Aleppo Governorate (Arabic:محافظة حلب /ALA-LC:Muḥāfaẓat Ḥalab[muˈħaːfaðˤatˈħalab]) is one of the fourteengovernorates ofSyria. It is the most populous governorate in Syria with a population of more than 4,867,000 (2011 Est.), almost 23% of the total population of Syria. The governorate is the fifth in area with an area of 18,482 km2 (7,136 sq mi),[1] or 18,498 km2,[2] about 10% of the total area of Syria. The capital is the city ofAleppo.
InClassical antiquity, the region was made up of three regions: Chalybonitis (with its centre at Chalybon or Aleppo), Chalcidice (with its center atQinnasrin العيس), andCyrrhestica (with its center atCyrrhus النبي حوري).[citation needed] This was the most fertile and populated region in Syria. Under the Romans, the region was made in 193 CE[citation needed] part of the province ofCoele-Syria or Magna Syria, which was ruled fromAntioch. The province ofEuphratensis was established in the 4th century CE in the east, its centre was Hierapolis Bambyce (Manbij).[3]
During theTanzimat era of Ottoman governance in Aleppo, the authorities established the 1858 land reform law along with schemes to introduce newBedouin settlers to northern Syria. These programs led to a stronger integration of Aleppo with the economy of the Ottoman heartland inAnatolia. It also paved the way for European capitalists to exploit agricultural resources of the region and caused internal trade to shift into the hands of European merchants.[6]
The governorate has been the scene of some of the fiercest fighting in theSyrian Civil War. In June 2017, nearly six years after the war's start, the province was almost equally divided between Syrian Government forces, Syrian Opposition forces, Turkish Army /TFSA and theRojava/Syrian Democratic Forces.[citation needed] After fierce fighting, the Syrian Arab Army with Russian air support managed to take control of the capital of the Governorate, Aleppo, in December 2016 from Fatah Halab coalition.[citation needed]
The governorate lies on a plateau known as theAleppo 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 theEuphrates valley into theJazīrah plateau. The southeastern end of the governorate is continuous with the arid steppe of the northernSyrian Desert. To the south lie the eastern plains of Hama, and to the southwest lie the northern plains of Idlib.[citation needed]
The average elevation of the terrain is 379 metres (1,243 ft). The surface gradually slopes down in north–south and west–east directions, undulating gently with an amplitude of 10–30 m for each wave. The lowlands are covered with combinedPaleozoic andMesozoic sediments that average 4–5 km in thickness over the whole surface.[11]
Geographic features of northwestern Syria
Starting from the valley of the Euphrates, the terrain rises forming the Manbij plain, and then sinks again at theDhahab river valley in the east of Aleppo Governorate. The Dhahab drains the highlands north ofal-Bāb and runs in a north–south direction for about 50 km (31 mi) until it drains intoLake Jabbul. West of the Dhahab valley the terrain rises again forming Mount 'Aqīl (Mount Taymar) west of Bāb and Mount Ḥaṣṣ west of Lake Jabboul.[12] The terrain sinks again forming the valley of RiverQueiq. The endpoint of Quwēq, the Maṭkh swamp (249 metres (817 ft)), is the lowest point in Aleppo Governorate. West of the Quwēq isMount Simeon. South of Mount Simeon is the plains of Idlib. Theriver 'Afrīn runs west of Mount Simeon. To the west of river 'Afrīn, the land rises again formingKurd Mountain. The highest point in the governorate, Mount Bulbul (1,269 metres (4,163 ft)), is located in the northern part of Mount Kurd. River 'Ifrīn runs from north to south between Mount Simeon and Mount Kurd and then turns west to the Orontes valley, thus separating Kurd Mountain fromḤārim Mountains to the south.[citation needed]
The governorate is generally deforested except for a dispersed forest of about 50 square kilometres (19 sq mi) on the eastern slope of Mount Kurd where it faces the plain ofA'zaz. The main trees areAleppo pine andoak.[citation needed]
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 Syriafustuq Ḥalabī (Aleppo pistachio). Rivers traditionally supported agriculture; the main rivers in Aleppo are the Quwēq, 'Ifrīn,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 atMaskanah (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 the Aleppo Desert (Arabic: بادية حلب).[citation needed]
The largest lake in the governorate islake Sabkhat al-Jabbul, aRamsar salt lake located 40 kilometres (25 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 the River Ifrīn and the revived Shabā Lake on River Quwēq.
Archaeological sites are abundant in the governorate, especially atMount Simeon in the west and the plains that extend beyond towardsAntioch andIdlib. This region, known as theLimestone Massif, has the largest concentration of Late Antiquity churches in the world, with a unique Syrian architectural style.[13] It also has the famousDead Cities of Syria.[14]
* - includes Aleppo City ** - a newly created district since 2008, formerly belonging to Mount Simeon District *** - a newly created district since 2009, formerly belonging to Al-Bab District.
Aleppo Governorate has a semi-arid climate. The mountain series that runs along the Mediterranean coast, namely Mount Alawites and Mount Amanus, largely block the effects of theMediterranean on climate (rain shadow effect).[citation needed] The average temperature in the governorate is 15–20 °C (59–68 °F). The average precipitation ranges from 500 mm (20 in) in the western parts of the governorate to 200 mm (8 in) in the easternmost parts and 150 mm (6 in) in the southeastern desert. 80% of precipitation occurs between October and March. Snow is usually in winter. The average humidity is 60% in the west and 55% in the east.
Agricultural output from Aleppo mainly focuses on cereal and cotton production. However, since theSyrian civil war, many Aleppo based commerce have now relocated across the border into Turkey, especiallyGaziantep.[28] Economic conditions have deteriorated in the Aleppo region and have caused prices of goods to rise. The2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and reductions in the Euphrates' river water levels are expected to cause a major impact on water and electricity access as well as food security within the region.[29]
As per the 2004 Syrian census, the population was 4,045,200.[2] A 2011UNOCHA estimate put the population at 4,867,900, though this has likely changed since the start of the war.[30]
^Sirwan Kajjo (2 March 2017)."Skirmishes Mar Fight Against IS in Northern Syria".Voice of America.Turkish occupation "is an existential threat to the Assad government's ability to reclaim the entirety of its territory, which is a key argument that regime loyalists make in their support of Bashar al-Assad's government", Heras said.
