Deir Ezzor – Miri Kharita river island
  

Raw materials, human power, land, and water are all available in Deir Ezzor entitling it to play an important role in the national industry. Its nature and climate qualifications entitle it also to form vital elements in the national economy and to be the Syrian gate to the Arab Gulf area and Iraq.

The history of the governorate, its ancient ruins, and its distinguished natural locations on the Euphrates and in the desert entitles it to reserve an important spot in tourism, especially the small islands on Euphrates which totaled 77 ones in this specific governorate; starting from Ma’dan Ateeq in the west located on the border of Al-Raqqa governorate and ending with Herri village on the Syrian-Iraq border.

The city of Deir Ezzor has many industries and governmental factories such as: Al-Furat Yarns Company, The Genaral Company for Manufacturing Paper, The Sugar Company of Deir Ezzor, The Preserves Factory in Mayadin, The Factory of Concrete Pillars, and Al-Furat Automatic Mills.

- The Environmental Characteristics:
 

- The assorted environmental living presence

- Euphrates river

- The availability of wide range of plains, grasslands, and forests.

- The presence of an environmental park on the banks of Euphrates.

Deir Ezzor- Source of Ali 

Al-Furat University has taken a quality step in the field of improving the education in the governorate of Deir Ezzor and the Eastern Region in general. Adding to this, the increasing attention in that field through the ambitious annual plans which were implemented through the new school buildings, remodeling the existing ones in a way to match the required developing process and to insure the availability for the new enrolled students during the Essential Education which totals around 37 thousand students. Adding to that also, improvement in the educational field, the providing of big number of schools (essentials, secondary, and technical ones), and the providing of number of institutes especially the professional and the technical ones, and the increase of care in the education field and the availability of the trained working forces.
 

- Agriculture:
 

The economy in Deir Ezzor counts, essentially, on agriculture which is considered the dominant and motivating activity to all other economical and service activities. Most of the countryside inhabitants work in agriculture, and the governorate produces plenty of strategic crops. The governorate provides vast areas of lands available for plantation. Some have been utilized and some have not; as well as, other lands of grass and meadow. In addition to that, the water resources (Euphrates), storing dams, sections of the green belt totaled of 26816 fruitful trees (pomegranate, pistachio, dates, and olives). There are, also, some other land reclamation projects under execution, such as:

- Reclamation 23000 H. in the two sectors 6-8

- Reclamation 8285 h. in sector 6

- Reclamation 11500 h. in sector 8

- A project study to reclaim 96500 in those two sectors

-The Touristic Locations:
 

The most important touristic locations in Deir Ezzor are: :

●Biq'riss Hill: located on the right of Biq'riss Fuqani village of about 500 m. on Deir Ezzor - Miadin Freeway.

●Al-Rahbeh Castle: It is distinguished with its Arab-Islamic style of building which has a defensive and a strategic military feature.

● Al-Tar'qa (Al-Isharah): Tar'qa is located on the right bank of Euphrates of about 60 km. east of Deir Ezzor.

● Qar'qisiah (Al-Bsayrah): is located on the left bank of Euphrates where the later meets with Al-Khabour tribute. Yafeh is 60 km east of Deid Ezzor.

● Dura Urius (Al-Salhiah): Al-Salhiah ruins is located 90 km east of Deir Ezzor and the site was discovered 1920.

● Mari (Al-Hariri Hill): is located 12 km west of north wets of Al-Boukamal city, and 123 km away from Deir Ezzor.

● Hilbiah & Zelbiah: These ruins are located on the right bank of Euphrates of about 48 km north west of Deir Ezzor.

● Al-Shaikh Hamad Hill: is located on the left bank of Al-Khabour river 68 km north east of Deir Ezzor.

● Al-Daliah (Al-Qouliah): is located between Rahbat malik Bin Touq and A'nah on the west bank of Euphrates.

● The old federal building: an old building goes back to the Ottoman era used as government center.

● Qati' river Island: it is a high piece of land in the Euphrates surrounded by water all over.

- Banks in Deir Ezzor:
 

The following banks exist in the Governorate:

- The Strategic Projects in Deir Ezzor :
 

There are many vitally important developing projects are under execution which will have a big positive effect operation of development and improvement in the governorate, in particular, and in the Eastern Region in general estimating total of 19 billion sp.
 

