Barada river 1868

Barada river about 1930

Barada river in 2009

Barada river near the Citadel of Damascus 2006

The Barada (Arabic: بردى‎ / ALA-LC: Baradá; Greek: Chrysorrhoas) is the main river of Damascus, the capital city of Syria. It flows through the spring of ‘Ayn Fījah (عين فيجة), about 27 km north west of Damascus in the Anti-Lebanon Mountains, but its source is Lake Barada, located at about 8 km from Zabadani. The Barada descends through a steep, narrow gorge named "Rabwe" before it arrives at Damascus, where it divides into seven branches that irrigate the oasis of Ghouta (الغوطة). The 'Barada' name is thought to derive from 'barid', i.e. 'cold'. The ancient Greek name means 'golden stream'.

Throughout the arid plateau region east of Damascus, oases, streams, and a few interior rivers that empty into swamps and small lakes provide water for local irrigation. Most important of these is the Barada, a river that rises in the Anti-Lebanon Mountains and disappears into the desert. The Barada creates the Al Ghutah Oasis, site of Damascus. This verdant area, some 370 square kilometers, has enabled Damascus to prosper since ancient times. From the mid-1980s onwards, the size of Al Ghutah was gradually being eroded as suburban housing and light industry from Damascus encroached on the oasis.

The river has suffered from severe drought in the last decades, mainly due to the lower rainfall rates and the large increase in the population in the region. It also suffers from serious pollution problems, especially in the summer, where there is almost no flow and little water in the basin.

Biblical mention[link]

Barada is identified as Abana (or Amanah, classical Chrysorrhoas) which is the more important of the two rivers of Damascus, Syria and was mentioned in the Book of Kings (2 Kings 5:12). As the Barada rises in the Anti-Libanus, and escapes from the mountains through a narrow gorge, its waters spread out fan-like, in canals or rivers, the name of one of which, the Banias river, retains a trace of Abana.

John MacGregor, who gives a description of them in his book Rob Roy on the Jordan, affirmed that as a work of hydraulic engineering, the system and construction of the canals, by which the Abana and Pharpar were used for irrigation, might be considered as one of the most complete and extensive in the world. In the Bible, Naaman exclaims that the Abana and Pharpar are greater than all the waters of Israel.

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Abana.

References[link]

• From Gutenberg Encyclopedia (1911)
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain:  Jewish Encyclopedia. 1901–1906. 
•  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Abana". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

See also[link]

• Water resources management in Greater Damascus
• Before Vanishing, a documentary about the decline of Barada.

Coordinates: 33°30′48.75″N 36°18′18″E / 33.5135417°N 36.305°E / 33.5135417; 36.305

This Syria location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Ahmed Barada (born 25 April 1977, in Cairo, Egypt) is a former professional squash player from Egypt. He finished runner-up at both the World Open and the Super Series Finals in 1999 (losing in both finals to Peter Nicol). His career-high world ranking was World No. 2, which he reached in December 1998.

Barada won the World Junior Open squash title in 1994, as well as 4 British Junior Open titles in 1991-94 (1 under-14, 2 under-16, and 1 under-19). He shot to stardom on the professional circuit in 1996, when he became the first wildcard player ever to reach the final of a Professional Squash Association Super Series event, finishing runner-up at the inaugural Al-Ahram International Championship in Cairo.

In 2000, Barada was stabbed by an unknown assailant outside his home in Cairo. Following his recovery from this injury, Barada had a short-lived comeback, before officially announcing his retirement from the game in August 2001.

Barada is now a professional singer.

External links[link]

• Profile at Squashtalk
• Career statistics
• Page at Squashpics.com
• Article at Squashtalk.com

This biographical article relating to an Egyptian squash figure is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Peter Nicol
Nickname(s)	The Boss
Country	England  Scotland (until March, 2001)
Residence	London, England
Born	(1973-04-05) 5 April 1973 (age 39) Inverurie, Scotland
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Turned Pro	1994
Retired	2006
Plays	Left handed
Coached by	Neil Harvey
Racquet used	Prince
Website	www.peternicolsquash.com
Men's singles
Highest ranking	No. 1 (February, 1998)
Title(s)	52
Tour final(s)	69
World Open	W (1999)
Medal record Competitor for  Scotland Squash Commonwealth Games Gold 1998 Kuala Lumpur Men's Singles Bronze 1998 Kuala Lumpur Men's Doubles Competitor for  England Commonwealth Games Silver 2002 Manchester Men's Singles Gold 2006 Melbourne Men's Singles
Last updated on: September 19, 2010.

Peter Nicol, MBE (born 5 April 1973 in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire), is a former professional squash player from the United Kingdom, who represented first Scotland and then England in international squash. In 1998, while still competing for Scotland, he became the first player from the UK to hold the World No. 1 ranking. During his career, he won one World Open title, two British Open titles, and four Commonwealth Games Gold Medals. He is widely considered to be one of the most outstanding international squash players of his time.^[1]

Career overview[link]

During his career, Nicol was well known for his excellent retrieving game, as well as being an extremely tough competitor to break down. His rivalry with the Canadian player Jonathon Power was amongst the most famous and extended in the history of squash.

Nicol was ranked World No. 1 for a total of 60 months during his career, including a continuous 24 month stint in 2002-2003.

After finishing runner-up at the World Open in 1997 and 1998, Nicol won the title in 1999, beating Ahmed Barada of Egypt in the final 15–9, 15–13, 15–11. He continued to hold the title of "world champion" through to 2002 as the men's World Open was not held in 2000 or 2001 due to difficulties in securing sponsorship for the event.

After initially representing Scotland in international squash, Nicol switched his representation to England in 2001, claiming that he felt he was not receiving sufficient support from Scottish Squash, the national governing body. Some resented this switch, even going so far as calling it traitorous, suggesting it was rooted in financial gain.^[2]

Nicol enjoyed considerable success at the Commonwealth Games, where squash became a medal sport in 1998. In 1998, representing Scotland, he won a men's singles Gold Medal (beating Jonathon Power in the final), and a men's doubles Bronze Medal. At the 2002 Commonwealth Games, representing England, Nicol won a men's singles Silver Medal (losing in the final to Power), and a men's doubles Gold Medal (partnering Lee Beachill). In 2006, again representing England, Nicol won another men's singles Gold Medal (beating Australia's David Palmer in the final), and another men's doubles Gold Medal (partnering Beachill again).

Other career highlights included winning three consecutive Super Series Finals titles (1999–2001), two PSA Masters titles (2000 & 2004), three Tournament of Champions titles (2001 & 2003-4), and two British National Championship titles (1996 & 2003).

Retirement[link]

In July 2006, Nicol announced that he would be retiring after the 2006 World Open in September.^[3] Nicol's final match was a loss to Thierry Lincou in the quarter-finals.^[4]

Nicol now has turned his focus to promoting the game, providing sponsorship, support and coaching through his company Peter Nicol Squash, and promoting events worldwide through Eventis Sports Marketing Ltd. As the recently named squash ambassador for Prince, Nicol's long-time sponsor, Nicol coincided a launch of Peternicolsquash.com, an online retailer of Prince equipment.

World Open final appearances[link]

British Open final appearances[link]

Commonwealth Games final appearances[link]

Nicol also won men's doubles Gold Medals at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 and 2006 (partnering Lee Beachill on both occasions).

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website
• Peter Nicol profile on the PSA official website
• Peter Nicol profile on SquashInfo
• Page at Squashpics.com
• Article regarding Nicol's switch from Scotland to England
• Article on the announcement of Nicol's retirement
• Article on Nicol's retirement
• BBC article on the announcement of Nicol's retirement