Ridaniya

Ridaniya is a small town located in the northern part of the Aleppo Governorate in northwestern Syria. It lies within the administrative district of the al-Bab subdistrict and is situated approximately 45 kilometres northeast of the provincial capital of Aleppo. The town sits on a low plateau that is part of the southeastern extension of the Central Anatolian region, with rolling foothills to the west and the western side of the Great Syrian Desert to the east.

Historical records indicate that Ridaniya has been inhabited since the late Ottoman period, when it was a modest agricultural settlement among the wheat and barley farms that dotted the region. During World War I, the area was briefly occupied by British forces but remained largely unchanged in its rural character. The modern era saw gradual expansion: after the establishment of the Syrian Republic in the mid‑20th century, Ridaniya became home to a mix of Sunni Arab and Kurdish families, whose livelihoods have traditionally centered on farming and livestock.

The town's population, which was estimated at around 2,500 residents in the 2004 Syrian census, is largely agrarian, with many households engaged in small-scale irrigation agriculture. Rice, wheat, and potatoes are the main crops, and cattle and sheep rearing form an important supplementary income source. Public infrastructure includes a primary school, a health clinic, and a community mosque that serves as a focal point for local social life.

Ridaniya is connected to the rest of the governorate by a network of regional roads that link it to the nearby towns of Yabroud and Maarrat al-Numan. The nearest railway access is through the Aleppo–Qamishli line, which runs about 20 kilometres south of the town. Despite its relative remoteness, the town participates in the regional economy and maintains cultural ties through shared festivals, markets, and traditional crafts.