Dair Atiah
Encyclopedia
Dair Atiah is a city in Syria
, located between the Qalamoun Mountains and the Eastern Lebanon Mountains Series, 88 kilometres (54.7 mi) north of the capital Damascus
and on the road to the city of Homs
. Dair Atiah's current population is estimated to be around 29,254 people.
Dair Atiah enjoys a moderate climate in summer and cold in the winter as Dair Atiah is located at an altitude of 1250 metres (4,101 ft) above sea level.
The proximity to a desert
region, where the average rainfall does not exceed more than 125 millimetres (4.9 in) annually, means that environmental conditions, including poor soil, does not provide adequate resources to economically sustain the local population. Hence locals travel or emigrate. Many locals emigrated to the Americas in the early 20th Century, and to the countries of Persian Gulf
after the emergence of job opportunities there, and to Eastern Asia
.
s, apricot
s, cherries
, fig
s and other fruits.
Dair Atiah benefits from groundwater located in its valley.
Dair Atiah has a number of windmills (sometimes referred to as Air Wheels). The power generated by the windmills is used to pump water from deep wells. The origins of the windmills are not known, but they are reported to be a major source of power to pump water for agriculture for more than a hundred years.
In 2003, the first private university in Syria, University of Kalamoon
, was opened in Dair Atiyah.
Dair Atiah's population reflects Syria's religious diversity, made up primarily of Muslim
s and Christian
s who built strong family relationships between each other.
People in Dair Atiah consume a hot drink called Mate
, which Syrian expatriates brought and introduced from South America. The invitation "Come and drink Mate" is typical of this region's hospitality. The invitation implies not only the sharing of a drink, but also a meal.
A number of ancient Roman channels can be found in Yabrud, close to Dair Atiah.
of Dair Atiah is one of the biggest and richest museums in Damascus suburb, Reif Dimashq. It contains the heritage and folklore of the region.
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, located between the Qalamoun Mountains and the Eastern Lebanon Mountains Series, 88 kilometres (54.7 mi) north of the capital Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
and on the road to the city of Homs
Homs
Homs , previously known as Emesa , is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus...
. Dair Atiah's current population is estimated to be around 29,254 people.
Dair Atiah enjoys a moderate climate in summer and cold in the winter as Dair Atiah is located at an altitude of 1250 metres (4,101 ft) above sea level.
The proximity to a desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
region, where the average rainfall does not exceed more than 125 millimetres (4.9 in) annually, means that environmental conditions, including poor soil, does not provide adequate resources to economically sustain the local population. Hence locals travel or emigrate. Many locals emigrated to the Americas in the early 20th Century, and to the countries of Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
after the emergence of job opportunities there, and to Eastern Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
Agriculture
Farmers cultivate grapeGrape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
s, apricot
Apricot
The apricot, Prunus armeniaca, is a species of Prunus, classified with the plum in the subgenus Prunus. The native range is somewhat uncertain due to its extensive prehistoric cultivation.- Description :...
s, cherries
Cherry
The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit. The cherry fruits of commerce are usually obtained from a limited number of species, including especially cultivars of the wild cherry, Prunus avium....
, fig
Common fig
The Common fig is a deciduous tree growing to heights of up to 6 m in the genus Ficus from the family Moraceae known as Common fig tree. It is a temperate species native to the Middle East.-Description:...
s and other fruits.
Dair Atiah benefits from groundwater located in its valley.
Dair Atiah has a number of windmills (sometimes referred to as Air Wheels). The power generated by the windmills is used to pump water from deep wells. The origins of the windmills are not known, but they are reported to be a major source of power to pump water for agriculture for more than a hundred years.
Culture
Dair Atiah has a museum, a sports center and cultural center.In 2003, the first private university in Syria, University of Kalamoon
University of Kalamoon
The University of Kalamoon is a private higher education institution, located 80 km north of the Syrian capital Damascus, within the city of Deir Atieh in the Kalamoon Zone...
, was opened in Dair Atiyah.
Dair Atiah's population reflects Syria's religious diversity, made up primarily of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s and Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s who built strong family relationships between each other.
People in Dair Atiah consume a hot drink called Mate
Mate (beverage)
Mate , also known as chimarrão or cimarrón, is a traditional South American infused drink, particularly in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, southern states of Brazil, south of Chile, the Bolivian Chaco, and to some extent, Syria and Lebanon...
, which Syrian expatriates brought and introduced from South America. The invitation "Come and drink Mate" is typical of this region's hospitality. The invitation implies not only the sharing of a drink, but also a meal.
Dair Atiah's History
Historians match the name of this city with Romanian Commander Theodorus Paulus whose name means "Giving God" . This name has been associated in minds of successive generations in Dair Atiah for more than thousand years.A number of ancient Roman channels can be found in Yabrud, close to Dair Atiah.
The Museum of Dair Atiah
The MuseumMuseum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
of Dair Atiah is one of the biggest and richest museums in Damascus suburb, Reif Dimashq. It contains the heritage and folklore of the region.