[4]: 115  The breed name is thought to derive from that of Al-ʿAwās, a Bedouin tribe of northern Syria.

[2] It is reportedly present in eighteen countries in Africa, Asia and Europe, with a total population estimated in 2024 at 2.85 million head.

[3]: 265 Although the Awassi is considered a dairy sheep, it is commonly reared for meat, for milk and for wool.

[5]: 22 They have unique physiological characteristics such as resistance to many diseases and parasites, walk long distances over pastures for grazing, tolerating extreme temperatures ([8] Al-Ghetaa, 2012) and enduring adverse feeding conditions.

Awassi sheep are well-adapted to the poor Mediterranean pasture and can compensate for under-nutrition during the dry season by using the stored energy reserves in the fat tail.