Baniyas
بَانِيَاس | |
|---|---|
 General view of city | |
  Baniyas Location in Syria | |
| Coordinates: 35°10′56″N 35°56′25″E / 35.18222°N 35.94028°E | |
| Country |  Syria |
| Governorate | Tartous |
| District | Baniyas |
| Subdistrict | Baniyas |
| Elevation | 25 m (82 ft) |
| Population (2009 est.) | |
• Total | 43,000 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Area code | 43 |
| Geocode | C5360 |
| Climate | Csa |
Baniyas (Arabic: بَانِيَاس Bāniyās) is a Mediterranean coastal city in Tartous Governorate, northwestern Syria, located 55 km (34 mi) south of Latakia and 35 km (22 mi) north of Tartous.
It is known for its citrus fruit orchards and its export of wood. North of the city is an oil refinery, one of the largest in Syria, and a power station. The oil refinery is connected with Iraq by the Kirkuk–Baniyas pipeline (now defunct).
On a nearby hill stands the Crusader castle of Margat (Qalaat el-Marqab), a huge Knights Hospitaller fortress built with black basalt stone.