Homs | Syria, Map, Population, & Facts

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</span> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Homs/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Homs">Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Homs/images-videos">Images</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/15/126015-004-933B5BA1/Mosque-Khalid-ibn-al-Walid-Syria-Hims.jpg" data-href="/media/1/266142/120222" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/15/126015-004-933B5BA1/Mosque-Khalid-ibn-al-Walid-Syria-Hims.jpg" alt="Homs: mosque of Khālid ibn al-Walīd" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/24/247024-050-362D3342/Locator-map-Homs.jpg" data-href="/media/1/266142/290610" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/24/247024-004-93105423/Locator-map-Homs.jpg" alt="Homs, Syria" height="50" /> </a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-discover"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Discover </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/how-do-you-tell-the-difference-between-total-annular-solar-and-lunar-eclipses"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/41/196341-131-60E24B83/solar-eclipse-moon-sun-space-astronomy.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="solar eclipse, sun, moon, astronomy, space" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/how-do-you-tell-the-difference-between-total-annular-solar-and-lunar-eclipses" >How Do You Tell the Difference Between Total, Annular, Solar, and Lunar Eclipses?</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/7-alphabet-soup-agencies-that-stuck-around"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/69/115869-131-42C5E022/Franklin-D-Roosevelt-Four-Freedoms.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Franklin D. Roosevelt, who formulated the Four Freedoms." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/7-alphabet-soup-agencies-that-stuck-around" >7 Alphabet Soup Agencies that Stuck Around</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/10-famous-artworks-by-leonardo-da-vinci"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/06/200006-131-ABB681CF/Leonardo-da-Vinci-Italian-Renaissance-Florence-Engraving-1500.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Italian Renaissance painter from Florence. Engraving by Cosomo Colombini (d. 1812) after a Leonardo self portrait. Ca. 1500." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/10-famous-artworks-by-leonardo-da-vinci" >10 Famous Artworks by Leonardo da Vinci</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/timeline-of-the-american-civil-rights-movement"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/17/177117-131-A08C82B6/African-Americans-front-voting-rights-White-House-1965.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="African Americans demonstrating for voting rights in front of the White House as police and others watch, March 12, 1965. One sign reads, "We demand the right to vote everywhere." Voting Rights Act, civil rights." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/timeline-of-the-american-civil-rights-movement" >Timeline of the American Civil Rights Movement</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/new-seven-wonders-of-the-world"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/36/162636-131-E4AA93A0/Colosseum-Rome-Italy.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="The Colosseum, Rome, Italy. Giant amphitheatre built in Rome under the Flavian emperors. (ancient architecture; architectural ruins)" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/new-seven-wonders-of-the-world" >New Seven Wonders of the World</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/when-was-the-periodic-table-invented"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/33/203433-131-606303DD/Periodic-table-nickel-copper-zinc-palladium-silver-cadmium.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Close up of periodic table, focus on nickel, copper, zinc, palladium, silver, cadmium" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/when-was-the-periodic-table-invented" >When Was the Periodic Table Invented?</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/holi-festival-of-colors"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/244757-131-EBAFDFE0/Hindu-Holi-Festival-Mathura-Uttar-Pradesh-India.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Hindu Holi Festival celebrations with colored water, powder and colorful flower petals thrown over celebrants at a Hindu temple in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India on March 24, 2021." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/holi-festival-of-colors" >Holi: Festival of Colors</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <button class="drawerToggle btn position-sticky border btn-xs btn-white btn-circle rounded-sm d-none d-lg-flex " 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Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. </div> <div class="label mt-20 mb-10">Select Citation Style</div> <select class="js-citation-format-select form-select"> <option selected value="mla">MLA</option> <option value="apa">APA</option> <option value="chicago">Chicago Manual of Style</option> </select> <div class="citation font-serif border rounded p-15 mt-20" data-authors="The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica" data-authors-initial="The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica" data-title="Homs" data-published-date="21 Feb. 2025" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/place/Homs" > <div class="citation-text"></div> </div> <button class="js-copy-citation-button mt-20 btn btn-xs btn-outline-blue border shadow-sm pr-10" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="file_copy"></em> <span class="js-citation-status-text">Copy Citation</span> </button> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-share-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=266142] .md-share-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="share"></em> Share </button> <div class="md-share-modal size-lg d-none qa-share-modal"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10" data-icon="share"></em> Share </div> <div class="label my-20">Share to social media</div> <div class="md-social-toolbar-circle d-flex align-items-start inverted" data-value="share" title="Homs" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/place/Homs" > <a class="social-icon facebook justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/BRITANNICA/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>Facebook</span></a> <a class="social-icon x justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="x" href="https://x.com/britannica" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>X</span></a> </div> <div class="label pt-20 mt-20 mb-5 border-top">URL</div> <a class="font-serif text-truncate d-inline-block" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Homs">https://www.britannica.com/place/Homs</a> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-feedback-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal=".md-feedback-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="message"></em> Feedback </button> </div> <div> <button class="qa-external-website-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=266142] .md-websites-modal"> <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 mr-5" data-icon="link"></em> External Websites </button> </div> </div> <div class="md-feedback-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom"> Feedback </div> <form method="post" action="/submission/feedback/266142"> <div class="my-20"> Corrections? 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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/world/A0824069.