View source for Governorates of Syria

{{Short description|Subdivisions of Syria}}
{{more footnotes|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox subdivision type
| name = Governorates of Syria<br>{{native name|ar|محافظات سوريا|italics=off}}
| alt_name = 
| map = {{Syria Labelled Map}}
| category = [[Unitary state]]
| territory = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Syrian revolution.svg}} [[Syria]]
| start_date = 
| current_number = 14 governorates
| number_date = 
| population_range = 90,000 ([[Quneitra Governorate|Quneitra]]) – 4,868,000 ([[Aleppo Governorate|Aleppo]])
| area_range = {{Convert|41|sqmi|km2|order=flip|abbr=on}} ([[Damascus]]) – {{Convert|16302|sqmi|km2|order=flip|abbr=on}} ([[Homs Governorate|Homs]])
| government = Provincial councils and their executive bureaus
| subdivision = [[Districts of Syria|District]]
}}

[[Syria]] is a [[unitary state]], but for administrative purposes, it is divided into fourteen '''governorates''', also called '''provinces''' or '''counties''' in English  ([[Arabic language|Arabic]] ''muḥāfaẓāt'', singular ''[[Muhafazah|muḥāfaẓah]]''). The [[governorate]]s are divided into sixty-five [[Districts of Syria|districts]] (''manāṭiq'', singular ''[[Mintaqah|minṭaqah]]''), which are further divided into subdistricts (''nawāḥī'', singular ''[[Nahiyah|nāḥiyah]]''). The ''nawāḥī'' contain villages, which are the smallest administrative units.

Each governorate is headed by a governor, appointed by the president, subject to cabinet approval. The governor is responsible for administration, health, social services, education, tourism, public works, transportation, domestic trade, agriculture, industry, civil defense, and maintenance of law and order in the governorate. The minister of each local administration works closely with each governor to coordinate and supervise local development projects. The governor is assisted by a provincial council, all of whose members are popularly elected for four-year terms. In addition, each council elects from among its members an executive bureau which administers the day to day issues between provincial council sessions. Each executive officer is charged with specific functions.

Districts and subdistricts are administered by officials appointed by the governor. These officials work on local matters with elected district councils and serve as intermediaries between the central government and traditional local leaders, such as village chiefs, clan leaders, and councils of elders.
{{clear}}

== List ==
{{update section|date=December 2023}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Governorate name
!Area  <br/> (km<sup>2</sup>)
!Population <br/> (2018) 
!Population<br>density <br/> (km<sup>2</sup>)
!Districts
!class=unsortable|Photo 
!class=unsortable|Location

|-
| [[Aleppo Governorate]]
| 18,482
| 4,600,166 
| 248.90
| 8
| [[File:Aleppo nights k.jpg|120px]]
| [[File:Aleppo Governorate.svg|105px]]
|-
| [[Raqqa Governorate]]
| 19,616
| 919,000
| 46.85
| 3
| [[File:ArRaqqahRoofTops.jpg|120x120px]]
| [[File:Raqqa Governorate.svg|105x105px]]
|-
| [[Suwayda Governorate]]
| 5,550
| 500,000
| 90.09
| 3
|[[File:As Suwayda's town square.jpg|120px]]
| [[File:As-Suwayda Governorate.svg|105x105px]]
|-
| [[Damascus Governorate]]
| 106
| 2,211,042
| 20858.89
| 1
| [[File:Damascus, Syria, Panoramic view of Damascus.jpg|120px]]
| [[File:Damascus Governorate.svg|105x105px]]
|-
| [[Daraa Governorate]]
| 3,730
| 998,000
| 267.56
| 3
| [[File:Syria bosra theater.jpg|120px]]
| [[file:Daraa Governorate.svg|105px]]
|-
|  [[Deir ez-Zor Governorate]]
| 33,060
| 1,200,500
| 36.31
| 3
| [[File:Bridge of Deir ez-Zor, over Euphrates river, in Syria.JPG|120px]]
| [[File:Deir ez-Zor Governorate.svg|105px]]
|-
| [[Hama Governorate]]
| 8,883
| 1,593,000
| 179.32
| 5
| [[File:Hama,_Syria.jpg|120x120px]]
| [[File:Hama Governorate.svg|105x105px]]
|-
| [[Al-Hasakah  Governorate]]
| 23,334
| 1,272,702 
| 54.53
| 4
| [[File:Tal hajar Quarter in AL-Hasakah.JPG|120x120px]]
| [[File:Al-Hasakah Governorate.svg|105x105px]]
|-
| [[Homs Governorate]]
| 42,223
| 1,762,500
| 41.74
| 6
| [[File:Homs_syria3.JPG|120x120px]]
| [[File:Homs Governorate.svg|105x105px]]
|-
| [[Idlib Governorate]]
| 6,097
| 1,464,000
| 240.13
| 5
| [[File:Idlib, Syria, Dead Cities, Al-Bara 2.jpg|120x120px]]
| [[File:Idlib Governorate.svg|105x105px]]
|-
| [[Latakia Governorate]]
| 2,297
| 1,278,486
| 556.58
| 4
| [[File:Lattakia,centre.jpg|120x120px]]
| [[File:Latakia Governorate.svg|105x105px]]
|-
| [[Quneitra Governorate]]
| 1,861
| 87,000
| 46.74
| 2
| [[File:Qunaitra.jpg|120x120px]]
| [[File:Quneitra Governorate.svg|105x105px]]
|-
| [[Rif Dimashq Governorate]]
| 18,032
| 2,831,738
| 157.04
| 9
| [[File:Alzabadani.JPG|120x120px]]
| [[File:Rif-Dimashq Governorate.svg|105x105px]]
|-
| [[Tartus Governorate]]
| 1,892
| 785,000
| 414.89
| 5
| [[File:Boats_on_Tartus_boat_harbor.jpg|120x120px]]
| [[file:Tartus Governorate.svg|105x105px]]
|}

==See also==
{{Politics of Syria}}

*[[List of governorates of Syria by Human Development Index]]
*[[Districts of Syria]]
*[[ISO 3166-2:SY]]
*[[List of cities in Syria]]
*[[List of towns and villages in Syria]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Governorates of Syria}}
{{Syria topics}}
{{Articles on first-level administrative divisions of Asian countries}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Governorates of Syria}}
[[Category:Governorates of Syria| ]]
[[Category:Subdivisions of Syria]]
[[Category:Lists of administrative divisions|Syria, Governorates]]
[[Category:Administrative divisions in Asia|Syria 1]]
[[Category:First-level administrative divisions by country|Governorates, Syria]]
[[Category:Syria geography-related lists]]
[[Category:Syria politics-related lists]]
[[Category:Governorates|Syria]]