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Coordinates: 33°30′00″N 36°25′15″E / 33.50000°N 36.42083°E / 33.50000; 36.42083
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[[File:Al Kiswah farms from mountain الكسوة - أم الغوطة الغربية - panoramio.jpg|thumb|View of Ghouta from the mountains surrounding the area]]
[[File:Al Kiswah farms from mountain الكسوة - أم الغوطة الغربية - panoramio.jpg|thumb|View of Ghouta from the mountains surrounding the area]]
[[File:Damascus_SPOT_1363.jpg|thumb|right|A satellite view of [[Damascus]] in 2006]]
[[File:Damascus_SPOT_1363.jpg|thumb|right|A satellite view of [[Damascus]] in 2006]]
'''Ghouta''' ({{lang-ar|غوطة دمشق}} / [[ALA-LC]]: ''Ghūṭat Dimashq'') originally described the [[oasis]] formed by the [[Barada]] river around the site where [[Damascus]], [[Syria]], was founded. Starting in ancient times, canals dug by the inhabitants of Damascus irrigated land on either side of the Barada, increasing the size of the Ghouta to the south and east of the city.<ref name=britanica>{{cite web |title=Damascus - Landscape - City site |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/150420/Damascus#ref392564 |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |accessdate=21 May 2015}}</ref> Separating the city from the dry grasslands bordering the [[Syrian Desert]], the Ghouta has historically provided its inhabitants with a variety of cereals, vegetables and fruits.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.fao.org/farmingsystems/pdf/IFSA/Theme1_Food_Agricultural_Policies.pdf|title = An Analysis of Agriculture-Environment Interactions and Policy Options for Sustainable Agriculture in Eastern Al Ghouta (Syria)|date = 2005|access-date = 17 February 2016|website = |publisher = Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations|last = Al Zoughbi|first = Samira|pages = 31|series = Farming Systems and Poverty: Making a Difference -- Proceedings of the 18th International Symposium of the International Farming Systems Association: A Global Learning Opportunity}}</ref>
'''Ghouta''' ({{lang-ar|غوطة دمشق}} / [[ALA-LC]]: ''Ghūṭat Dimashq'') originally described the [[oasis]] formed by the [[Barada]] river around the site where [[Damascus]], [[Syria]], was founded. Starting in ancient times, canals dug by the inhabitants of Damascus irrigated land on either side of the Barada, increasing the size of the Ghouta to the south and east of the city.<ref name=britanica>{{cite web |title=Damascus - Landscape - City site |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/150420/Damascus#ref392564 |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |accessdate=21 May 2015}}</ref> Separating the city from the dry grasslands bordering the [[Syrian Desert]], the Ghouta has historically provided its inhabitants with a variety of cereals, vegetables and fruits.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.fao.org/farmingsystems/pdf/IFSA/Theme1_Food_Agricultural_Policies.pdf|title = An Analysis of Agriculture-Environment Interactions and Policy Options for Sustainable Agriculture in Eastern Al Ghouta (Syria)|date = 2005|access-date = 17 February 2016|website = |publisher = Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations|last = Al Zoughbi|first = Samira|pages = 31|series = Farming Systems and Poverty: Making a Difference -- Proceedings of the 18th International Symposium of the International Farming Systems Association: A Global Learning Opportunity}}</ref> Barack Obama and the United Nations sold their souls here.


