Aleppo Governorate

Aleppo Governorate (Arabic: محافظة حلب‎ / ALA-LC: Muḥāfaẓat Ḥalab / ) is one of the fourteen governorates of Syria. It is the most populous governorate in Syria with a population of more than 4,045,166 (2004 census), almost 23% of the total population of Syria. The governorate is the fifth in area with an area of 18,482 km², about 10% of the total area of Syria. The capital is the city of Aleppo. The governorate is represented by 52 deputies in the parliament (out of 250), of whom 20 come from the city of Aleppo. The governor since 2009 is Ahmad Ali Mansoura.

Together with the Governorate of Idlib (and the disputed Sanjak of Alexandretta), the Governorate of Aleppo make up the Northern Region of Syria. Historically, the Northern Region was the most fertile and the most densely populated in Syria; this explains why the Governorate of Aleppo has by far the largest number of towns (32 towns), villages (1430 villages), and farms (1424 farms) in Syria (compare to 28 towns, 190 villages, and 82 farms in Rif Dimashq Governorate). It also explains why the Northern Region has a much larger number of archaeological sites and remains than elsewhere in Syria.