Al-Hasakah Governorate
| Al-Hasakah Governorate محافظة الحسكة | |
|---|---|
| Governorate | |
.svg.png) Map of Syria with Al Hasakah highlighted | |
| Coordinates (Al-Hasakah): 36°30′N 40°54′E / 36.5°N 40.9°ECoordinates: 36°30′N 40°54′E / 36.5°N 40.9°E | |
| Country |
 Syria |
| Capital | Al-Hasakah |
| Manatiq (Districts) | 4 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 23,334 km2 (9,009 sq mi) |
| Population (31/12/2011) | |
| • Total | 1,512,000[1] |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| ISO 3166 code | SY-HA |
| Main language(s) | Arabic, Kurdish, Syriac, Armenian |
| Ethnicities | Arabs, Kurds, Assyrians, Armenians |
Al-Hasakah Governorate (Arabic: محافظة الحسكة / ALA-LC: Muḥāfaẓat al-Ḥasakah, Kurdish: پارێزگای حەسیچە/Parêzgeha Hesîçe, Syriac: ܓܙܪܬܐ Gozarto) is a governorate in the far north-east corner of Syria. It is distinguished by its fertile lands, plentiful water, picturesque nature, and more than one hundred archaeological sites. It was formerly known as Al-Jazira province. Prior to the Syrian Civil War nearly half of Syria's oil was extracted from the region.[2]
History
Three soldiers were killed by armed militants in Al-Hasakah in an ambush during the Syrian Civil War on 24 March 2012.[3]
About a year later, Kurdish forces launched the 2013 Al-Hasakah offensive.
Demographics and population
The inhabitants of al-Hasakah governorate are composed of different ethnic and cultural groups, the larger groups being Arabs and Kurds in addition to a significant large number of Syriacs/Assyrians/Chaldeans and a smaller number of Armenians.[4] The population of the governorate, according to the country's official census, was 1,275,118, and was estimated to be 1,377,000 in 2007, and 1,512,000 in 2011.
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1931 | 44,153 | — |
| 1933 | 64,886 | +47.0% |
| 1935 | 94,596 | +45.8% |
| 1937 | 98,144 | +3.8% |
| 1938 | 103,514 | +5.5% |
| 1939 | 106,052 | +2.5% |
| 1940 | 126,508 | +19.3% |
| 1942 | 136,107 | +7.6% |
| 1943 | 146,001 | +7.3% |
| 1946 | 151,137 | +3.5% |
| 1950 | 159,300 | +5.4% |
| 1953 | 232,104 | +45.7% |
| 1960 | 351,661 | +51.5% |
| 1970 | 468,506 | +33.2% |
| 1981 | 669,756 | +43.0% |
| 2004 | 1,275,118 | +90.4% |
| 2011 | 1,512,000 | +18.6% |
According to the National Association of Arab Youth, there are 1717 villages in Al-Hasakah province: 1161 Arab villages, 453 Kurdish villages, and 50 Assyrian villages.[5]
| Arab villages | 1161 |
| Kurdish villages | 453 |
| Assyrian villages | 98 |
| Mixed Arab-Kurdish villages | 48 |
| Mixed Arab-Assyrian villages | 3 |
| Mixed Assyrian-Kurdish villages | 2 |
| Total | 1717 |
Censuses of 1943 and 1953
| Religious group | Population (1943) |
Percentage (1943) |
Population (1953) |
Percentage (1953) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muslims | Sunni Muslims | 99,665 | 68.26% | 171,058 | 73.70% |
| Other Muslims | 437 | 0.30% | 503 | 0.22% | |
| Christians | Assyrians | 31,764 | 21.76% | 42,626 | 18.37% |
| Armenians | 9,788 | 6.70% | 12,535 | 5.40% | |
| Other churches | 944 | 0.65% | 1,283 | 0.55% | |
| Total Christians | 42,496 | 29.11% | 56,444 | 24.32% | |
| Jews | 1,938 | 1.33% | 2,350 | 1.01% | |
| Yazidis | 1,475 | 1.01% | 1,749 | 0.75% | |
| TOTAL | Al-Jazira province | 146,001 | 100.0% | 232,104 | 100.0% |
Among the Sunni Muslims, mostly Kurds and Arabs, there were about 1,500 Circassians in 1938.[8]
In 1949, there were officially 155,643 inhabitants. The French geographers Fevret and Gibert estimated that there were about 50,000 Arabs, 60,000 Kurds, a few thousands Jews and Yezidis, the rest being Christians of various denominations.[9]
