Hama
Hama
حَمَاة | |
|---|---|
| Nicknames: | |
Interactive map of Hama | |
Hama Location in Syria Hama Hama (Eastern Mediterranean) Hama Hama (Asia) | |
| Coordinates: 35°08′06″N 36°45′00″E / 35.135°N 36.75°E | |
| Country | Syria |
| Governorate | Hama Governorate |
| District | Hama District |
| Subdistrict | Hama Subdistrict |
| First settled | 15th century BCE |
| Elevation | 305 m (1,001 ft) |
| Population (2023 census) | |
• Total | 996,000 |
| • Ethnicities | Syrians |
| • Religions | Sunni Islam Syriac Orthodox Church Greek Orthodox Church |
| Demonym(s) | Arabic: حموي, romanized: Ḥamwi - Hamian |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (AST) |
| Area codes | Country code: +963 City code: 33 |
| Geocode | C2987 |
| Climate | BSk |
Hama (Aramaic: Hamath , Arabic: حَمَاة Ḥamāh, [ħaˈmaː]) is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria. It is located 213 kilometres (132 mi) north of Damascus and 46 km (29 mi) north of Homs. It is the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate, which is the only Governorate with no land borders with any foreign countries. With a population of 996,000 (2023 census), Hama is one of the four largest cities in Syria, with Damascus, Aleppo and Homs. Hama is known for its cheese-making tradition, notably reflected in a signature local dessert Halawet el Jibn.
The city is renowned for its seventeen norias ( Water wheels) used for watering the gardens, which are claimed to date back to 1100 BC. Though historically used for irrigation, the norias are used purely for show today and currently serve no direct purpose, being used as a tourist attraction and a symbol of the city, also this city is popular in protest during the assad regime (ex: Yalla Erhal Ya Bashar (song)