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Fact Monster - World - Homs, Syria</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 d-none mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10 px-sm-5 px-md-10 js-header-ai-ask-button"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="caption alternate-titles">Also known as: Ḥimṣ, Emesa</div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written and fact-checked by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2025-02-21T00:00:00CST" >Feb 21, 2025</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Homs/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 module-spacing js-inline-ai-ask-button p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Arabic: </dt> <dd>حمص (Ḥimṣ)</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/Homs"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/16/constant-fear-alawites-syria-homs-terrified-reprisals" rel="nofollow">‘We live in constant fear’: Alawites in Syria’s Homs terrified of reprisals</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 17, 2025, 1:17 AM ET (The Guardian) </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies multiple medialist slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100" data-type="other"><div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex"><div class="rw-track d-flex align-items-center"><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="290610" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/24/247024-050-362D3342/Locator-map-Homs.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/266142/290610"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/24/247024-050-362D3342/Locator-map-Homs.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/24/247024-050-362D3342/Locator-map-Homs.jpg?w=300" alt="Homs, Syria" data-width="2000" data-height="2000" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/24/247024-050-362D3342/Locator-map-Homs.jpg" data-href="/media/1/266142/290610">Homs, Syria</a><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><button disabled="true" class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span></button><button disabled="true" class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span></button></div><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref266417"></span>Homs</strong>, city, central <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Syria" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Syria</a>. The city is situated near the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Orontes-River" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Orontes River</a> at the eastern end of Syria’s only natural gateway from the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mediterranean-Sea" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mediterranean</a> coast to the interior. It occupies the site of ancient Emesa, which contained a great temple to the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/sun-worship" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">sun god</a> El Gebal (Aramaic; Latin: Elagabalus; Greek: Heliogabalus). Emesa was ruled by a line of priest-kings throughout the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Roman-Empire" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Roman Empire</a>, and two of its nobility rose to become emperor, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elagabalus" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Elagabalus</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Severus-Alexander" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Severus Alexander</a>. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aurelian" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Aurelian</a> (reigned 270–275 <span class="text-smallcaps">ce</span>) made the town his headquarters and there defeated Queen <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Zenobia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Zenobia</a> of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Palmyra-Syria" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Palmyra</a>. It was taken in 636 by the Muslims, who renamed it Homs (Ḥimṣ), and the city’s large Christian element was eliminated during the rebellion of 855, when the churches were demolished and the Christians executed or deported. Homs later (1516) passed into <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Ottoman-Empire" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Ottoman</a> hands, where it remained, except for a brief period of Egyptian control in the 1830s, until the creation of Syria after <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/World-War-I" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">World War I</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Homs was one of the main centers of the <span id="ref1178091"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Syrian-Civil-War" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Syrian Uprising of 2011–12</a>; crackdowns by Syrian security forces in the town resulted in some of the worst bloodshed of the uprising. Control of Homs was taken in December 2024 by the rebel group <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hayat-Tahrir-al-Sham" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Hayat Tahrir al-Sham</a> (HTS) during a sudden offensive that began less than two weeks earlier. The capture of Homs effectively isolated <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Damascus" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Damascus</a> from the remaining government <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="strongholds" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/strongholds" data-type="EB">strongholds</a> and from bases and ports that would allow the Syrian army to reinforce and resupply Damascus’s defenses.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Homs is situated in a fertile agricultural region that produces wheat, corn (maize), millet, cotton, fruits, and vegetables. The city has thus become a thriving agricultural market center; its local handicrafts, which include jewelry, belts, and cloaks, are also well-known. In addition, Homs has an oil refinery opened in 1959, an agricultural research station, fertilizer and vegetable-oil plants, a sugar refinery, and a university (1979). The hub of an important road and rail network, it is the central link between the interior cities and the Mediterranean coast. A shrine and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/mosque" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">mosque</a> erected in 1908 honours the Arab general and conqueror <span id="ref266418"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Khalid-ibn-al-Walid" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Khalīd ibn al-Walīd</a>, known as “the Sword of Allah,” who died there in 642. Homs contains a <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="medieval" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medieval" data-type="MW">medieval</a> citadel with remains of older foundations. There is a minority Christian <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="community" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/community" data-type="MW">community</a> in the city. Pop. (2004) 659,609.</p><div class="module-spacing"> </div><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="md-signature font-12"><a href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</a></span><span class="md-signature font-12">This article was most recently revised and updated by <a href="/editor/Adam-Zeidan/12409087">Adam Zeidan</a>.</span><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-simplify-root"></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":266142,"pageLength":382,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-134/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.134.9"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-134/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.134.9' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"B","adLeg":"B","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"MEDIUM","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true,"hasAiTopQuestions":false,"hasSimplifyButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Homs | Syria, Map, Population, & Facts | Britannica