Governorates of Syria

Syria

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Syria

Constitution President Bashar al-Assad Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-Otari People's Council Political parties Baath Party Elections: 2007 pres. 2007 parl. Governorates Districts Human rights Foreign relations Foreign aid

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Syria has fourteen governorates, or muhafazat (singular: muhafazah). The governorates are divided into sixty districts, or manatiq (sing. mintaqah), which are further divided into subdistricts, or nawahi (sing. nahia). The nawahi contain villages, which are the smallest administrative units.

A governor, whose appointment is proposed by the minister of the interior, approved by the cabinet, and announced by executive decree, heads each governorate. 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 province. The minister of local administration works closely with each governor to coordinate and supervise local development projects. The governor is assisted by a provincial council, three-quarters of whose members are popularly elected for a term of four years, the remainder being appointed by the minister of the interior and the governor. In addition, each council has an executive arm consisting of six to ten officers appointed by the central government from among the council's elected members. Each executive officer is charged with specific functions.

Districts and subdistricts are administered by officials appointed by the governor, subject to the approval of the minister of the interior. These officials work with elected district councils to attend to assorted local needs and serve as intermediaries between central government authority and traditional local leaders, such as village chiefs, clan leaders, and councils of elders.

Damascus Rif Dimashq Quneitra Daraa As-Suwayda Homs Tartus Latakia Hama Idlib Aleppo Ar-Raqqah Deir ez-Zor Al-Hasakah

See also

• Districts of Syria
• List of cities in Syria
• List of towns and villages in Syria

Governorates of Syria
Al-Hasakah | Aleppo | Damascus | Daraa | Deir ez-Zor | Hama | Homs | Idlib | Latakia | Quneitra | Ar-Raqqah | Rif Dimashq | As-Suwayda | Tartus

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