Al-Ariqah
Ariqah
عريقة | |
|---|---|
Shrine of Ammar bin Yasser in Ariqah | |
Ariqah Location in Syria | |
| Coordinates: 32°53′20″N 36°29′00″E / 32.88889°N 36.48333°E | |
| Grid position | 288/255 |
| Country | Syria |
| Governorate | Suwayda |
| District | Shahba |
| Subdistrict | Ariqah |
| Elevation | 800 m (2,600 ft) |
| Population (2004 census) | |
• Total | 3,798 |
| • Density | 386/km2 (1,000/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | +3 |
Ariqah (Arabic: عريقة, romanized: ʿArīqa), formerly known as Ahira, is a town in southern Syria with a population of about 3,798, according to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) in the 2004 census. It is located in the heart of the rocky volcanic plateau of Lajat. Administratively Ariqah is situated in the Shahba District of Suwayda Governorate. Ariqah is known for its volcanic cave which is located in a 10 meters deep hollow in the centre of the village. This cave is known as Ariqa Cave which extends from 2 to 3 kilometers in the old lava streams, it is the biggest known cave in southern Syria. Its inhabitants are predominantly Druze, with a Sunni Muslim Bedouin minority.