Misplaced Pages

Beqaa Valley: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from[REDACTED] with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editContent deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 07:51, 21 July 2014 editRcbutcher (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers43,314 edits →External links← Previous edit Latest revision as of 18:43, 15 January 2025 edit undoSmartse (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Administrators49,614 editsm rv spamTag: Rollback 
(231 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Valley in eastern Lebanon}}
] Lake in the Bekaa Valley]]
{{Redirect|Bekaa|the Lebanese association football club|Bekaa SC}}
]
{{More citations needed|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox valley
| other_name =
| native_name ={{native name|ar|وادي البقاع}}
| translation =
| photo = File:Qsarnaba,grapes.jpg
| photo_caption = Grapevines near ], overlooking the central Beqaa Valley
<!-- MAP -->
| map =
| map_image =
| map_caption =
<!-- Location -->
| location =
| country = ]
| region =], ]
| state =
| district =
| city = ]
| relief =
| label =
| label_position =
| coordinates = {{coord|34|00|32|N|36|08|43|E|region:LB-BI_type:landmark_source:kolossus-dewiki|display=title}}
| coordinates_ref =
<!-- Statistics -->
| elevation =
| elevation_m =
| elevation_ft =
| elevation_ref =
| length =
| length_mi =
| length_km = 120
| length_orientation =
| length_note =
| width =
| width_mi =
| width_km = 16
| width_orientation =
| width_note =
| area =
| area_mi2 =
| area_km2 =
| depth =
| depth_ft =
| depth_m =
| type = ]
| age =
| border =
| topo =
| traversed =
| river =
<!-- Below -->
| footnotes =
| embed =
}}


'''The Beqaa Valley''' (]: وادي البقاع / ]: ''{{transl|ar|ALA-LC|Wādī l-Biqā‘}}'', <small>]:</small> {{IPA|}}; also ] as '''Bekaa''', '''Biqâ''' or '''Becaa'''; {{lang-hy|Բեքայի դաշտավայր}}) is a fertile ] in east ]. For the ], the Beqaa Valley was a major agricultural source, and today it remains Lebanon’s most important farming region.<ref name="Globaleye"/> Industry also flourishes in Bekaa, especially that related to agriculture. The '''Beqaa Valley''' ({{langx|ar|وادي البقاع|Wādī l-Biqā‘}}, {{IPA|apc-LB|bʔaːʕ|lang|link=yes}}; {{small|also romanized as}} '''Bekaa''', '''Biqâ''', {{small|and}} '''Becaa''') is a fertile valley in eastern ] and its most important ].<ref name="Globaleye"/> Industry, especially the country's agricultural industry, also flourishes in Beqaa. The region broadly corresponds to the ] of ].


The Beqaa is located about {{convert|30|km|mi|abbr=on}} east of ]. The valley is situated between ] to the west and the ] to the east.<ref name=":0">{{Citation |last=Masri |first=Rania |title=Environmental Challenges in Lebanon |date=1997-01-01 |work=Challenging Environmental Issues |pages=73–115 |url=https://brill.com/display/book/9789004475076/B9789004475076_s006.xml |access-date=2024-06-10 |publisher=Brill |language=en |doi=10.1163/9789004475076_006 |isbn=978-90-04-47507-6}}</ref> It is the northern continuation of the ], and thus part of the ], which stretches from ] to the ]. Beqaa Valley is {{convert|120|km|mi}} long and {{convert|16|km|mi}} wide on average. It has a ] of wet, often snowy winters and dry, warm summers.<ref>{{Citation |last=Neal |first=Mark |title=Beqaa Valley |date=2019-05-23 |work=A Dictionary of Business and Management in the Middle East and North Africa |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780191843266.001.0001/acref-9780191843266-e-27 |access-date=2024-07-29 |publisher=Oxford University Press |language=en |doi=10.1093/acref/9780191843266.001.0001 |isbn=978-0-19-184326-6}}</ref>
]-Taalabaya-Saadnayel-] urban area, the valley's largest]]
]]]
The Beqaa is a fertile valley in ], located about {{convert|30|km|mi|abbr=on}} east of ]. The valley is situated between the ] to the west and the ] to the east. It forms the northeasternmost extension of the ], which stretches from ] to the ]. Beqaa Valley is about 120&nbsp;km (about 75 miles) in length and has an average width of about 16&nbsp;km (about 10 miles). It has a ] of wet, often snowy winters and dry, warm summers. The region receives limited rainfall, particularly in the north, because ] creates a ] that blocks precipitation coming from the sea. The northern section has an average annual rainfall of 230&nbsp;mm (9&nbsp;inches), compared to 610&nbsp;mm (24&nbsp;inches) in the central valley. Two rivers originate in the valley: the ] (Asi), which flows north into Syria and ], and the ], which flows south and then west to the ].


