Adma wa Dafneh or Adma ( ar, أدْما و الدّفنة or ) is a
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
in the
Keserwan District
Keserwan District ( ar, قضاء كسروان, transliteration: ''Qaḍā' Kisrawān'') is a district (''qadaa'') in Keserwan-Jbeil Governorate, Lebanon, to the northeast of Lebanon's capital Beirut. The capital, Jounieh, is overwhelmingly Maroni ...
of the
Keserwan-Jbeil Governorate
Keserwan-Jbeil ( ar, كسروان - جبيل) is the most recently created governorate of Lebanon. It consists of the districts of Jbeil and Keserwan. Keserwan-Jbeil covers an area of and is bounded by the North Governorate to the north, the ...
in
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
. The town consists of the villages of Adma and Dafneh. The town is located 27 kilometers north of
Beirut
Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...
on a cliff facing South.
Its elevation ranges between 100 and 330 meters above sea level and the town's total land area consists of 456
hectare
The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100-metre sides (1 hm2), or 10,000 m2, and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. An acre is a ...
s. Adma wa Dafneh is markedly more vacant and vast than most Lebanese settlements, and is strongly connected to
Jounieh
Jounieh ( ar, جونيه, or ''Juniya'', ) is a coastal city in Keserwan District, about north of Beirut, Lebanon. Since 2017, it has been the capital of Keserwan-Jbeil Governorate. Jounieh is known for its seaside resorts and bustling nightlife ...
and
Tabarja
Tabarja ( ar, طبرجا) is an ancient coastal village in Lebanon, situated in Kesrouan,
Etymology
The name "Tabarja" is of uncertain origins. It bears a similarity to the Turkic word "Tabarjin", which means "battle axe", and also to the Persi ...
to its south and north respectively. Adma wa Dafneh's inhabitants are predominantly
Maronite Christian
Lebanese Maronite Christians ( ar, المسيحية المارونية في لبنان; syc, ܡܫܝܚܝ̈ܐ ܡܪ̈ܘܢܝܐ ܕܠܒܢܢ) are adherents of the Maronite Church in Lebanon, which is the largest Christian denomination in the country ...
s.
Etymology
"Adam" (אדם in
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
) literally means red, and there is an etymological connection between adam and admah, admah designating "red clay" or "red ground" in a non-theological context. The Village of Adma was named after its fertile and rich soil which was covered by vegetation before urbanisation.
Topography and History
Topography
Adma wa Dafneh is largely made up of sparse structures situated between thick brush and forestation on the limestone hillsides and cliffs of Kasrouane.
History
In February 1990, following the
Taif agreement
The Taif Agreement ( ar, اتفاق الطائف), officially known as the ( ar, وثيقة الوفاق الوطني, label=none'')'', was reached to provide "the basis for the ending of the civil war and the return to political normalcy in Le ...
ending the 15 year civil war, the town was the site of a major battle between the
Lebanese Army
)
, founded = 1 August 1945
, current_form = 1991
, disbanded =
, branches = Lebanese Ground ForcesLebanese Air Force Lebanese Navy
, headquarters = Yarze, Lebanon
, flying_hours =
, websit ...
and
Lebanese Forces
The Lebanese Forces ( ar, القوات اللبنانية '')'' is a Lebanese Christian-based political party and former militia during the Lebanese Civil War. It currently holds 19 of the 128 seats in Lebanon's parliament and is therefore th ...
(LF). Two hundred
commandos
Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin">40_Commando.html" ;"title="Royal Marines from 40 Commando">Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin area of Afghanistan are pictured
A commando is a combatant, or operativ ...
loyal to General
Michel Aoun
Michel Naim Aoun ( ar, ميشال نعيم عون ; born 30 September 1933) is a Lebanese politician and former military general who served as the President of Lebanon from 31 October 2016 until 30 October 2022.
Born in Haret Hreik to a Mar ...
were
trapped in their base in Adma wa Dafna by
Samir Geagea
Samir Farid Geagea ( ar, سمير فريد جعجع Lebanese pron.: , also spelled Samir Ja'ja'; born 25 October 1952) is a Lebanese politician and militia commander who has been leading the Lebanese Forces party and dissolved militia ...
’s LF fighters until a truce was arranged, 17 February, to allow their evacuation.
[Middle East International No 370, 2nd March 1990, Publishers Lord Mayhew, Dennis Walters MP; ]Jim Muir
Jim Muir (born 3 June 1948) is a British journalist, currently serving as a Middle East correspondent for BBC News, based in Beirut, Lebanon.
Education
Muir is of Scottish heritage, but was born in Farnborough, Hampshire in England in 1948, a ...
pp.6,7,8 Traces of the fighting can still be seen. The town also features a ruined Civil War-era structure with a hidden arms depository, now empty, that survived the war.
Residency and Accommodations
Residency
Adma wa Dafneh today is mostly home to the mid-class and the high society, as well as foreign diplomats and international business men working in
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
. The town includes some of the most prestigious gated communities in
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
such as BelHorizon Village and Admir. Mansions, large homes, as well as family buildings represent most of the dwellings in Adma.
Accommodations
The town has also managed to create its own ecosystem of accommodations which includes a
Carrefour Market, convenience stores,
gas station
A filling station, also known as a gas station () or petrol station (), is a facility that sells fuel and engine lubricants for motor vehicles. The most common fuels sold in the 2010s were gasoline (or petrol) and diesel fuel.
Gasoline ...
s,
churches, a medical center,
school
A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compuls ...
s,
restaurant
A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...
s,
shops,
hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...
s, etc.
References
External links
Adma Oua Dafneh localiban
{{Keserwan District
Populated places in Keserwan District
Maronite Christian communities in Lebanon