The governorate is distinguished with the following resources:

The industrial city in Deir Ezzor:
 

The city is located 15 km from Al-Hassakeh freeway north-east Deir Ezzor. It measures 1260 hectare and the total measure with the expansion is 2850 h. The estimated cost for establishing is 5 Billion sp. The industrial city contains assigned pieces of lands to establish all kinds of factories and industrial plants such as for food, fabric, engineering, and chemical.

There exist some important factories such as:

The New highways (under construction):

An important integrated highway network will connect the governorate with other governorates and surrounding cities. It includes:

Among the important projects at Deir Ezzor:

-The Investment Characteristics in Deir Ezzor

The agricultural investment at Deir Ezzor is distinguished by the following:

The Touristic Investment is distinguished by:

In general we can summarize the characteristics of the governorate as follow:

• Mines resources: (oil, gas, Al-Bishri asphalt, rock salt)

• Agricultural crops and big variable animal resources.

• Vast areas of non-invested lands

• A plentiful resources of water, and others important to generate electricity

• Raw materials, specifically (nutritious, fabric, chemical)

• Cheap labors

• Industrial City with minimal fees for services and land sectors, and facilitation in payments and installments.

• The historical sites and the beautiful natural locations (river islands, Al-Badiyah)

• The closeness of the city from the passing points and the external connecting network (airport- railroads, international freeways), and the easiness of international connection with Iraq and Iran, and the closeness from the Turkish borders on the way to the neighboring countries and the European Union.

• A local outlet for many products

• The strategic projects financed by the government (central highways, land reclamation, oil refinery, railroad, improving Deir Ezzor airport, residential areas…etc.)

Al-Hassakeh Governorate
 

Al-Hassakeh is located in the farthest east north of Syria extending on an area of 23000 skm. It is the third Syrian governorate in terms of area, and the sixth in terms of population which is 1.377 million with a density of 60 people / sq.m. The Governorate history goes back to the 8^th century BC when it was inhabited by the Mesopotamia civilizations which lived between the two rivers (The Euphrates and Tigris). Later on, it became one of the most important provinces in the Umayyad and the Abbasid Caliphate for its abundance of water, fertility of lands and variety of activities. The geographical location of the governorate is now a junction between Turkey, Iraq, and Syria.

There are heights in the upper plains of the island created by the movement of the Arabic geological plate and they are:

- Abd El-Azziz Mountain

- Kawkab Mountain

- Qulaib Mountain

- Qara Choq Height

The Al-Jazeera also has upper plains that lay between the Turkish-Syrian northern heights and Tawal El-Aba –Sinjar . Tripoli Convex bounds it from the west and it connects with Iraqi Al-Jazeera from the east. The upper plains length is 400km.

As for Al-Jazeera lower plains, they are eroded and confined between Tawal Elaba, Abd El-Azziz and Sinjar from the north and the Euphrates basin from the west and south. Those plains are divided by Al-Khabour and Al-Ballikh Rivers in to wavy areas descending towards the Salinas and marshes (AL-Rawdah and Al-Bargotheiah) adjacent to Iraqi borders. Those plains have good pastures and almost closed places.

Old Arab historians refer to the region as an island lying between Tigris and the Euphrates rivers and that Al-Hassakeh obtained that name from a thorny plant called Al-Hasaj which grows there.

The governorate consists of three districts which are: Al-Hassakeh, Al-Qameshli, Raas Al-Ein and Al-malkieh.

Al-Hassakeh district; including the following provinces: Al-Shadadi, Markadeh, Al-Hilow Hill( Barrak Hill) and Tamr Hill.

Al-Qameshli district; including the following provinces: Amouda, Al-Kahtanieah and Hamees Hill.

Ras-Al-Ein district; including Al-dirbasiah province.

Al-Malkiah; including two provinces: Al-yarubieh and Al-jawadieh.

- Education:
 

Number of schools in the Governorate:

Basic education schools: 2054

Secondary schools: 96

Technical-Professional schools: 31

- Agriculture, Water and Animal Resources:
 

Agriculture is developed in Al-Hassakeh due to various aspects such as rivers, dams, rains and fertile lands. That was followed by establishing important agricultural industries in which animal resources are a major pillar supporting the agricultural economic activity.

