Barada

Barada , ancient Abana , river, 52 mi (84 km) long, rising in the Anti-Lebanon Mts. and flowing S to marshy Lake Al Utaybah, SE Syria; forms the Ghutah oasis, site of the city of Damascus. The Barada's waters have been used for irrigation for centuries; fruit orchards, wheat, and vineyards thrive there. Two dams on the Barada generate hydroelectricity and store water for irrigation. See Abana .

Damascus Capital of Syria, on the River Barada, sw Syria. Thought to be the oldest continuously occupied city in the world, in ancient times it belonged to the Egyptians, Persians and Greeks, and under Roman rule was a prosperous commercial centre. It was held by the Ottoman Turks for 400 years, and after World War I came under French administration. It became capital of an independent Syria in 1941. Sites include the Great Mosque and the Citadel. It is Syria's administrative and financial centre. Industries: damask fabric, metalware, leather goods, refined sugar. Pop. (1994) 1,394,322.