# Ras al-Ayn

> Town in northern Syria

**Wikidata**: [Q1023330](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1023330)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ras_al-Ayn)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/ras-al-ayn

## Summary
Ras al-Ayn is a town located in northern Syria, specifically within the Ras al-Ayn Subdistrict. It is classified as a city and a populated place in Syria, with a recorded population of 29,473 as of 2004. The town is also known by several other names, including Ra's al-'Ayn, Ras al-Ain, Serê Kaniyê, and its native Arabic name, راس العين.

## Key Facts
*   **Location**: The town is situated in northern Syria, located within the Ras al-Ayn Subdistrict.
*   **Coordinates**: Its geographical coordinates are latitude 36.850277777778 and longitude 40.070555555556.
*   **Elevation**: Ras al-Ayn sits at an elevation of 360 meters above sea level.
*   **Population**: The town had a population of 29,347 in 2004.
*   **Classification**: It is an instance of a city and a populated place in Syria.
*   **Timezone**: The town observes UTC+02:00 and UTC+03:00.
*   **Significant Events**: Historical events associated with the town include the Battle of Ras al-Ayn and the Second Battle of Ras al-Ayn.
*   **Native Name**: The official name and native label for the town is راس العين.
*   **Image**: A photograph of the town (titled "Serekani (Ra's al-'Ayn) Kurdish Syria.jpg") was taken in 2012.

## FAQs
**What are the different names for Ras al-Ayn?**
The town is known by multiple aliases, including Ra's al-'Ayn, Ras al-Ain, Ra’s al-‘Ayn, Serê Kaniyê, and ラス・アル・アイン. It is officially named راس العين and is distinct from entities named Ras Al Ain and Ras El Ain.

**What identifiers are associated with Ras al-Ayn in knowledge graphs?**
The town holds several identifiers: a GND ID of 4804627-9, a SNARC ID of "day sky," a Freebase ID of /m/02qj25m, an OpenStreetMap Node ID of 4032187036, and a National Historical Museums of Sweden ID of geo/f90d4852-b743-41b8-bcf3-734f679773a1.

**In how many languages is Ras al-Ayn represented on Wikipedia?**
Ras al-Ayn has Wikipedia titles or entries in 35 languages, including Arabic, English, German, French, Russian, Kurdish, Turkish, Japanese, and Chinese.

## Why It Matters
Ras al-Ayn serves as a significant human settlement in northern Syria, classified as a city with a substantial population base. Its relevance is highlighted by its inclusion in a wide array of international knowledge bases and linguistic datasets, evidenced by its presence across 37 site links in various languages. The town has been the focal point of military conflict, specifically noted for the Battle of Ras al-Ayn and the Second Battle of Ras al-Ayn, underscoring its strategic or symbolic importance in the region.

## Notable For
*   Being the subject of significant military engagements, specifically the Battle of Ras al-Ayn and the Second Battle of Ras al-Ayn.
*   Possessing a multicultural linguistic footprint, with Wikipedia entries in 35 different languages including Arabic, Kurdish, and Japanese.
*   Maintaining a distinct identity separate from other similar-sounding locations, specifically differentiated from "Ras Al Ain" and "Ras El Ain."
*   Being categorized as both a "city" (a large human settlement) and a "populated place in Syria" in structured knowledge systems.

## Body

### Geography and Location
Ras al-Ayn is geographically positioned in northern Syria. Its precise coordinates are 36.850277777778 latitude and 40.070555555556 longitude. The town rests at an elevation of 360 meters above sea level. Administratively, it is located within the Ras al-Ayn Subdistrict. The town operates within the UTC+02:00 and UTC+03:00 time zones.

### Demographics and Classification
As of the 2004 census, the population of Ras al-Ayn was recorded as 29,347. Structured data classifies the entity as both a "city" (defined as a large human settlement with a sitelink count of 252 in its class context) and a "populated place in Syria."

### Names and Etymology
The town has a diverse set of names and aliases used across different languages and sources. Its official name and native label is راس العين. Other aliases include:
*   Ra's al-'Ayn
*   Ras al-Ain
*   Ra’s al-‘Ayn
*   Serê Kaniyê
*   ラス・アル・アイン (Japanese)

Knowledge base entries explicitly note that this entity is "different from" Ras Al Ain and Ras El Ain, ensuring disambiguation.

### Historical and Media Representation
The town has a documented visual record, with an image titled "Serekani (Ra's al-'Ayn) Kurdish Syria.jpg" archived from Wikimedia Commons, dated to 2012. Significant events associated with the location include the Battle of Ras al-Ayn and the Second Battle of Ras al-Ayn. The town maintains a presence on Wikimedia Commons under the category "Ras al-Ayn, al-Hasakah Governorate."

### Digital Identifiers and Knowledge Graphs
Ras al-Ayn is indexed in multiple international databases and semantic web projects:
*   **GND ID**: 4804627-9
*   **Freebase ID**: /m/02qj25m (publication date: 2013-10-28)
*   **OpenStreetMap Node ID**: 4032187036
*   **SNARC ID**: day sky
*   **National Historical Museums of Sweden ID**: geo/f90d4852-b743-41b8-bcf3-734f679773a1

The entity has a "sitelink count" of 37, indicating its connectedness across various projects. It is represented in Wikipedia across 35 languages, including but not limited to: Arabic (ar), Egyptian Arabic (arz), Azerbaijani (az), Catalan (ca), Chechen (ce), Central Kurdish (ckb), German (de), Greek (el), English (en), Spanish (es), Estonian (et), Persian (fa), Finnish (fi), French (fr), Armenian (hy), Indonesian (id), Italian (it), Japanese (ja), Georgian (ka), Korean (ko), Kurdish (ku), Lithuanian (lt), Dutch (nl), Polish (pl), Western Punjabi (pnb), Russian (ru), Scots (sco), Swedish (sv), Turkish (tr), Urdu (ur), Uzbek (uz), and Chinese (zh).

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013