyaf Castle – medieval castle
• Shmemis – Ayyubid castle
• Tell Asharneh – possible site of Bronze Age Tunip
• Tell Qarqur – ancient settlement

Modern Syria

Hama has historically been a centre of opposition to the Assad regime, and it was the centre of an uprising in the late 1970s to the early 1980s that resulted in the 1982 Hama massacre.

Syrian Civil War

The city was one of several that saw anti-Assad protests in 2011, the violent suppression of which ultimately led to the outbreak of civil war. Despite this, for the most part the governorate has stayed under the Syrian Government's control, with exceptions of parts of the north-west in the early years of the conflict. The eastern desert regions of the governorate fell under the control of Islamic State by 2016, but by September 2017 the Syrian Army had managed to oust them. During the 2024 Northwestern Syria Offensive, the Syrian Salvation Government captured large portions of the governorate. On 5 December 2024, the governorate's capital Hama was captured.

Geography

The western regions of the governorate are part of the Syrian Coastal Mountain Range (Nusayriyah Mountains), running north to south. Roughly parallel with the mountains to the east is the Ghab Plain, with the Orontes river flowing through it, Hama city lies on this river. The central and eastern regions of the governorate consist of flatter desert terrain.

Settlements

The provincial capital is Hama; other major settlements include Akakir, Al-Hamraa, Al Qastal, Al-Saan, Aqarib as Safi, At Tammazah, Ithriya, Kafr Buhum, Karnaz, Maharda, Masyaf, Morek, Qalaat al-Madiq, Qasr Ibn Wardan, Sabburah, Salamiyah, Shaykh Hilal, Shaytalun, Suran and Tayyibat at Turki.

Districts

The governorate is divided into five districts (manatiq). The districts are further divided into 22 sub-districts (nawahi):

• Hama District (4 sub-districts)
  • Hama Subdistrict
  • Suran Subdistrict
  • Hirbnafsah Subdistrict
  • Al-Hamraa Subdistrict
• Masyaf District (5 sub-districts)
  • Masyaf Subdistrict
  • Jubb Ramlah Subdistrict
  • Awj Subdistrict
  • Ayn Halaqim Subdistrict
  • Wadi al-Uyun Subdistrict
• Mahardah District (3 sub-districts; a.k.a. Mhardeh, Muhardeh)
  • Mahardah Subdistrict
  • Kafr Zita Subdistrict
  • Karnaz Subdistrict
• Salamiyah District (5 sub-districts)
  • Salamiyah Subdistrict
  • Barri Sharqi Subdistrict
  • Al-Saan Subdistrict
  • Sabburah Subdistrict
  • Uqayribat Subdistrict
• Al-Suqaylabiyah District (5 sub-districts)
  • Al-Suqaylabiyah Subdistrict
  • Tell Salhab Subdistrict
  • Al-Ziyarah Subdistrict
  • Shathah Subdistrict
  • Qalaat al-Madiq Subdistrict

Economy

Agriculture dominates the labor force of Hama Governorate, with 48% of employment occurring within this sector. The remaining employment is spread between industry (22%) and trade and other services (30%). The main agricultural crops are wheat, barley, cotton, beetroot, onion, tobacco, and various vegetables. Fruit trees such as olive, pistachio, apple, pear, plum and peach are also commonly grown here. Animal breeding of sheep, goats, poultry and bees are prevalent in Hama.

Between 1926 and 1949, Hama witnessed developments in its public sector with industry expanding on sugar plants, onion drying, oils manufacturing, cotton grinning factories, and cement production and processing. Other manufacturing industry that was expanded include soda, ice cream, candy, textile, wool, cotton, rugs, carpets, gowns, and horse saddles. The region is also Syria's center of its chemical and manufacturing industry.

Demographics

As per the 2004 Syrian census the population was 1,385,000. A 2011 UNOCHA estimate put the population at 1,628,000, though this has likely changed since the start of the war.

At the end of 2011, the population of Hama was estimated at 1,628,000, representing 8% of Syria's population. Sunni Muslims form the majority at 67%, followed by Alawites (17%), Ismaili Muslims (10%), Christians (6%) and Twelver Shia Muslims (0.1%).

Gallery

File:Hama_governorate_map.png|Map of Hama Governorate File:Abu Qubeis2.jpg|Abu Qubays castle File:Salamiyya,view.jpg|Salamiyyah File:Ancient Roman bridge in Maharda.jpg|Roman bridge in Mahardah File:Shayzar2.jpg|Shayzar File:Hama, Syria.jpg|Hama

References

References

1. "Syria Provinces".
2. "Syria: Governorates, Major Cities & Localities – Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information".
3. (8 March 1982). "Syria: Bloody Challenge to Assad".
4. JOHN KIFNER. (12 February 1982). "Syrian Troops Are Said To Battle Rebels Encircled in Central City". The New York Times.
5. (8 July 2011). "'Half a million' protest on streets of Hama – Middle East". Al Jazeera English.
6. (19 December 2012). "Rebels seize towns in central Syria". Reuters.
7. (2 June 2016). "Syrian Army begins new offensive to liberate Raqqa". Al-Masdar news.
8. (21 September 2017). "Breaking: ISIS agrees to surrender all its territory in rural Hama to the Syrian Army". AMN – Al-Masdar News {{!}} المصدر نيوز.
9. Azhari, Timour. (5 December 2024). "Syrian rebels capture key city of Hama in fresh blow to Assad".
10. Federal Research Division, Library of Congress (2005) [http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Syria.pdf "Country Profile: Syria"] page 5
11. (2016). "Asi-Orontes Basin". Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
12. (July 2015). "Economics of Hama countryside". Syrian Economic Forum.
13. (June 2014). "Syrian Arab Republic – Governorates profile". UNOCHA.
14. Hussain Ibrahim Qutrib. (2016). ""Useful Syria" and Demographic Changes in Syria". King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies.