Adma wa Dafneh or Adma ( or ) is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

in the

Keserwan District Keserwan District (, 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 Maronite Christian. The area ...

of the

Keserwan-Jbeil Governorate Keserwan-Jbeil () 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 Baalbek-Hermel Governorate to ...

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

. The town consists of the villages of Adma and Dafneh. The town is located 27 kilometers north of

Beirut Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...

on a cliff facing South. Jounieh At Sunset From Adma

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), that is, square metres (), and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. ...

s. Adma wa Dafneh is markedly more vacant and vast than most Lebanese settlements, and is strongly connected to

Jounieh Jounieh (, 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, as well as it ...

and Tabarja to its south and north respectively. Adma wa Dafneh's inhabitants are predominantly

Maronite Christian Lebanese Maronite Christians (; ) refers to Lebanese people who are members of the Maronite Church in Lebanon, the largest Christian body in the country. The Lebanese Maronite population is concentrated mainly in Mount Lebanon and East Beir ...

Etymology

"Adam" (𐤀𐤃𐤌 in Phoenician) is derived from 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 1989 Taif Agreement (, ), officially known as the ('')'', was reached to provide "the basis for the ending of the civil war and the return to political normalcy in Lebanon". Negotiated in Taif, Saudi Arabia, it was designed to end the 15 y ...

ending the 15-year

Lebanese Civil War The Lebanese Civil War ( ) was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990. It resulted in an estimated 150,000 fatalities and led to the exodus of almost one million people from Lebanon. The religious diversity of the ...

, the town was the site of a battle between the

Lebanese Army The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; ), also known as the Lebanese Army (), is the national military of the Republic of Lebanon. It consists of three branches, the ground forces, the air force, and the navy. The motto of the Lebanese Armed Forces is ...

and the Lebanese Forces militia (LF). Two hundred

commandos A commando is a combatant, or operative of an elite light infantry or special operations force, specially trained for carrying out raids and operating in small teams behind enemy lines. Originally, "a commando" was a type of combat unit, as opp ...

loyal to General Michel Aoun were trapped in their base in Adma by

Samir Geagea Samir Farid Geagea (, , also spelled Samir Ja'ja' ; born 25 October 1952) is a Lebanese politician and former militia commander who has been the leader of the Lebanese Forces Lebanese Forces, political party and Lebanese Forces (militia ...

’s LF fighters until a truce was arranged, 17 February, to allow their evacuation.''

Middle East International ''Middle East International'' was a bimonthly magazine published in London from 1971 until 2005, reaching a total of 761 issues. It was established by Christopher Mayhew and a group of senior British politicians and diplomats. The original publish ...

'' No 370, 2 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 upper mid-class and the high society, as well as foreign diplomats and international business expatriates working in Lebanon. The town includes some of the most prestigious gated communities in Lebanon, 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 are gasoline (or petrol) and diesel fuel. Fuel dispensers are used to ...

s, churches, a medical center,

school A school is the educational institution (and, in the case of in-person learning, the Educational architecture, building) designed to provide learning environments for the teaching of students, usually under the direction of teachers. Most co ...

restaurant A restaurant is an establishment 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 Delivery (commerce), food delivery services. Restaurants ...

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 re ...

s, etc.

References

External links

Adma Oua Dafneh
localiban {{Keserwan District Populated places in Keserwan District Maronite Christian communities in Lebanon