al-Qurdaha
القَرْدَاحَة | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Mausoleum of Hafez al-Assad | |
  al-Qurdaha Location in Syria | |
| Coordinates: 35°27′26″N 36°03′35″E / 35.45722°N 36.05972°E | |
| Country |  Syria |
| Governorate | Latakia |
| District | Qardaha |
| Subdistrict | Qardaha |
| Elevation | 420 m (1,380 ft) |
| Population (2004) | |
| • Total | 8,671 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
Qardaha (Arabic: القَرْدَاحَة / ALA-LC: Qardāḥah) is a town in northwestern Syria, in the mountains overlooking the coastal town of Latakia. Nearby localities include Kilmakho to the west, Bustan al-Basha to the southwest, Harf al-Musaytirah to the southeast and Muzayraa to the north. According to the Syrian Central Bureau of Statistics, Qardaha had a population of 8,671 in 2004.[1] It has a predominantly Alawite population and is the traditional home of the al-Assad family,[2] which has ruled Syria since the 1970 Corrective Movement.
Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, who ruled from 1970 to 2000, was born in Qardaha. Under Assad, the government poured massive investments into Qardaha, Latakia and the surrounding region. Qardaha has many luxurious villas. A major statue of Hafez al-Assad is found in the town center, and a huge mausoleum containing the graves of Bassel al-Assad and Hafez al-Assad is also located there. Hasan al-Khayer was also born in Qardaha.
- ^ General Census of Population and Housing 2004. Syrian Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Latakia Governorate. (in Arabic)
- ^ Balanche, Fabrice (2006). La région alaouite et le pouvoir syrien (PDF) (in French). Karthala Editions. ISBN 2845868189.