Dair Atiah

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Dair Atiah
native_name = ديرعطية
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position =bottom
pushpin_mapsize =300
pushpin_map_caption =Location in Syria
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Flag|Syria
subdivision_type1 = Governorate
subdivision_name1 = Rif Dimashq Governorate
subdivision_type2 = District
subdivision_name2 = An-Nabk District
unit_pref =Metric
population_as_of =2008
population_total =20,000
latd=34|latm=05|lats=|latNS=N
longd=36|longm=46|longs=|longEW=E
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 1250

Dair Atiah ( _ar. ديرعطية), formerly called Dhaeaa ( _ar. الضيعة), is a city in Syria, located between the Qalamoun Mountains and the Eastern Lebanon Mountains Series, convert|88|km|mi north of the capital Damascus and on the road to the city of Homs. Dair Atiah's current population is estimated to be around 20,000 people.

Dair Atiah enjoys a moderate climate in summer and cold in the winter as Dair Atiah is located at an altitude of convert|1250|m|ft above sea level.

The proximity to a desert region, where the average rainfall does not exceed more than convert|125|mm|in annually, means that environmental conditions, including poor soil, does not provide adequate resources to economically sustain the local population. Hence locals travel or emigrate.fact|date=July 2008 Many locals emigrated to the Americas in the early 20th Century, and to the countries of Persian Gulf after the emergence of job opportunities there, and to Eastern Asia.

Agriculture

Farmers cultivate grapes , apricots, cherries, figs and other fruits.

Dair Atiah benefits from groundwater located in its valley.

Dair Atiah has a number of windmills (sometimes referred to as Air Wheels). The power generated by the windmills is used to pump water from deep wells. The origins of the windmills are not known, but they are reported to be a major source of power to pump water for agriculture for more than a hundred years. [cite web|url=http://dairatiah.blogspot.com/2006/12/save-enviroment-lets-build-more-air.html|title=Save The Enviroment: lets build more Air Wheels|date=2006-12-19|publisher=DAirAtiah Blog|accessdate=2008-07-30] cite web|url=http://www.dairatiah.com/|title=DairAtiah.com|language=Arabic|accessdate=2008-07-04]

Culture

Dair Atiah has a museum, a sports center and cultural center.

In 2003, the first private university in Syria was opened in Dair Atiah.

Dair Atiah's population reflects Syria's religious diversity, made up primarily of Muslims and Christians who built strong family relationships between each other.dubious|date=July 2008

People in Dair Atiah consume a hot drink called Mate, which Syrian expatriates brought and introduced from South America. The invitation "Come and drink Mate" is typical of this region's hospitality. The invitation implies not only the sharing of a drink, but also a meal.

Dair Atiah's History

Historians match the name of this city with Romanian Commander Theodorus Paulus whose name means "Giving God" ( _ar. عطاء الله). This name has been associated in minds of successive generations in Dair Atiah for more than thousand years.fact|date=July 2008

A number of ancient Roman channels can be found in Yabrud,cite web|url=http://www.yabroudonline.com/|title=YabroudOnline.com|language=Arabic|accessdate=2008-07-05] close to Dair Atiah.

References

External links

* [http://www.dairatiah.net DairAtiah.net] ar
* [http://www.dairatiah.com DairAtiah.com] ar
* [http://www.alkasabschool.com Alkasab school] ar