Zgharta District

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Zgharta District (Arabic: زغرتا‎) is a district (qadaa) of the North Governorate, Lebanon.

The administrative center is the town of Zgharta. The district has 57 populated areas with 30 municipalities covering 37 villages. Some areas share the same municipality such as Ehden/Zgharta, Kfarsghab/Morh Kfarsghab or Miziara/Harf Miziara. And there is one Municipalities Union.

The district spreads from near the coast at 40 meters above sea level up to 2,800 meters of altitude at its highest point. The highest populated part of the district is overlooking the Qozhaya Valley, the northern branch of the Holy Valley, Qadisha, a UNESCO Heritage Site. The district has also the Horsh Ehden Nature Reserve. This part of the district is highly touristic, especially the area around the Monastery of Mar Sarkis, Ehden and the Monastery of Qozhaya.

Agriculture stays the main activity of the district with an important olive oil production in the coastal area and fruits (apple and pears) in the mountain area. The recent years saw the development of a modest service sector around the economic pole of Zgharta.

The officially registered persons in the district are estimated to 90,000 (est. 1998). Around 50% of the district population lives in the economic pole of Zgharta: Zgharta, Rachiine, Kfardlakos, Kfarhata, Mijdlayiah, Ardeh, Harf Ardeh. The majority of the population is Maronite Catholics, with a minority of Greek Orthodox, Armenians, Sunnite Muslims and others.

[edit] Towns and villages

Village Arabic name GPS Coord Population 1998
Aarjes Arabic: عرجس 34°19′51″N 35°52′53″E / 34.33083, 35.88139 (Aarjes)
Aintourine Arabic: عينتورين 34°17′06″N 35°57′25″E / 34.285, 35.95694 (Aintourine)
Aitou Arabic: أيطو 34°18′31″N 35°55′11″E / 34.30861, 35.91972 (Aitou)
Alma
Arbet Kozhaya Arabic: عربة قزحيا 34°17′42″N 35°55′32″E / 34.295, 35.92556 (Arbet Kozhaya)
Ardeh
Ashash
Aslout
Asnoun
Basloukit
Bchennine
Beit Awkar
Beit Obeid
Besbeel
Bhairet Toula Arabic: بحيرة تولا 34°19′23″N 35°58′15″E / 34.32306, 35.97083 (Bhairet Toula)
Bnachii Arabic: بنشعي 34°19′58″N 35°53′43″E / 34.33278, 35.89528 (Bnachii)
Bousit
Daraya Arabic: داريا 34°19′44″N 35°52′07″E / 34.32889, 35.86861 (Daraya)
Ehden Arabic: أهدن
Ejbeh Arabic: اجبع 34°18′33″N 35°56′37″E / 34.30917, 35.94361 (Ejbeh)
Fraydiss
Haret Al Fawar
Harf Ardeh
Harf Miziara Arabic: حرف مزيارة 34°20′06″N 35°56′23″E / 34.335, 35.93972 (Harf Miziara)
Hawqa Arabic: حوقا 34°16′20″N 35°56′30″E / 34.27222, 35.94167 (Hawqa)
Hilan
Houmeiss Arabic: حميص 34°19′43″N 35°55′59″E / 34.32861, 35.93306 (Houmeiss)
Iaal
Jdaydeh
Kadrieh
Karahbache Arabic: قره باش 34°23′37″N 35°53′40″E / 34.39361, 35.89444 (Karahbache)
Karmsaddeh Arabic: كرمسدة 34°18′21″N 35°53′23″E / 34.30583, 35.88972 (Karmsaddeh)
Kfardlakos
Kfarfou Arabic: كفرفو 34°19′05″N 35°52′48″E / 34.31806, 35.88 (Kfarfou)
Kfarhawra
Kfarsghab Arabic: كفرصغاب 34°16′42″N 35°57′44″E / 34.27833, 35.96222 (Kfarsghab)
Kfarshakhna
Kfarhata Arabic: كفرحاتا 34°22′58″N 35°53′51″E / 34.38278, 35.8975 (Kfarhata)
Kfaryachit Arabic: كفرياشيت 34°20′46″N 35°53′40″E / 34.34611, 35.89444 (Kfaryachit)
Kfarzeina
Khaldieh
Kifraya
Mazraat Al Nahr
Mazraat Al Toufah
Mazraat hraikis
Mejdlaya
Miriata
Miziara Arabic: مزيارة 34°19′58″N 35°55′49″E / 34.33278, 35.93028 (Miziara)
Morh Kfarsghab Arabic: مرح كفرصغاب 34°20′11″N 35°54′12″E / 34.33639, 35.90333 (Morh Kfarsghab)
Rachiine
Raskifa Arabic: راسكيفا 34°18′38″N 35°52′01″E / 34.31056, 35.86694 (Raskifa)
Sakhra Arabic: صخرا
Sebhel Arabic: سبعل 34°18′53″N 35°54′31″E / 34.31472, 35.90861 (Sebhel)
Sereel Arabic: سرعل 34°17′24″N 35°54′41″E / 34.29, 35.91139 (Sereel)
Toula Arabic: تولا 34°19′03″N 35°57′49″E / 34.3175, 35.96361 (Toula)
Zgharta Arabic: زغرتا