The area of the irrigated and non-irrigated lands in the governorate in 2006-2007 was as follows:

أما البادية فأن مساحتها الإجمالية في المحافظة تبلغ نحو 497350 هكتاراً موزعة على أربعة تجمعات هي :

- عبدان 42350 هـ - أبو فاس 102000 هـ - هداج غربي 8500 هـ - هداج شرقي 91500 هـ
 

The total area of the desert is around 497350 ha. and it is divided to 4 sections which are: Abadan 42350 ha, Abu Fas102000 ha, Hadaj Gharbi 8500 ha, and Hadaj Sharqi 91500 ha.

The governorate also has an agricultural airport, a fleet of agricultural aircrafts and 104 guidance units along with a Chamber of Agriculture, four State-owned farms in Al- Hassakeh, Al-Manajeer, Ras-Al-Ein and Al-Malkieah, and 16 agricultural bank branches which offer loans to peasants and farmers. State establishments also distribute different crops’ seeds to peasants. They also offer and manufacture various agricultural machines needed in the field. Various agricultural companies have been established in the last few years in the governorate with a shared ownership between the public and the private sectors. The main cities and cereal centers spread out to cover concrete and metal cereal cells to store cereals and sterilized seeds.

Forestation:

There has been an improvement in the last few years regarding the protection of the old woods and natural trees areas in Al-Azziz Mountain and in fruitful forestation projects which started to expand since the middle of the seventies so that the forestation areas are now more than 26000 hectare.

There also has been an expansion in fruitful saplings production in the agricultural centers and the energy of the forestation nurseries increased to reach 3.5 million saplings and the governorate owns now a forest in Abd El-Azziz Mountain which counts amongst the biggest artificial forests in Syria with 40 km length and 5 km width along with other woods owned by the governorate.

Irrigation, reclamation and dams projects :

Second area: It extends from 7^th of April Dam to north east Al-Hassakeh and its irrigated designated area is estimated at 43150 hectare.

Third area: It extends from Basel Al-Assad Dam to Al-Sour city and its irrigated area is estimated at 50274 hectare.

Accomplished and Invested Irrigation projects:

Invested projects in Tigris basin:
 

There are seven dams invested with their networks and they are: Al-jirahi, Maeshouq, Bab Hadid, Al-jawadiah, Al--Mansourah, Al-safan, and Al-hakimiah.

There have been also 25 wells dug and invested to support Bab Al-hadid and Al-jawadiah networks during the dry years.

- Quarrying and manufacturing industries situation:
 

Accompanying the agricultural revival in the governorate there has been a number of factories and foundations established to manufacture the agricultural products and they are:

Regarding the investments of the industrial private sector (excluding the Oil sector), the Governorate is considered poor with industrial plants and with the agricultural manufacturing, although, the Governorate annual average rate of grains is estimated with 1600 ton and of cotton 260 000 ton.

The Special plants established already by Investment Decree # 10, amended by Decree # 8 for 2007:

Preserve and Packing fruits and vegetables in Al-Qameshli with a capital of 25 million sp., production capacity of 530 ton/year, and is invested since 2004.

Grinding wheat and flour production in Al-Hassakeh with capital of 131 million sp., production capacity 230 ton/day, and invested since 2004

Refrigeration storing and preserving food products in Al-Qameshli with capital of 39 million sp., production capacity of 1200 ton/year, and invested since 2002.

Factory of all kinds of brick for building purposes with capital of 10 million sp., production capacity 12 million brick/year, and already in operation.

A Profile factory for (P.V.C.) in Al-Qameshli with capital of 185 million sp., production capacity 1200 ton/year, and under investment.

Plants already on Decree # 21 for year 1985:
 

7 total Nutritious Plants. 6 in Al-Qameshli and 1 in Al-Hassakeh. All are to produce Tahina & Sesame Oil Halawa, production capacity 1000 ton/year.

4 Plants to produce vegetarian fodder for animals and birds. 3 in Al-Qameshli and 1 in Al-Hassakeh, total production capacity reach to 60 000 ton/year.

2 Plants for Burgul, full wheat, and crushing lentils. 1 in Al-Dirbasiah north of Al-Hassakeh, production capacity 6650 ton/year, and already in operation since 1999; and the other one in Al-Qameshli (Jnaidiah), production capacity 1200 ton/year, and in operation since 2004.

