Al-Hasakah Governorate

Al-Hasakah Governorate محافظة الحسكة
Governorate
Map of Syria with Al Hasakah highlighted
Coordinates (Al-Hasakah): 36°30′N 40°54′E / 36.5°N 40.9°E / 36.5; 40.9Coordinates: 36°30′N 40°54′E / 36.5°N 40.9°E / 36.5; 40.9
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, Classical 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.

According to the National Association of Arab Youth, an Arab nationalist organisation, there are 1717 villages in Al-Hasakah province: 1161 Arab villages, 453 Kurdish villages, and 50 Assyrian villages.^[5]

Censuses of 1943 and 1953

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]

Districts and sub-districts

Qamishli Ra's al-'Ayn Al-Malikiyah Tell Hamis Qahtaniyah Al-Shaddadeh Amuda Darbasiyah Tell Tamer Jawadiyah Yaarubiyah Bir al-Helou Markada Al-Arishah Al-Hawl Al-Hasakah

The governorate has 4 districts (Mintaqa's). These are further divided into 16 sub-districts (nawahi):

• Al-Malikiyah District
  • Al-Malikiyah
  • Al-Yaarubiyah
  • Al-Jawadiyah
• Al-Qamishli District
  • Al-Qahtaniyah
  • Tell Hamis
  • Al-Qamishli
  • Amuda
• Ras al-Ayn District
  • Ras al-Ayn
  • Al-Darbasiyah
• Al-Hasakah District
  • Bir al-Helou
  • Al-Hawl
  • Al-Hasakah
  • Tell Tamer
  • Al-Arishah
  • Al-Shaddadeh
  • Markada

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

External links

• ehasakeh The First Complete website for Al-Hasakah news and services

Al-Hasakah Governorate Capital: Al-Hasakah   Al-Hasakah District Al-Hasakah al-Alwa al-Arishah Bir al-Helou Bureij Sharqi Dashishah Gharbiyah al-Fadghami al-Fakkah Markada Ghabshah al-Ghariri al-Haddadiyah al-Hajiyah al-Hawl Markada Markada Sharqiyah al-Sabaa wa Arbain al-Saadah Safia al-Shaddadeh al-Shaykh Hamad Sumayhan Gharbi Tell Brak Tell Majdal Tell Tamer Tell Safouk Tell Tawil Gharbi al-Tweinah Umm Madfaa   Al-Qamishli District Al-Qamishli Amuda Jimaayah al-Manathirah al-Qahtaniyah al-Tannuriyah Tell Hamis Tell Maaruf Umm al-Fursan   Al-Malikiyah District Al-Malikiyah al-Jawadiyah Khanik al-Maabadah Maashuq Qasrok Sabaa Jafar Suwaydiyah Fawqani al-Tabaqah Tell Adas al-Yaarubiyah   Ras al-Ayn District Ras al-Ayn Abu Rasin al-Darbasiyah al-Lid Dirbasiyah Mabrouka al-Manajir Tell Halaf Tell Sinan Sharqi Umm al-Dibs Dirbasiyah