== Climate ==
From the 1st century BC, when the region was part of the ], the Beqaa Valley served as a source of grain for the ]s of the ]. Today the valley makes up 40 percent of Lebanon's ]. The northern end of the valley, with its scarce rainfall and less fertile soils, is used primarily as grazing land by ], mostly migrants from the ]. Farther south, more fertile soils support crops of wheat, ], ], and ]s, with ]s and ]s centered around ]. The valley also produces ] and cultivates ], which are exported as part of the ]. Since 1957 the Litani ] project—a series of ]s and a ] located at ] in the southern end of the valley—has improved irrigation to farms in Beqaa Valley.
{{main|Climate of Beqaa Valley}}
The region receives limited rainfall, particularly in the north, because Mount Lebanon creates a ] that blocks precipitation coming from the sea. The northern section has an average annual rainfall of {{convert|230|mm|inch}}, compared to {{convert|610|mm|inch}} in the central valley.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Beqaa, LB Climate Zone, Monthly Weather Averages and Historical Data |url=https://weatherandclimate.com/lebanon/beqaa#google_vignette |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=weatherandclimate.com}}</ref> Nevertheless, two rivers originate in the valley: the ] (Asi), which flows north into Syria and ], and the ], which flows south and then west to the ].<ref name=":0" />

From the 1st century BC, when the region was part of the ], the Beqaa Valley served as a source of grain for the ]s of the ]. Today the valley makes up 40 percent of Lebanon's ].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Lebanon's Neglected Agricultural Potential - a Story of Baalbek |url=https://welthungerhilfe.org.tr/en/lebanons-neglected-argicultural-potential-a-story-of-baalbek |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=welthungerhilfe.org.tr |language=en}}</ref> The northern end of the valley, with its scarce rainfall and less fertile soils, is used primarily as grazing land by ]. Farther south, more fertile soils support crops of wheat, ], ], and vegetables, with ]s and ]s centered on ].

The valley also produces ] and cultivates ], which are exported as part of the ].<ref name=":3" />

==History==
===Pre-History===
In ], that is part of a valley to the east of the northern Beqaa Valley, there are evidence of continual habitation dating back almost 8000–9000 years. ] is a small tell mound with an archaeological site, located on a plain at the foot of the Lebanon Mountain, just 11 km (7 mi) northwest of Baalbeck, in the Beqaa Valley. It dates to around 5780-5710 BC and has the southernmost pottery belonging to the ].<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Copeland |first=Lorraine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dDskHAAACAAJ&q=neolithic+village+sites+copeland |title=Neolithic Village Sites in the South Beqaa, Lebanon |date=1969 |language=en}}</ref>

] is a village at an elevation of 950 metres (3,120 ft) on a foothill of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains in Baalbek District, Baalbek-Hermel Governorate, Lebanon, settled since the ].<ref name=":4" />

=== Bronze Age ===
In the ], the Beqa Valley was a highway between the regional power of ] in the north and its vassal ] in the south. The Beqaa valley was known as '']'' during the ]. The identity of the inhabitants is not known for certain, but the region was part of the ] Kingdoms of ] and ]. To the southwest of Baalbek was ], a city or city-state mentioned in the ]-] ] ], written by two rulers of the city ] and ].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Safadi |first=Crystal |date=2015 |title=The Beqa'a Valley During the Early Bronze Age: A GIS Approach to Settlement Patterns. |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284508624}}</ref>

=== Iron Age ===
By the early ], the Beqaa Valley came to be dominated by ]-and ]-speaking populations.