3 Plants for food appetizers factory, 2 in Al-Hassakeh and 1 in Al-Qameshli (Al-Qah'Taniah), total production capacity 5000 kg/day.

1 Factory for Biscuit in Al-Qameshli, production capacity 6000 kg/day, and in operation since 1992.

4 Plants for automatic Ice Cream, 3 in Al-Qameshli rural, and 1 in Al-Hassakeh.

4 Plants for Gaseous Beverages, 2 in Al-Qameshli and 2 in Al-Hassakeh.

1 Plant for Non-Gaseous Beverages in Al-Hassakeh with production capacity 12500 piece/year.

Dairies and Ice Cream Factory in Al-Qameshli with production capacity 1500 ton/year.

1 Factory for paper tissues in (Al-Qah'Taniah) Al-Qameshli rural with production capacity 1500 kg/day.

- Petroleum:
 

Petroleum industry in Al-Hassakeh is divided to:

- Al-Hassakeh oil fields (in Al-Rmailan)

- Al-jibseh oil field:

Its daily designated capacity is 1,700,000m3 of hot gas.

Accompanying gas manufacture in Al-swaidiah:

Its daily capacity is 660,000 m3 of natural crude gas. This factory produces domestic gas and sulfur. Clean gas is used for gas turbines to produce electricity.

-Tourism Situation :
 

Entertainment Tourism: Such as in Ein Diwar and Maglojeh locations

Cultural tourism: Such as in the historical hills (Baidar, Shagerbazar and Mozan hills).

Religious tourism: Such as in Virgin Mari shrine in Brabita and Shekh Abd El-Azziz Al-Jilani in Jabal Al-Azziz Mountain.

Treatment tourism: Such as in Al-safeh sulfur spring.

Desert and mountain tourism: Such as in Al-haol and Abd El-Azziz Mountain.

Natural reserves: Such as Khatoniah lake and Karatchok mountain.

• 
  Al-khatoniah Lake

• Maglojah location

• 8^th of March and 7^th of April dams

• Al-Basel Northern Dam.

• Qattinah spring

• Ein Al-zarka spring

• Al-safh sulfuric water spring

• Ein Diwar

• Al-swaidiah spring

• Saffan Dam

• Al-jawadiah Dam

• Karachok Mountain
   

- Commerce :
 
The geographical location of Al-Hassakeh gives a relative advantage through the activation of transit trade and import/export business. This takes place at the border gates in Al-Ya'rubiah with Iraq, and Telll Ziwan at Al-Qameshli with Turkey, in addition to the free zone at Al-Ya'rubiah.

There are the following banks in Al-Hassakeh:

A, Public Banks:

b, Private Banks:

-The Infrastructure and services in AL-Hassakeh:

Drinking water: is provided to the Governorate cities through underground water after filtration and treatment in the special stations exist in Al-Hassakeh, Al-Qameshli, Al-Shaddadi, Ras Al-Ein, Al-Sab'a, and Al-Arba'in where fresh-drinkable water is obtained.

Sewerage: There are network of sewerage in the main cities such as Al-Hassakeh, Al-Qameshli, Ras Al-Ein, Al-Malkiah, Al-Dirbasiah, and Amuda as well as the considered villages and municipalities all over the Governorate, and there is a need to establish Sewerage Waste Stations.

Governorate of Al-Raqqa
 

The governorate measures 19,618 sq.m, approximately 10,6 % of Syria and rank the fourth among the other governorates in measure. The population is 854 thousand inhabitants = 4,4 % of Syria population.
 

-The Natural Resources in Al-Raqqa :
 

Water:

Euphrates river: crosses the governorate with a length of 180 km from Allepo governorate to Deir Ezzor governorate with average flow of 1000 m3/sec. Dam of Euphrates forms Al-Assad lake with an area estimated 674 sq.m, Al-Ba’th Dam forms another lake with area of 27 sq.m, and Al-Dalha lake close to Sab’kha district which is a kind of water assembled leaking from Euphrates river.

Al-Ballikh River: It springs from Turkey and crosses the governorate with a length of 110 km with a flow of 1,9m3/sec. It has dried out because of droughty weather.

