Latakia Governorate – History
Latakia Governorate (Arabic: مُحافظة اللاذقية, romanized: Muḥāfaẓat al-Lāḏiqiyya), officially known as Lattakia Governorate, is one of the fourteen governorates of Syria. It is situated in northwestern Syria, bordering Turkey's Hatay Province to the north, Idlib and Hama Governorate to the east, Tartus Governorate to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Its reported area varies in different sources from 2,297 km2 (887 sq mi) to 2,437 km2 (941 sq mi). The governorate has a population of 1,008,000 (2011 estimate).
The governorate was historically part of the Alawite State, which existed from 1920 to 1936.
Tartus Governorate was formerly included as part of Latakia, before being split off circa 1972.
The region has been relatively peaceful during the Syrian civil war, being a generally pro-Assad region that had largely remained under government control. The Free Syrian Army attacked Al-Haffah in 2012, and unsuccessfully attempted to wrest control of the province in 2014, 2015 and 2016. In 2016 the Islamic State conducted a bomb attack on Jableh, resulting in many deaths.
On 8 March 2025, the UK-based SOHR reported that Syrian security forces and pro-government fighters had committed a massacre of more than 750 Alawite civilians during clashes in western Syria.
In January 2026, the Latakia Governorate issued a decree prohibiting female public sector employees from wearing make-up during official work hours. However, the governorate clarified that it "aims to regulate professional workplace appearance, not prohibit - by avoiding excessive use of cosmetics."
Citadel of Salah Ed-Din - Ayyubid castle
Paltus - Phoenician city
Ugarit - Bronze Age site