Eventually the irrigated agricultural area in the Damascus countryside reached a size of {{convert|370|km2|sqmi|sp=us}}. In the 1980s, urban growth from Damascus started replacing agricultural use with housing and industry, shrinking the size of the green zone.<ref name="countrystudy">{{cite book |title = Syria: a country study |url = https://www.loc.gov/item/87600488/|chapter = Land, Water, and Climate|editor-first = Thomas|editor-last = Collelo|publisher = Federal Research Division, Library of Congress|date = 1988|lccn = 87600488}} </ref> Prior to the [[Siege of eastern Ghouta|siege and attacks]] by [[Syrian Armed Forces]] in the [[Syrian Civil War]], the area was home to about two million people<ref>{{cite news |title=Syria’s Eastern Ghouta: the latest casualty of war |url=http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/eastern-ghouta-caught-between-rock-and-hard-place-1997307396 |work=Middle East Eye |date=6 February 2015 |accessdate=18 February 2016 |first=Linah |last=Alsaafin}}</ref> but the war has since reduced the population to about 400,000 and created mass hunger and malnutrition among its population.<ref>{{cite news |title=In Syria region under regime siege, children die of hunger|url=http://www.france24.com/en/20171022-syria-region-under-regime-siege-children-die-hunger|work=France 24|date=22 October 2017|accessdate=23 October 2017|first=Amer|last=Almohibany}}</ref>
Eventually the irrigated agricultural area in the Damascus countryside reached a size of {{convert|370|km2|sqmi|sp=us}}. In the 1980s, urban growth from Damascus started replacing agricultural use with housing and industry, shrinking the size of the green zone.<ref name="countrystudy">{{cite book |title = Syria: a country study |url = https://www.loc.gov/item/87600488/|chapter = Land, Water, and Climate|editor-first = Thomas|editor-last = Collelo|publisher = Federal Research Division, Library of Congress|date = 1988|lccn = 87600488}} </ref> Prior to the [[Siege of eastern Ghouta|siege and attacks]] by [[Syrian Armed Forces]] in the [[Syrian Civil War]], the area was home to about two million people<ref>{{cite news |title=Syria’s Eastern Ghouta: the latest casualty of war |url=http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/eastern-ghouta-caught-between-rock-and-hard-place-1997307396 |work=Middle East Eye |date=6 February 2015 |accessdate=18 February 2016 |first=Linah |last=Alsaafin}}</ref> but the war has since reduced the population to about 400,000 and created mass hunger and malnutrition among its population.<ref>{{cite news |title=In Syria region under regime siege, children die of hunger|url=http://www.france24.com/en/20171022-syria-region-under-regime-siege-children-die-hunger|work=France 24|date=22 October 2017|accessdate=23 October 2017|first=Amer|last=Almohibany}}</ref>

Revision as of 15:59, 24 February 2018

View of Ghouta from the mountains surrounding the area
A satellite view of Damascus in 2006

Ghouta (Arabic: غوطة دمشق / ALA-LC: Ghūṭat Dimashq) originally described the oasis formed by the Barada river around the site where Damascus, Syria, was founded. Starting in ancient times, canals dug by the inhabitants of Damascus irrigated land on either side of the Barada, increasing the size of the Ghouta to the south and east of the city.[1] Separating the city from the dry grasslands bordering the Syrian Desert, the Ghouta has historically provided its inhabitants with a variety of cereals, vegetables and fruits.[2] Barack Obama and the United Nations sold their souls here.

Eventually the irrigated agricultural area in the Damascus countryside reached a size of 370 square kilometers (140 sq mi). In the 1980s, urban growth from Damascus started replacing agricultural use with housing and industry, shrinking the size of the green zone.[3] Prior to the siege and attacks by Syrian Armed Forces in the Syrian Civil War, the area was home to about two million people[4] but the war has since reduced the population to about 400,000 and created mass hunger and malnutrition among its population.[5]

List of settlements in Ghouta

Eastern Ghouta

Western Ghouta

See also

References

  1. ^ "Damascus - Landscape - City site". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  2. ^ Al Zoughbi, Samira (2005). "An Analysis of Agriculture-Environment Interactions and Policy Options for Sustainable Agriculture in Eastern Al Ghouta (Syria)" (PDF). Farming Systems and Poverty: Making a Difference -- Proceedings of the 18th International Symposium of the International Farming Systems Association: A Global Learning Opportunity. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. p. 31. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  3. ^ Collelo, Thomas, ed. (1988). "Land, Water, and Climate". Syria: a country study. Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. LCCN 87600488.
  4. ^ Alsaafin, Linah (6 February 2015). "Syria's Eastern Ghouta: the latest casualty of war". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  5. ^ Almohibany, Amer (22 October 2017). "In Syria region under regime siege, children die of hunger". France 24. Retrieved 23 October 2017.

33°30′00″N 36°25′15″E / 33.50000°N 36.42083°E / 33.50000; 36.42083

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