Khan Shaykhun
Khan Shaykhun
خَان شَيْخُون | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Coordinates: 35°26′20″N 36°39′4″E / 35.43889°N 36.65111°E | |
| Country | Syria |
| Governorate | Idlib |
| District | Maarrat al-Nu'man |
| Subdistrict | Khan Shaykhun |
| Control | Syrian opposition |
| First settled | 20th century BC |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Abdul Karim Najjar |
| Area | |
• Total | 202.98 km2 (78.37 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 350 m (1,150 ft) |
| Population (2004) | |
• Total | 50,469 |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (EEST) |
| Climate | BSk |
Khan Shaykhun (Arabic: خَان شَيْخُون, romanized: Khān Shaykhūn) is a town in the Maarrat al-Nu'man District, within the southern Idlib Governorate of northwestern Syria.
Khan Shaykhun is located at an altitude of 350 meters on the main highway between Aleppo and Damascus. The local economy is primarily agricultural, focusing on the growing of cotton and cereals. The town was formerly known for producing embroidery. Nearby localities include Hbit to the west, Kafr Zita to southwest, Murak to the south and Al-Tamanah to the east.
The city was first settled in the 20th century BC during the Bronze and Iron Ages and had multiple civilisations, of which at least 4 are confirmed through excavations done by the French in 1932. The ancient civilisations range from Assyria Empire, Neo-Babylonian Empire, Achaemenid Empire to other, older empires. In the 2010 census, the population was recorded at 50,469. During the Syrian Civil War, this number doubled due to the waves of refugees the city experienced. However, many of its original inhabitants, as well as the refugees, left the city as a result of the intense bombardments it was subjected to.