Damascus governorate or Damascus (City Governorate)1011 includes Syria’s capital and is located in the south-western part of the country,1012 surrounded by Rural Damascus governorate1013 (Rif Dimashq).1014 Damascus is Syria’s only governorate-level city1015 and is further divided into the 16 sub-districts of Al-Qadam, Al-Qanawat, Al-Shaghour, Barzeh (Burza), Dummar, Jowbar (Jobar), Kafr Sousa (Kafar Soussa), Mezzeh (Al-Mazzeh), Midan (Al-Meydan), Muhajerin, the Old City, Qaboun, Rukn Al-Din (Rukn Eddine), Salhiyeh (Salhiya), Saroujah, and Yarmouk.1016 The Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk1017 is still served by UNRWA.1018
According to IOM, the total population of Damascus governorate as of April 2026 was 1 900 254, including residents, IDPs, and returnees from abroad.1019
- 1011
Syria, Syria Embassy, Provincial System of The Syrian Arab Republic, n.d., url
- 1012
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Damascus, last updated 12 June 2026, url
- 1013
UNHCR, Syrian Arab Republic: Comprehensive Overview of IDPs and IDP Returns Dashboard, 9 April 2026, url
- 1014
Syria, Syria Embassy, Provincial System of The Syrian Arab Republic, n.d., url
- 1015
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Syria – Local government, last updated 15 June 2026, url
- 1016
UNOCHA, Syrian Arab Republic, Governorates profile (June 2014), 6 August 2014, url, pp. 2-3
- 1017
Wohlan, M. et al., Weltzeit - Die Kriegsverbrechen in Yarmouk [World Time – The War Crimes in Yarmouk] [Podcast], Deutschlandfunk, 16 March 2026, url
- 1018
UNRWA, Italy and UNRWA launch €2 million project to restore schools and services in Yarmouk, Syria, 14 April 2026, url
- 1019
IOM, Syrian Arab Republic – Population Mobility and Baseline Assessment – Round 15 – April 2026, 18 May 2026, url, p. 7