Damascus Governorate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Damascus Governorate
مُحافظة دمشق
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.svg)
Map of Syria with Damascus highlighted
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| Country |  Syria |
| Capital | Damascus |
| Population
(2010 est.)
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| • Total | 1,711,000 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | SY-DI |
| Main language(s) | Arabic |
The Damascus Governorate (which means Muḥāfaẓat Dimashq in Arabic) is one of the 14 main areas, or governorates, in Syria. It's special because it only includes the city of Damascus, which is the capital of Syria. It also includes a nearby area called Yarmouk Camp.
This governorate is completely surrounded by another region called the Rif Dimashq Governorate. The total size of the Damascus Governorate is about 107 square kilometers. In 2010, about 1,711,000 people lived there.
Contents
Where is Damascus Located?
Damascus is in a very important spot. It sits on a high flat area, about 680 meters (2,230 feet) above sea level. The city is about 80 kilometers (50 miles) away from the Mediterranean Sea.
High mountains called the Anti-Lebanon mountains protect Damascus. These mountains also form the border between Syria and Lebanon. The Barada River provides water to the city. This river gets its water from melting snow in the mountains.
The Ghouta Farmland
Around Damascus, there's a green, fertile area called the Ghouta. This land is watered by the Barada River. For a very long time, farmers in the Ghouta have grown many different vegetables, grains, and fruits.
Size of the Governorate
The Damascus Governorate covers an area of 107 square kilometers. Most of this area, about 79 square kilometers, is city land. This includes 77 square kilometers for Damascus itself and 2 square kilometers for Yarmouk Camp. The rest of the area is taken up by Mount Qasioun, a mountain that looks over the city.
What is the Climate Like?
Damascus has a cold desert climate. This is because of something called the rain shadow effect. The Anti-Lebanon mountains block most of the rain clouds coming from the Mediterranean Sea.
Seasons in Damascus
- Summers are usually hot and dry, with not much moisture in the air.
- Winters are cooler and get some rain. It doesn't snow very often.
On average, Damascus gets about 130 millimeters (5 inches) of rain each year. Most of this rain falls between October and May.
| Climate data for Damascus (Damascus International Airport) 1981–2010 | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 24.0 (75.2) |
29.0 (84.2) |
34.4 (93.9) |
38.4 (101.1) |
41.0 (105.8) |
44.8 (112.6) |
46.0 (114.8) |
44.6 (112.3) |
42.0 (107.6) |
37.8 (100.0) |
31.0 (87.8) |
25.1 (77.2) |
46.0 (114.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 12.6 (54.7) |
14.5 (58.1) |
19.0 (66.2) |
24.7 (76.5) |
30.1 (86.2) |
34.6 (94.3) |
37.0 (98.6) |
36.8 (98.2) |
33.9 (93.0) |
28.1 (82.6) |
20.1 (68.2) |
14.3 (57.7) |
25.5 (77.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 6.1 (43.0) |
7.7 (45.9) |
11.4 (52.5) |
16.2 (61.2) |
20.8 (69.4) |
25.0 (77.0) |
27.3 (81.1) |
27.0 (80.6) |
24.0 (75.2) |
19.0 (66.2) |
12.1 (53.8) |
7.5 (45.5) |
17.0 (62.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0.7 (33.3) |
1.9 (35.4) |
4.3 (39.7) |
7.9 (46.2) |
11.4 (52.5) |
15.0 (59.0) |
17.9 (64.2) |
17.7 (63.9) |
14.4 (57.9) |
10.3 (50.5) |
4.8 (40.6) |
1.7 (35.1) |
9.0 (48.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −12.2 (10.0) |
−12 (10) |
−8 (18) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
0.6 (33.1) |
4.5 (40.1) |
9.0 (48.2) |
8.6 (47.5) |
2.1 (35.8) |
−3.0 (26.6) |
−8 (18) |
−10.2 (13.6) |
−12.2 (10.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 25.0 (0.98) |
26.0 (1.02) |
20.0 (0.79) |
7.0 (0.28) |
4.0 (0.16) |
1.0 (0.04) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.3 (0.01) |
6.0 (0.24) |
21.0 (0.83) |
21.0 (0.83) |
131.3 (5.18) |
| Average precipitation days | 8 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 42.5 |
| Average snowy days | 1 | 1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 2.3 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 76 | 69 | 59 | 50 | 43 | 41 | 44 | 48 | 47 | 52 | 63 | 75 | 56 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 164.3 | 182.0 | 226.3 | 249.0 | 322.4 | 357.0 | 365.8 | 353.4 | 306.0 | 266.6 | 207.0 | 164.3 | 3,164.1 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 5.3 | 6.5 | 7.3 | 8.3 | 10.4 | 11.9 | 11.8 | 11.4 | 10.2 | 8.6 | 6.9 | 5.3 | 8.5 |
| Source 1: Pogoda.ru.net | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: NOAA (sunshine hours, 1961–1990) | |||||||||||||
See also
In Spanish: Gobernación de Damasco para niños
