Rif Dimashq

Rif Dimashq Governorate (meaning "rural Damascus") is one of the 14 governorates of Syria. It is situated in the southwestern part of the country. It borders the governorates of Quneitra, Daraa and al-Suwayda in the southwest, Homs in the north, Lebanon in the west and Jordan in the south. The governorate completely surrounds the governorate of Damascus, which is also considered a capital of Rif Dimashq. It has an area of 17,654 km² and a population of 2,487,000 (2007 estimate).