In the 11th and 10th centuries BC, the ] founded the kingdom of ] (also Sobah), mentioned in the ]. Many scholars suggest it was located in the Beqa'a valley.<ref name=":2">{{Citation |last=Abousamra |first=Gaby |title=Biblical Ṣobah: a Location Attempt |date=2019-03-25 |work=Aramaean Borders |pages=232–233 |url=https://brill.com/display/book/edcoll/9789004398535/BP000013.xml |access-date=2024-06-10 |publisher=Brill |language=en |doi=10.1163/9789004398535_011 |isbn=978-90-04-39853-5}}</ref> The precise whereabouts of ], a prominent city at the time, remains a subject of scholarly debate. In the 8th and 7th century BC, Sobah, now under ], served as the residence for an Assyrian governor, ''Bel-liqbi''.<ref name=":2" />

=== Hellenistic and Roman times ===
By the time of ], the valley was reportedly inhabited by the ], possibly an Arabic or ] people. According to the '']'', the Itureans were Arab peasants living in the hills above ] who slaughtered about 30 ], which prompted Alexander to conduct an expedition against them. Later on, the Itureans broke away from the weakened ] to form the ]. From their base in the Bekaa, the Itureans expanded their territory to include the ] cities of the coast and came close to ]. Their territory was eventually absorbed into the rest of ].

The valley was of considerable importance to the ] as one of the important agricultural regions in the eastern provinces, and it was known for its ]. The region also gained the attention of ] Queen ], who built the ], linking the valley with Palmyra.


==Districts and towns== ==Districts and towns==
], the capital of the Bekaa Valley]] ], the capital of the Beqaa Governorate]]


] is the largest city and the administrative capital of the ]. It lies just north of the main ]–] highway, which bisects the valley. The majority of Zahle's residents are ], including those belonging to the ], ], and members of the ]. The town of ], situated in the eastern part of the valley, has a predominately ] population and is also famous for its 8th-century ] ]. ] is the largest city and the administrative capital of the ]. It lies just north of the main ]–] highway, which bisects the valley. The majority of Zahle's residents are ], the majority being ], ], and ]. The town of ], situated in the eastern part of the valley, has a predominantly ] population and is famous for its 8th-century ] ruins. Further east, the town of ] has a ] majority.


The majority of the inhabitants of the northern districts of Beqaa, ] and ], are Lebanese ], with the exception of the town of ], whose inhabitants are Christians. The Baalbeck and Hermel districts have a Christian and Sunni minority, mainly situated further north along the border with Syria. The majority of the inhabitants of the northern districts of Beqaa, ] and ], are ], with the exception of the town of ], whose inhabitants are ]. The Baalbek and Hermel districts have a ] and ] minority, mainly situated further north along the border with Syria.


The western and southern districts of the valley also have a mixed population of Muslims, Christians and also ] Lebanese. The town of ] with a population of about 9,000, is situated midway in the valley, and its population is ]. Jib Janine is the governmental center of the region known as Western Bekaa, with municipal services like the ] (]), a ], and a ]. Other towns in the Western Bekaa district are Machghara, Sabghine, Kamed al Lawz, Qab Elias, Sohmor, Yohmor. These towns are all a mix of different Lebanese religious confessions. Rachaiya al Wadi, east of the Western Bekaa district, is home to Lebanon's share of Mount Hermon and borders Syria also. The district's capital, also Rachaiya al Wadi (as not to confuse with Rachaiya al Foukhar in South Lebanon), is famous for its old renovated souk and what is known as the castle of independence, in which Lebanon's pre-independence leaders were held by French troops before being released in 1943. The southern section of the district is inhabited with Druze and Christian Lebanese, while the other northern section is mainly inhabited by Sunni Lebanese. The western and southern districts of the valley also have a mixed population of ], ], and ]. The town of ] with a population of about 12,000, is situated midway in the valley, and its population is ]. Joub Janine is the governmental center of the region known as Western Beqaa, with municipal services like the ], which is the main government building in the area, ] (]), a ], and a ].


