Area Code 18 – Tartus

Geographic Overview

The area code 18 is a geographic National Destination Code (NDC) assigned to the Tartus Governorate in the Syrian Arab Republic. Tartus is a major port city on the eastern Mediterranean coast, serving as the country's second-largest harbor and a key economic hub. The code covers the city of Tartus and its surrounding districts, including Baniyas, Safita, and Al-Shaykh Badr. This region is known for its commercial activity, tourism, and the nearby Arwad Island, the only inhabited island in Syria.

Dialing Formats

When calling a landline in Tartus from abroad, the international format is +963 18 XXX XXX, where +963 is the country code for Syria, 18 is the area code (without the leading trunk prefix), and the subscriber number typically consists of six to seven digits. For example, a local number such as 031 123456 would be dialed as +963 18 123456 from outside Syria.

Domestically, callers within Syria must use the trunk prefix 0 before the area code. Thus, to call Tartus from another Syrian city, you would dial 031 123456. However, if you are calling from within the same area code, you may often omit the area code and dial only the subscriber number, depending on the local exchange configuration.

Administrative and Regulatory Notes

The Syrian Telecommunications Establishment (STE) is the sole provider of fixed-line PSTN services in Syria, and it manages the numbering plan under the National Numbering Plan approved by the Syrian Ministry of Communications and Technology. The area code 18 is part of the geographic numbering scheme, and no overlay codes have been implemented in Tartus. Therefore, ten-digit dialing (including the trunk prefix) is not required for local calls; the standard national format is 0X XX XXX XXX for the entire country.

For international callers, it is important to note that Syria has experienced network disruptions due to regional conflicts, but the numbering plan remains stable. When dialing from a mobile phone, you may need to use the plus sign (+) instead of the international access code (00) depending on your carrier. Always check with your service provider for the correct international dialing prefix.

In summary, the +963 18 prefix is exclusively used for geographic landline numbers in Tartus and its environs. It is not used for mobile services, which are allocated separate non-geographic prefixes such as 93, 94, 95, 96, 98, and 99. If you receive a call from a number starting with +963 18, it originates from a fixed line in the Tartus region.