Dera’a
|
Daraa درعا |
|
|---|---|
 Daraa
|
|
| Coordinates: 32°37′N 36°6′E / 32.617°N 36.100°E | |
| Country |
 Syria
|
| Governorate | Daraa Governorate |
| District | Daraa District |
| Nahiya | Daraa |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Mohammad Khaled al-Hannus |
| Elevation | 435 m (1,427 ft) |
| Population (2004 census) | |
| • City | 97,969 |
| • Metro | 146,481 |
| Demonym(s) | Arabic: درعاوي, translit. Darʿāwi |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Area code(s) | 15 |
| Geocode | C5993 |
Daraa (Arabic: درعا, Levantine Arabic: [ˈdarʕa]), also Darʿā, Dara’a, Deraa, Dera'a, Dera, Derʿā and Edrei) (means "fortress", compare Dura-Europos), is a city in southwestern Syria, located about 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) north of the border with Jordan. It is the capital of Daraa Governorate, historically part of the ancient Hauran region. The city is located about 90 kilometres (56 mi) south of Damascus on the Damascus-Amman highway, and is used as a stopping station for travelers. Nearby localities include Umm al-Mayazen and Nasib to the southeast, al-Naimeh to the east, Ataman to the north, al-Yadudah to the northwest and Ramtha, Jordan to the southwest.
According to the Syrian Central Bureau of Statistics, Daraa had a population of 97,969 in the 2004 census. It is the administrative center of a nahiyah ("sub-district") which contains eight localities with a collective population of 146,481 in 2004. Its inhabitants are predominantly Sunni Muslims.
Daraa became known as the "cradle of the revolution" after protests at the arrest of 15 boys from prominent families for painting graffiti with anti-government slogans sparked the beginning of Syrian Uprising of 2011.
Daraa is an ancient city dating back to the Canaanites. It was mentioned in Egyptian hieroglyphic tablets at the time of the Pharaoh Thutmose III between 1490 and 1436 BC. It was known in those days as the city of Atharaa. It was later referred to in the Hebrew Bible as "Edrei" or "Edre'i" (אֶדְרֶעִי), the capital of Bashan, site of a battle where the Israelites defeated the city's king, Og. According to Jewish tradition, Eldad and Medad were buried in Edrei.
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