Rif Dimashq Governorate (, , literally, the "Governorate of the Countryside of Damascus", Damascus Suburb) is one of the fourteen governorates (provinces) of Syria. It is situated in the southwestern part of the country. It borders the governorates of Quneitra, Daraa and al-Suwayda in the southwest, Homs in the north, Lebanon in the west and Jordan in the south. The capital is the city of Douma. The Governorate completely surrounds the city-governorate of Damascus and it has an area of 18,032 km² and a population of 2,273,074 (2004 census). The Governorate was a major site of fighting in the Syrian Civil War - see Rif Dimashq Governorate campaign. Districts The governorate is divided into ten districts (manatiq). The districts are further divided into 37 sub-districts (nawahi). There were nine districts until February 2009, when Qudsaya District was created from parts of Markaz Rif Dimashq and Al-Zabadani districts. There is a small village belonging to the Damascus countryside (Ghouta) called Aqraba, which is characterized by its fields and agricultural orchards. (nawahi). The governorate's total population (as of the 2004 census) is 2,273,074. Markaz Rif Dimashq District (6 sub-districts; population: 837,804) Al-Kiswah Subdistrict Babbila Subdistrict Jaramana Subdistrict Al-Malihah Subdistrict Kafr Batna Subdistrict Arbin Subdistrict Darayya District (3 sub-districts; population: 260,961) Darayya Subdistrict Sahnaya Subdistrict al-Hajar al-Aswad Subdistrict Douma District (7 sub-districts; population: 433,719) Douma Subdistrict Harasta Subdistrict Al-Sabe' Biyar Subdistrict Al-Dumayr Subdistrict Al-Nashabiyah Subdistrict Al-Ghizlaniyah Subdistrict Harran al-Awamid Subdistrict An-Nabek District (3 sub-districts; population: 80,001) An-Nabek Subdistrict Deir Atiyah Subdistrict Qara Subdistrict Qatana District (3 sub-districts; population: 207,245) Qatana Subdistrict Beit Jen Subdistrict Sa'sa' Subdistrict Qudsaya District (3 sub-districts; population: 105,974)* Qudsaya Subdistrict Al-Dimas Subdistrict Ain al-Fijah Subdistrict Al-Qutayfah District (4 sub-districts; population: 119,283) Al-Qutayfah Subdistrict Jayroud Subdistrict Maaloula Subdistrict Ar-Ruhaybah Subdistrict Al-Tall District (3 sub-districts; population: 115,937) al-Tall Subdistrict Saidnaya Subdistrict Rankous Subdistrict Yabroud District (2 sub-districts; population: 48,370) Yabroud Subdistrict Assal al-Ward Subdistrict Al-Zabadani District (3 sub-districts; population: 63,780) Al-Zabadani Subdistrict Madaya Subdistrict Serghaya Subdistrict * - a newly-created district since 2009, formerly belonging to Markaz Rif Dimashq District and parts of Al-Zabadani District References Governorates of Syria