]]]Other towns in the Western Beqaa district are ], Sabghine, ], ], ], ]. The towns are all a mix of different Lebanese religious confessions. ], east of the Western Beqaa district, is home to Lebanon's share of ] and borders Syria also. The district's capital, also Rachaiya al Wadi, not to be confused with ] in South Lebanon, is famous for its old renovated souk and what is known as the castle of independence in which Lebanon's pre-independence leaders were held by French troops before being released in 1943. The southern section of the district is inhabited with Druze and Christian Lebanese, while the other northern section is mainly inhabited by Sunni Lebanese.
Due to wars and the unstable economic and political conditions Lebanon faced in the past, with difficulties some farmers still face today, many previous inhabitants of the valley left for coastal cities in Lebanon or ] from the country altogether, with the majority residing in the Americas or Australia.

Due to wars and the unstable economic and political conditions Lebanon faced in the past, with difficulties some farmers still face today, many previous inhabitants of the valley left for coastal cities in Lebanon or emigrated from the country altogether, with the majority residing in ], ] or ].


==Landmarks== ==Landmarks==
] in ]]] ] in ]]]

*The ancient Roman ruins of ], an ancient city named for the ]ite god ]. The Romans renamed Baalbek "]" and built an impressive temple complex, including ] to ], ], ], and the ]. Today, the ruins are the site of the ], which attracts artists and performance groups from around the world.
*The ] ruins of ] *The ancient Roman ruins of ]
* ], a collection of ]s and ]s
*], a ] located in ], with panoramic views of the valley.
* ], alleged shrine of Khawla the daughter of ]
*Lebanon's tallest ], located in the town of ]
* The ] ruins of ]
*]
* ], a ]
*Pheonician Ruins, located in the village of ]
* The ] habitat for birds and butterflies
*Roman Ruins, located in the town of ]
* The Roman Grotto under ] winery
*The ] habitat for a myriad of migrating and resident birds and butterflies
* Lebanon's tallest ], in ]
*The ] at the northern end of the valley
* ]
*The famous Wadi Arayesh area of Zahle, consisting of beautiful open air restaurants, cafes and arcades located on the river side of the Berdaouni river, a stream linking to the Litani
* Roman ] of ]
* ], the largest artificial water reservoir in Lebanon
* Phoenician ruins of ]
* Roman ruins of ]
* Roman ruins of ]
* The ] at the northern end of the valley
* Tomb of ] in ], a shrine dedicated to Noah.


==Wines== ==Wines==
{{Main|Lebanese wine}} {{Main|Lebanese wine}}


The Beqaa Valley is home to Lebanon's famous vineyards and ]. Wine making is a tradition that goes back 6000 years in ]. With an average altitude of 1000 m above ], the valley's climate is very suitable to vineyards. Abundant winter rain and much sunshine in the summer helps the grapes ripen easily. There are more than a dozen wineries in the Beqaa Valley, producing over six million bottles a year.<ref name="Globaleye"></ref> The Beqaa Valley is home to Lebanon's famous vineyards and ]. Wine making is a tradition that goes back 6000 years in ]. With an average altitude of 1000 m above ], the valley's climate is very suitable to vineyards. Abundant winter rain and much sunshine in the summer helps the grapes ripen easily. There are more than a dozen wineries in the Beqaa Valley, producing over six million bottles a year.<ref name="Globaleye">{{Cite web|url=http://www.globaleye.org.uk/secondary_spring06/eyeon/bekaavalley.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061011092838/http://www.globaleye.org.uk/secondary_spring06/eyeon/bekaavalley.html|title=Global eye – Spring 2006 – Eye on Lebanon – The Bekaa Valley<!-- Bot generated title -->|archivedate=October 11, 2006}}</ref> Beqaa Valley wineries include:{{Cn|date=December 2018}}


* Château Ka
*]<ref>{{cite web|title=Chateau Musar|url=http://www.chateaumusar.com/|work=Chateau Musar|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref>
* ]
*]<ref>{{cite web|title=chateauksara|url=http://www.chateauksara.com.lb|work=chateauksara|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref>
* Château Khoury
*]<ref>{{cite web|title=Lebanese wine|url=http://www.massaya.com/|work=Massaya|accessdate=10 September 2013}}</ref>
* ]<ref>{{cite web|title=chateauksara|url=http://www.chateauksara.com.lb|access-date=10 September 2013}}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
*]
*] * ]
* ]<ref>{{cite web|title=Chateau Musar|url=http://www.chateaumusar.com/|access-date=10 September 2013}}</ref>
*]
*] * Château Qanafar
* Clos Saint Thomas
*]
* Domaine de Baal
*
*] * Domaine des Tourelles
*Domaine Wardy<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.domainewardy.com/|title=Lebanese wine|work=Domaine Wardy|access-date=10 September 2013}}</ref>
*]
* Kroum Kefraya
*]
* ]<ref>{{cite web|title=Lebanese wine|url=http://www.massaya.com/|work=Massaya|access-date=10 September 2013}}</ref>
*


