Golan refers to a region in the Levant spanning about 1,800 km², which is located in southwestern Syria and covers about 1,000 sq km. The Golan Heights is a hilly area that overlooks the upper Jordan River valley on the west. The area was part of extreme southwestern Syria until 1967 when Israel captured most of the area in the Six Day War, occupying it and annexing it in 1981. The region defined as the Golan Heights differs between disciplines. The Golan is bounded by the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee on the west, Mount Hermon on the north, the seasonal Wadi Al-Ruqqād on the east, and the Yarmūk River on the south. The Golan is home to an estimated 20,000 people, including more than 30 Israeli settlements, which are considered illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this. The area is also a key source of water for an arid region, and the land is fertile, with volcanic soil used to cultivate vineyards and orchards and raise cattle.