Al-Kafrun الكفرون Kafroun | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Kafroun general view | |
  Al-Kafrun Location in Syria | |
| Coordinates:34°51′44″N36°14′8″E / 34.86222°N 36.23556°E /34.86222; 36.23556 | |
| Country |  Syria |
| Governorate | Tartus |
| District | Safita |
| Subdistrict | Mashta al-Helu |
| Elevation | 550 m (1,800 ft) |
| Population (2004 census)[1] | |
• Total | 485 |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (EEST) |
Al-Kafrun (Arabic:الكفرون; also spelledKafroun) is a village in northwesternSyria, administratively part of theSafita District of theTartous Governorate. It is situated in thean-Nusayriyah Mountains at 550 metres (1,800 ft) above sea level. It is traditionally a summer resort for locals who want to escape the hot summer temperatures in the lowlands. According to theSyria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Kafroun had a population of 485 in the 2004 census.[1]
Its inhabitants are predominantlyGreek Orthodox Christians.[2][3] Al-Kafrun is among five villages in its immediate vicinity bearing this name (the others includeKafrun Badra, Kafrun Haydar, Kafrun Bashur). While Kafrun's inhabitants are Greek Orthodox, the other villages are each inhabited by a different religious group (Maronite,Melkite andAlawite).[4]
Al-Kafrun is well known in the area for the annual festival in celebration of the Assumption/Dormition ofMary on 15 August, held atop theJabal al-Saideh mountain. Al-Kafrun is the birthplace of the famous Syrian singerGeorge Wassouf,[5] and the novelistHalim Barakat.[6]