==Illicit drugs== ==Illicit drugs==
{{See|Drug economy in Lebanon}}
]]]
] in the Bekaa Valley, 2021]]
Drugs have a long tradition in the Bekaa Valley, from the days of the Roman Empire until today cultivators and tribal drug lords working with militias built up a thriving cannabis trade.
Drugs have a long tradition in the Beqaa Valley, from the days of the Roman Empire to the present. Cultivators and tribal drug lords have worked with militias to build up a thriving ] trade. The region has been compared to ]'s ] producing ].<ref name=":1">{{Citation |last=Davids |first=Douglas J. |title=Narco-Terrorist Relationships |date=2002-01-01 |work=Narco Terrorism: A Unified Strategy to Fight a Growing Terrorist Menace |pages=33–34 |url=https://brill.com/display/book/9789004479555/B9789004479555_s005.xml |access-date=2024-06-10 |publisher=Brill Nijhoff |language=en |doi=10.1163/9789004479555_005 |isbn=978-90-04-47955-5}}</ref>
During the ], ] was a major source of income in the Bekaa valley, where most of the country's ] and ] was produced, a multi-billion-dollar industry fueling the agricultural sector as well as political factions and organized crime.
The trade collapsed during the worldwide crackdown on narcotics led by the United States in the early 1990s. Under pressure from the U.S. State Department, the occupying Syrian Army plowed up the Bekaa's cannabis fields and sprayed them with poison.
Since the mid-1990s, the culture and production of drugs in the Bekaa valley has been in steady decline, by 2002 an estimated 2,500 hectares<ref></ref> of cannabis were limited to the extreme north of the valley, where government presence remains minimal. Every year since 2001 the Lebanese army plows cannabis fields in an effort to destroy the crops before harvest,<ref>United Press International, Feb 26 2002 'Lebanon army destroys drugs'</ref> it is estimated that this action eliminates no more than 30% of overall crops.
Although important during the civil war, ] cultivation has become marginal, dropping from an estimated 30 metric tonnes per year in 1983 to negligible amounts in 2004.


During the ], ] was a major source of income in the Beqaa Valley, where most of the country's ] and ] was produced. The war led various groups to turn to ] for income. Syria, which controlled most of the Valley, profited significantly from the trade. ] terrorist groups, including the ], also participated in the hashish trade, making millions of dollars.<ref name=":1" />
Due to increasing political unrest that weakened the central Lebanese government during ] and 2007 (Opposition boycott of the government) and due to the lack of viable alternatives (U.N. promises of irrigation projects and alternative crop subsidies that never materialised) drug cultivation and production have significantly increased,<ref></ref> but remain a fraction of civil war era production and limited north of the Town of ], where the rule of tribal law protecting armed families is still strong.


The trade collapsed during the ] on narcotics led by the United States in the early 1990s.<ref name="MEI567p19">] No 567, 30 January 1998; Reinoud Leenders p.19</ref> Under pressure from the U.S. State Department, the occupying Syrian Army plowed up the Beqaa's cannabis fields and sprayed them with poison. Prior to 1991 it was estimated that income generated from illicit crops grown in the Beqaa was around $500 million. According to the ] the annual per capita income at that time in the ] district did not exceed $500. The same agency estimated the figure for the rest of Lebanon was $2,074.<ref name="MEI567p19" />
==Image gallery==

Since the mid-1990s, the culture and production of drugs in the Beqaa Valley has been in steady decline. By 2002, an estimated 2,500 hectares<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/lebanon/|title=Lebanon|date=September 28, 2022|publisher=Central Intelligence Agency|via=CIA.gov}}</ref> of cannabis were limited to the extreme north of the Valley, where government presence remains minimal. Every year since 2001 the ] plows cannabis fields in an effort to destroy the crops before harvest.<ref>United Press International, Feb 26 2002 'Lebanon army destroys drugs'</ref> It is estimated that that action eliminates no more than 30% of overall crops. Although important during the civil war, ] cultivation has become marginal, dropping from an estimated 30 metric tonnes per year in 1983 to negligible amounts in 2004.

