Zahlé District ( ar, قضاء زحلة, links=no) is an administrative district of the

Beqaa Governorate Beqaa ( ') is a governorate in Lebanon. Districts Since 2014, Beqaa Governorate contains three districts: * West Beqaa * Rashaya * Zahle A law was passed in 2003 to separate Baalbek District and Hermel District from Beqaa Governorate to form a ...

of the Republic of

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 ...

. Its capital and largest town is the town of the same name. A reed-roofed town set among the eastern foothills of Mount Sannine. Zahle was founded about 300 years ago in an area whose past reaches back some five millennia.

Main cities and towns

* Ali an Nahri * Anjar *

Barelias Bar Elias (Arabic: ; also transliterated Barelias, Barr Elias or Bar Ilyas) is a town located in the Zahlé District, Bekaa Governorate, Lebanon. With around 40,000 inhabitants, mostly Sunni Muslims, it is the second largest town, after Zahlé, in ...

* Jdita *

Majdal Anjar Majdal Anjar ( ar, مجدل عنجر; also transliterated Majdel Anjar) is a village of Beqaa Governorate, Lebanon. Majdal Anjar is an overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim town. History In 1838, Eli Smith noted ''Mejdel 'Anjar '' as a Sunni Muslim ...

Qabb Ilyas Qabb Ilyas ( ar, قب الياس; ALA-LC: ''Qab Ilyās'' / Lebanese Arabic: ) also spelled ''Kab Elias'', ''Qab Elias'', ''Qob Elias'', ''Qoub Elias'') is a municipality in Zahle District, in eastern Lebanon. Qabb Ilyas is 15 kilometers from Zah ...

Rayak Rayaq - Haouch Hala ( ar, رياق), also romanized Rayak, is a Lebanese town in the Beqaa Governorate near the city of Zahlé. In the early 20th century and up to 1975 and the outbreak of the civil war, it was Lebanon's most important railway ...

Saadnayel Saadnayel ( ar, سعدنايل) is a town in the Bekaa Valley in the Zahlé District of Lebanon. It has a population of around 52,500, mostly Sunnis. Saadnayel lies away from Beirut. The town is located strategically near the crossroads between ...

* Taalabaya *

Zahlé Zahlé ( ar, زَحْلة) is the capital and the largest city of Beqaa Governorate, Lebanon. With around 150,000 inhabitants, it is the third-largest city in Lebanon after Beirut and Tripoli and the fourth largest taking the whole urban area (t ...

* Qâa er Rîm

Demographics

The Zahlé district is one of the most diverse regions in Lebanon. Roughly 55% of the population is of the

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

religion, with a decent portion being

Greek Catholic The term Greek Catholic Church can refer to a number of Eastern Catholic Churches following the Byzantine (Greek) liturgy, considered collectively or individually. The terms Greek Catholic, Greek Catholic church or Byzantine Catholic, Byzantine Ca ...

. The remaining 45% of the population is of the Muslim religion, which the majority belongs to the

Sunni Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...

and a minority of

Shiite Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, most ...

denominations. The area is also home to a modest

Armenian Orthodox , native_name_lang = hy , icon = Armenian Apostolic Church logo.svg , icon_width = 100px , icon_alt = , image = Էջմիածնի_Մայր_Տաճար.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , a ...

and Catholic population, who have historically resided near the Anjar area of the district. Kabelias municipal garden

Other settlements

Ablah Ablah ( ar, عبلة, ‘Ablah; ku, Ebla) is a village in northern Aleppo Governorate, northwestern Syria. Situated in a wadi surrounded by the Aqil mountains and some northeast of the Shahba reservoir, it is located south of Akhtarin and s ...

Ain Kfar Zabad Ain Kfar Zabad, or Aïn Kafar Zabad ( ar, عين كفر زبد) is a city is situated to the East of the Lebanese capital Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population o ...

Bouarij Bouarej (also spelled Bouarij, Bouârej, Buariji or Bwareg) is a village located on the eastern side of the Church Mountain, Beqaa. Population Bouarij has 1,274 registered voters in the 2009 elections. The population follow Sunni Islam ...

Chtaura Chtaura ( ar, شتورا) is a town in Lebanon in the fertile Beqaa Valley, Beqaa valley located between the Mount Lebanon and Syria. It is located halfway on the Beirut - Damascus highway. It is located from Beirut. Chtaura is the valley's hub ...

*Dalhamiye * Deir el Ghazal * Ferzol *Haoush el Ghanam *Haoush Hala *Hay el Fikani * Kfar Zabad * *Masa *Mreijat *

Nabi Ayla Nabi Ayla ( ar, نبي ايلا), is a village located in the Zahlé District of the Beqaa Governorate in Lebanon. The village is named after the biblical Elijah, known to the Lebanese as Ayla, and the Mausoleum of Al-Nabi Ayla is attributed to him ...

*Nasriyet Rizk *

Niha Bekaa Niha may refer to: Places Lebanon * Niha, Chouf ** Fortress of Niha * Niha, Zahlé ** Hosn Niha, an archaeological site Syria * Niha, Idlib * Niha, Tartus Other uses * Nepal Ice Hockey Association (NIHA) See also * * Nam Niha, a village ...

*Qousaya *Raait * Taanayel *Tal Amara

References

Districts of Lebanon {{lebanon-geo-stub