Palmyra (modern)

This article is about the modern city near the ruins of ancient Palmyra. For the ancient city of Palmyra, also called "Tadmur" in Arabic, see Palmyra. For the planet "Tadmor", see Gamma Cephei Ab.

Palmyra
تَدْمُر
Tadmur
City
The modern town of Palmyra
The modern town of Palmyra
Palmyra is located in Syria
Palmyra
Palmyra
Coordinates: 34°33′36″N 38°16′2″E / 34.56000°N 38.26722°E / 34.56000; 38.26722
Country Syria
GovernorateHoms
DistrictTadmur
SubdistrictTadmur
Elevation
405 m (1,329 ft)
Population
 (2004 census)[1]
 • Total51,323
Demonym(s)Arabic: تدمري, romanized: Tadmuri
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Area code31
GeocodeC2889

Palmyra (/ˌpɑːl-maɪrə/; Arabic: تَدْمُر, romanized: Tadmur; Palmyrene: 𐡶𐡣𐡬𐡥𐡴 Tadmor) is a city in central Syria, administratively part of the Homs Governorate. It is located in an oasis in the middle of the Syrian Desert 215 kilometres (134 mi) northeast of Damascus[2] and 180 kilometres (110 miles) southwest of the Euphrates River. The ruins of ancient Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are situated about 500 metres (1⁄3 mile) southwest of the modern city centre.[3] Relatively isolated, the nearest localities include Arak to the east, Al-Sukhnah further to the northeast, Tiyas to the west and al-Qaryatayn to the southwest.

Palmyra is the administrative centre of the Tadmur District and the Tadmur Subdistrict. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), the city had a population of 51,323 and the subdistrict a population of 55,062 in the 2004 census.[1] Tadmur's inhabitants were recorded to be predominantly Sunni Muslims in 1838.[4] It has a small Christian community. The city has a Syriac Catholic Church, which is the only church in the city.[5][6] During the Syrian Civil War, the city's population significantly increased due to the influx of internally displaced refugees from other parts of the country.[7]

  1. ^ a b General Census of Population and Housing 2004. Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Homs Governorate. (in Arabic)
  2. ^ Syria uncovers 'largest church' BBC News Online, 14 November 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Carter205 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Smith, in Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, Second appendix, B, p. 174
  5. ^ Noursat TV News
  6. ^ Al Souria News
  7. ^ Barnard, Anne; Saad, Hwaida (20 May 2015). "ISIS Fighters Seize Control of Syrian City of Palmyra, and Ancient Ruins". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 May 2015.