Due to increasing political unrest that weakened the central Lebanese government during the ] and 2007 Opposition boycott of the government, and due to the lack of viable alternatives, ] promises of irrigation projects and alternative crop subsidies that never materialized, drug cultivation and production have significantly increased.<ref> Reuters</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://caravanmagazine.in/lede/greener-grass|title=Villages in the Bekaa Valley cling to cannabis cultivation as their only means of survival|last=Gustafsson|first=Jenny|date=October 2013|website=]|language=en|access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref> They remain a fraction of the civil war era production and are limited north of the town of ], where the rule of tribal law protecting armed families is still strong.

==Gallery==
<gallery> <gallery>
File:Anjar-109900.jpg|Arches at the ruins of Anjar
Image:Akkar 09.jpg
File:Akkar 09.jpg|Road in the Bekaa
File:Anjar - Cardo vu du nord 2.jpg
File:Anjar - Cardo vu du nord 2.jpg|Remains of structures
File:Kamed.jpg|]
File:Kamed.jpg|alt=|] village
</gallery> </gallery>

== See also ==

*]


==References== ==References==
Line 73: Line 169:


==External links== ==External links==
{{Commonscat|Beqaa valley}} {{Commons category|Beqaa valley}}
* ] * ]


{{Authority control}}
{{coord|34|00|32|N|36|08|43|E|region:LB-BI_type:landmark_source:kolossus-dewiki|display=title}}


] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]

Latest revision as of 18:43, 15 January 2025

Valley in eastern Lebanon "Bekaa" redirects here. For the Lebanese association football club, see Bekaa SC.
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Beqaa Valley" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Beqaa Valley
Grapevines near Kasarnaba, overlooking the central Beqaa Valley
Length120 km (75 mi)
Width16 km (9.9 mi)
Naming
Native nameوادي البقاع (Arabic)
Geology
TypeValley
Geography
CountryLebanon
State/ProvinceBaalbek-Hermel Governorate, Beqaa Governorate
Population centerBaalbek
Coordinates34°00′32″N 36°08′43″E / 34.00889°N 36.14528°E / 34.00889; 36.14528 

The Beqaa Valley (Arabic: وادي البقاع, romanized: Wādī l-Biqā‘, Lebanese Arabic: [bʔaːʕ]; also romanized as Bekaa, Biqâ, and Becaa) is a fertile valley in eastern Lebanon and its most important farming region. Industry, especially the country's agricultural industry, also flourishes in Beqaa. The region broadly corresponds to the Coele-Syria of classical antiquity.

The Beqaa is located about 30 km (19 mi) east of Beirut. The valley is situated between Mount Lebanon to the west and the Anti-Lebanon mountains to the east. It is the northern continuation of the Jordan Rift Valley, and thus part of the Great Rift Valley, which stretches from Syria to the Red Sea. Beqaa Valley is 120 kilometres (75 mi) long and 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) wide on average. It has a Mediterranean climate of wet, often snowy winters and dry, warm summers.

Climate

Main article: Climate of Beqaa Valley

The region receives limited rainfall, particularly in the north, because Mount Lebanon creates a rain shadow that blocks precipitation coming from the sea. The northern section has an average annual rainfall of 230 millimetres (9.1 in), compared to 610 millimetres (24 in) in the central valley. Nevertheless, two rivers originate in the valley: the Orontes (Asi), which flows north into Syria and Turkey, and the Litani, which flows south and then west to the Mediterranean Sea.

From the 1st century BC, when the region was part of the Roman Empire, the Beqaa Valley served as a source of grain for the Roman provinces of the Levant. Today the valley makes up 40 percent of Lebanon's arable land. The northern end of the valley, with its scarce rainfall and less fertile soils, is used primarily as grazing land by pastoral nomads. Farther south, more fertile soils support crops of wheat, maize, cotton, and vegetables, with vineyards and orchards centered on Zahlé.

