Damascus

:This article is about Damascus, the capital of Syria. See Damascus (disambiguation) for alternate meanings.

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Damascus (Arabic officially دمشق Dimashq, colloquially ash-Sham الشام) is the capital city of Syria and is the oldest inhabited city in the world. Its current population is estimated at about 2 million.

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In Arabic, the city is called دمشق الشام Dimashq ash-Sham. Although this is often shortened to Dimashq by many, the citizens of Damascus, and of Syria and some other Arab neighbors, colloquially call the city ash-Sham. Ash-Sham is derived from the Arabic root for North, and Syria - particularly historical Greater Syria - is called bilad ash-sham in Arabic. The English name for Damascus is taken from the Greek Δαμασκός, via Latin. This comes from the old Aramaic name for the city — דרמשק Darmeśeq, which means "a well-watered place". However, pre-Aramaic tablets unearthed at Ebla refer to a city to the south of Ebla named Damaski. It is possible that the name Damascus pre-dates the Aramaic era of the city.

Syria: Syria is an ancient region and modern state, officially known as the Syrian Arab Republic, in the Middle East. It borders Lebanon to the west, Israel to the southwest, Jordan to the south, Iraq to the east, and Turkey to the north. The border with Israel is disputed as Israel controls, and claims to...

Damascus (disambiguation): Damascus can mean:...

Arabic: redirect Arabic language...

Damascus related Images and Photos (experimental)

Damascus' Prime Shopping Arcade Souq Al-Hamidiyya

A View of Damascus

Heroes Sword of Hiro Limited Edition Damascus Replica

Hala Rislan a Syrian Opera Singer Sings at the End of the 10-Day Damascus Theater Festival