Hama is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria. It is located 213 kilometres (132 mi) north of Damascus and 46 kilometres (29 mi) north of Homs. It is the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate. With a population of 698,928 (2011 census), Hama is the fourth-largest city in Syria after Aleppo, Damascus and Homs. The modern city is built on the site of the ancient city of Hamath

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