The valley also produces hashish and cultivates opium poppies, which are exported as part of the illegal drug trade.

History

Pre-History

In Baalbek, that is part of a valley to the east of the northern Beqaa Valley, there are evidence of continual habitation dating back almost 8000–9000 years. Ard Tlaili is a small tell mound with an archaeological site, located on a plain at the foot of the Lebanon Mountain, just 11 km (7 mi) northwest of Baalbeck, in the Beqaa Valley. It dates to around 5780-5710 BC and has the southernmost pottery belonging to the Halaf Culture.

Labweh is a village at an elevation of 950 metres (3,120 ft) on a foothill of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains in Baalbek District, Baalbek-Hermel Governorate, Lebanon, settled since the Neolithic period.

Bronze Age

In the Middle Bronze IIA, the Beqa Valley was a highway between the regional power of Qatna in the north and its vassal Hazor in the south. The Beqaa valley was known as Amqu during the Bronze Age. The identity of the inhabitants is not known for certain, but the region was part of the Amorite Kingdoms of Amurru and Qatna. To the southwest of Baalbek was Enišasi, a city or city-state mentioned in the 1350-1335 BC Amarna letters correspondence, written by two rulers of the city Šatiya and Abdi-Riša.

Iron Age

By the early Iron Age, the Beqaa Valley came to be dominated by Phoenician-and Aramaic-speaking populations.

In the 11th and 10th centuries BC, the Aramaeans founded the kingdom of Aram-Zobah (also Sobah), mentioned in the Bible. Many scholars suggest it was located in the Beqa'a valley. The precise whereabouts of Zobah, a prominent city at the time, remains a subject of scholarly debate. In the 8th and 7th century BC, Sobah, now under Imperial Assyrian rule, served as the residence for an Assyrian governor, Bel-liqbi.

Hellenistic and Roman times

By the time of Alexander the Great, the valley was reportedly inhabited by the Itureans, possibly an Arabic or Aramaean people. According to the Histories of Alexander the Great, the Itureans were Arab peasants living in the hills above Tyre who slaughtered about 30 Macedonians, which prompted Alexander to conduct an expedition against them. Later on, the Itureans broke away from the weakened Seleucid Empire to form the Kingdom of Chalcis. From their base in the Bekaa, the Itureans expanded their territory to include the Phoenician cities of the coast and came close to Damascus. Their territory was eventually absorbed into the rest of Roman Syria.

The valley was of considerable importance to the Roman Empire as one of the important agricultural regions in the eastern provinces, and it was known for its many temples. The region also gained the attention of Palmyrene Queen Zenobia, who built the Canalizations of Zenobia, linking the valley with Palmyra.

Districts and towns

Zahlé, the capital of the Beqaa Governorate

Zahle is the largest city and the administrative capital of the Beqaa Governorate. It lies just north of the main Beirut–Damascus highway, which bisects the valley. The majority of Zahle's residents are Lebanese Christian, the majority being Melkite Greek Catholic, Maronite Catholic, and Greek Orthodox Christians. The town of Anjar, situated in the eastern part of the valley, has a predominantly Armenian Lebanese population and is famous for its 8th-century Arab ruins. Further east, the town of Majdal Anjar has a Sunni Muslim majority.

The majority of the inhabitants of the northern districts of Beqaa, Baalbek and Hermel, are Lebanese Shiites, with the exception of the town of Deir el Ahmar, whose inhabitants are Christians. The Baalbek and Hermel districts have a Christian and Sunni minority, mainly situated further north along the border with Syria.

The western and southern districts of the valley also have a mixed population of Muslims, Christians, and Druze. The town of Joub Janine with a population of about 12,000, is situated midway in the valley, and its population is Sunni. Joub Janine is the governmental center of the region known as Western Beqaa, with municipal services like the serail, which is the main government building in the area, emergency medical services (Red Cross), a fire department, and a courthouse.

