The Port of Tartous lies on Syria’s western shores on the Mediterranean Sea about 42 nautical miles (about 80 kilometers by land) south of the Port of Lattakia. The Port of Tartous is the capital of the Tartus Governorate and one of the country’s two major ports. Today, the Port of Tartous is undergoing major expansions, as imports destined for Iraq’s reconstruction arrive here. Offering beautiful sandy beaches and many resorts, the Port of Tartous is also a popular tourist destination. In 2008, about 118 thousand people lived in the Port of Tartous.