Hama

Hama
حَمَاة
ܚܡܬ
Hama skyline
Norias of Hama
Azem Palace
Khan Rustem Pasha
Nur al-Din Mosque
Nicknames: 
Mother of Norias (أم النواعير)
City of Abulfeda (مدينة أبي الفداء)
Hama
Location in Syria
Hama
Hama (Eastern Mediterranean)
Hama
Hama (Asia)
Coordinates: 35°8′6″N 36°45′0″E / 35.13500°N 36.75000°E / 35.13500; 36.75000
Country Syria
GovernorateHama Governorate
DistrictHama District
SubdistrictHama Subdistrict
First settled15th century BCE
Elevation
305 m (1,001 ft)
Population
 (2023 census)
 • Total996,000[1]
 • Ethnicities
Syrians
 • Religions
Sunni Islam
Syriac Orthodox Church
Greek Orthodox Church
Demonym(s)Arabic: حموي, romanized: Ḥamwi
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Area codesCountry code: +963
City code: 33
GeocodeC2987
ClimateBSk
Websitewww.ehama.sy

Hama (Arabic: حَمَاة Ḥamāh, ar) is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria. It is located 213 kilometres (132 mi) north of Damascus and 46 km (29 mi) north of Homs. It is the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate. With a population of 996,000 (2023 census), Hama is one of the four largest cities in Syria, with Damascus, Aleppo and Homs, Also notably being the only Governorate with no land borders with any foreign countries, Hama is also known for its Cheese-making tradition, notably reflected in a signature local dessert Halawet el Jibn.[2][3]

The city is renowned for its seventeen norias used for watering the gardens, Which are claimed to date back to 1100 BC. Though historically used for irrigation, the norias, Today they are purely for show and currently serve no direct purpose, it's used as a tourist attraction and a symbol of the city.

References

  1. "2023 official census". cbss. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  2. Updated: Your Cheat Sheet to the Syrian Conflict Archived 3 November 2022 at the Wayback Machine. PBS.
  3. "Hamah (Syria)". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2013.