Cities, towns and villages
This list includes all cities, towns and villages with more than 5,000 inhabitants. The population figures are given according to the 2004 official census:[10]
| English Name | Arabic Name | Population | District |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al-Hasakah | الحسكة | 188,160 | Al-Hasakah District |
| Al-Qamishli | القامشلي | 184,231 | Al-Qamishli District |
| Ras al-Ayn | رأس العين | 29,347 | Ras al-Ayn District |
| Amuda | عامودا | 26,821 | Al-Qamishli District |
| Al-Malikiyah | المالكية | 26,311 | Al-Malikiyah District |
| Al-Qahtaniyah | القحطانية | 16,946 | Al-Qamishli District |
| Al-Shaddadi | الشدادي | 15,806 | Al-Hasakah District |
| Al-Muabbada | المعبدة | 15,759 | Al-Malikiyah District |
| Al-Sabaa wa Arbain | السبعة وأربعين | 14,177 | Al-Hasakah District |
| Al-Manajir | المناجير | 12,156 | Ras al-Ayn District |
| Al-Darbasiyah | الدرباسية | 8,551 | Ras al-Ayn District |
| Tell Tamer | تل تمر | 7,285 | Al-Hasakah District |
| Al-Jawadiyah | الجوادية | 6,630 | Al-Malikiyah District |
| Mabrouka | مبروكة | 6,325 | Ras al-Ayn District |
| Al-Yaarubiyah | اليعربية | 6,066 | Al-Malikiyah District |
| Tell Safouk | تل صفوك | 5,781 | Al-Hasakah District |
| Tell Hamis | تل حميس | 5,161 | Al-Qamishli District |
| Al-Tweinah | التوينة | 5,062 | Al-Hasakah District |
| Al-Fadghami | الفدغمي | 5,062 | Al-Hasakah District |
Districts and sub-districts
 Qamishli Ras al-Ayn Malikiyah Tell Hamis Qahtaniyah Shaddadeh Amuda Darbasiyah Tell Tamer Jawadiyah Yaarubiyah Bir al-Helou Markada Arishah Hawl  Al-Hasakah |
The governorate has 4 districts (Mintaqa's). These are further divided into 16 sub-districts (nawahi):
Archaeology
The Khabur River, which flows through al-Hasakah for 440 kilometres (270 mi), witnessed the birth of the some of the earliest civilizations in the world. The most prominent archaeological sites are:
- Hamoukar:considered by some archaeologists to be the oldest city in the world
- Tell Halaf: Excavations have revealed successive civilization levels, Neolithic glazed pottery and beautiful basalt sculptures.
- Tell Brak: Situated halfway between al-Hasakah city and the frontier town of al-Qamishli. Excavations in the tell have revealed the Uyun Temple and King Naram-Sin palace-stronghold.
- Tell el Fakhariya
- Tell Hittin: 15 layers of occupation have been identified.
- Tell Leilan: Excavations began in 1975 and have revealed many artefacts and buildings dating back to the 6th millennium BC such as a bazaar, temple, palace, etc.
References
- ↑ http://cbssyr.org/yearbook/2011/Data-Chapter2/TAB-3-2-2011.htm
- ↑ Al Monitor, Syria's Oil Crisis, 2013, http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/ru/originals/2013/02/syria-oil-crisis.html#
- ↑ Fresh clashes break out in Damascus
- ↑ Syria - Sunnis
- ↑ National Association of Arab Youth, 2012. Arab East Centre, London, 2012. Study of the demographic composition of al-Hasakah Governorate (in Arabic). Accessed on 26 December 2014.
- ↑ Hourani, Albert Habib (1947). Minorities in the Arab World. London: Oxford University Press. p. 76.
- ↑ Etienne, de Vaumas (1956). "La Djézireh". Annales de Géographie (in French) 65 (347): 64–80. Retrieved 2012-03-29.
- ↑ M. Proux, "Les Tcherkesses", La France méditerranéenne et africaine, IV, 1938
- ↑ Fevret, Maurice; Gibert, André (1953). "La Djezireh syrienne et son réveil économique". Revue de géographie de Lyon (in French) (28): 1–15. Retrieved 2012-03-29.
- ↑ http://www.cbssyr.org/General%20census/census%202004/pop-man.pdf
External links
- ehasakeh The First Complete website for Al-Hasakah news and services