Al-Jallab River: It is originated from the Turkish land, and it is formed out of the agricultural waste water and supports Al-Ballikh River but does not have a stable average of flow, and irrigates an area of 8000 h.

The underground wells: They irrigate an area of 78172 h. and number of wells is 5839.

The precipitation : The governorate extends on a four stable rainfall areas as in the following chart:

The average of the precipitation recorded during the period (1998-2006) in Al-Raqqa 163,9/mm/season, and in Tell-Abyadh 245/mm/season.

There are five kinds of soil in the governorate distributed as follows:

 
- The Geological Resources :
 

• The following materials are available in the governorate:  

• The sand and gravels of Euphrates.
• The left over of stone quarries.
• Calcium Stone.
• Asphalt of Al-Bishri.
• Volcanic tuff used in concrete and brick industry.
• Raw Oil.

 - The Education:
 

• The number of schools in the governorate counts:
• 1180 ones in the essential stage
• 54 in the secondary school
• 6 in the Technical Secondary School (agriculture, veterinary, hotel)
• Nursing School
• Industrial Institute
• Feminism Art Institute
• Athletic Institute

And as for the intermediate institutes:

• The Veterinary Institute
• The Agriculture Institute
• The Land Reclamation Institute
• The Commerce Institute
• The Computer Institute

 Universities:

- The Economic-Agricultural reality in the Governorate:

 

Meat and Milk production for 2006, Unit: ton
 

Number of sheep and their production for 2006

Numbers per one, unit: ton
 

Number of Buffaloes and Production for 2006
Count per one, Unit: ton

Total number of goats and production for 2006
Goats per one, Unit: ton

Number of Goats and production by type for 2006
Goat number per one, Unit: ton

Fish Production for 2006
Unit: ton 

 
- Tourism in Al-Raqqa Governorate
 

Environmental Tourism

• Al-Thawrah Lake reserve
• Al-Assad Lake
• Al-Kater Cave
• River Islands
• Religious Tourism:
• Prophet Abraham shrine
• Ammar Bin Yaser shrine
• Oais Al-Qarani shrine
• Ubai Bin Qais Al-Nakhai shrine
• Wabisah Bin Mabad Al-Assadi shrine
• Historical, cultural and heritage tourism:
• Al-Raqqa historical ruins
• Al-Rsafah historical ruins
• Jaabar castle
• Totool kingdom
   

Historical sites in Al-Raqqa:

Al-Rafiqa city wall/Abbasid in Al-Raqqa city built with tiles and bricks with a length of 5 km.

The Main Mosque/ Abbasid in Arafiqa and it has a brick wall, a yard, a minaret and a prayer area that is 1200 sm.

Maidens Palace/Ayoubi which is a Bimaristan (old hospital) built with bricks and gypsum.

Al-Rasafah City/Byzantine lies nearby Al-Mansourah and it is surrounded by a calcic stone wall. It contains churches, a mosque and cisterns.

Ja’abar castle/ Islamic-Ayoubi lies nearby Al-Jurniah. It is built with bricks and gypsum and has two walls with towers. It is surrounded with Al-Assad Lake’s.

The White Boy location/ Assyrian: It lies nearby Suluk .It goes back to the middle Assyrian age 1300 BC.

Maslamah Fort location/ Umayyad-Islamic: It also lies nearby Suluk and it is an Islamic city and fort that goes back to the Umayyad age.

Al-Hamam Hill location: It is a historical hill that lies nearby Suluk and contains the historical city of Zalba which goes back to the 19^th century BC.

Al-Khwairah location lies also nearby Suluk and it is a historical site that contains a historical city that goes back to the 3^rd century BC.

Bani Saiar Ruins location which is also a historical hill nearby Suluk that goes back to the 3^rd century BC

Abbasid Palaces: It is in Al-Raqqa city center and has ruins of bricks and tiles that go back to the Abbasid age.

Al-Baiaea hill in Al-Raqqa city is also a historical hill that contains Totool historical city.

Sora location/Byzantine: It is a historical location that lies on the left bank of the Euphrates nearby Al-Mansoura.

Shikh Hasan location: The outer part is a historical place of a Byzantine city with churches and an Islamic city with a wall and porcelain factories.