Municipal garden of Qabb Ilyas

Other towns in the Western Beqaa district are Machghara, Sabghine, Kamed al Lawz, Qab Elias, Sohmor, Yohmor. The towns are all a mix of different Lebanese religious confessions. Rachaiya al Wadi, east of the Western Beqaa district, is home to Lebanon's share of Mount Hermon and borders Syria also. The district's capital, also Rachaiya al Wadi, not to be confused with Rachaiya al Foukhar in South Lebanon, is famous for its old renovated souk and what is known as the castle of independence in which Lebanon's pre-independence leaders were held by French troops before being released in 1943. The southern section of the district is inhabited with Druze and Christian Lebanese, while the other northern section is mainly inhabited by Sunni Lebanese.

Due to wars and the unstable economic and political conditions Lebanon faced in the past, with difficulties some farmers still face today, many previous inhabitants of the valley left for coastal cities in Lebanon or emigrated from the country altogether, with the majority residing in North America, South America or Australia.

Landmarks

The Temple of Bacchus in Baalbek

Wines

Main article: Lebanese wine

The Beqaa Valley is home to Lebanon's famous vineyards and wineries. Wine making is a tradition that goes back 6000 years in Lebanon. With an average altitude of 1000 m above sea level, the valley's climate is very suitable to vineyards. Abundant winter rain and much sunshine in the summer helps the grapes ripen easily. There are more than a dozen wineries in the Beqaa Valley, producing over six million bottles a year. Beqaa Valley wineries include:

Illicit drugs

Further information: Drug economy in Lebanon
Farmers harvesting cannabis in the Bekaa Valley, 2021

Drugs have a long tradition in the Beqaa Valley, from the days of the Roman Empire to the present. Cultivators and tribal drug lords have worked with militias to build up a thriving cannabis trade. The region has been compared to Peru's cocaine producing Upper Huallaga Valley.

During the Lebanese Civil War, cannabis cultivation was a major source of income in the Beqaa Valley, where most of the country's hashish and opium was produced. The war led various groups to turn to drug trafficking for income. Syria, which controlled most of the Valley, profited significantly from the trade. Palestinian terrorist groups, including the PLO, also participated in the hashish trade, making millions of dollars.

The trade collapsed during the worldwide crackdown on narcotics led by the United States in the early 1990s. Under pressure from the U.S. State Department, the occupying Syrian Army plowed up the Beqaa's cannabis fields and sprayed them with poison. Prior to 1991 it was estimated that income generated from illicit crops grown in the Beqaa was around $500 million. According to the UNDP the annual per capita income at that time in the Baalbek and Hermel district did not exceed $500. The same agency estimated the figure for the rest of Lebanon was $2,074.

Since the mid-1990s, the culture and production of drugs in the Beqaa Valley has been in steady decline. By 2002, an estimated 2,500 hectares of cannabis were limited to the extreme north of the Valley, where government presence remains minimal. Every year since 2001 the Lebanese Army plows cannabis fields in an effort to destroy the crops before harvest. It is estimated that that action eliminates no more than 30% of overall crops. Although important during the civil war, opium cultivation has become marginal, dropping from an estimated 30 metric tonnes per year in 1983 to negligible amounts in 2004.

Due to increasing political unrest that weakened the central Lebanese government during the 2006 Lebanon War and 2007 Opposition boycott of the government, and due to the lack of viable alternatives, UN promises of irrigation projects and alternative crop subsidies that never materialized, drug cultivation and production have significantly increased. They remain a fraction of the civil war era production and are limited north of the town of Baalbek, where the rule of tribal law protecting armed families is still strong.

Gallery

  • Arches at the ruins of Anjar Arches at the ruins of Anjar
  • Road in the Bekaa Road in the Bekaa
  • Remains of structures Remains of structures
  • Kamid el-Loz village

See also

References

  1. ^ "Global eye – Spring 2006 – Eye on Lebanon – The Bekaa Valley". Archived from the original on October 11, 2006.
  2. ^ Masri, Rania (1997-01-01), "Environmental Challenges in Lebanon", Challenging Environmental Issues, Brill, pp. 73–115, doi:10.1163/9789004475076_006, ISBN 978-90-04-47507-6, retrieved 2024-06-10
  3. Neal, Mark (2019-05-23), "Beqaa Valley", A Dictionary of Business and Management in the Middle East and North Africa, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acref/9780191843266.001.0001, ISBN 978-0-19-184326-6, retrieved 2024-07-29
  4. "Beqaa, LB Climate Zone, Monthly Weather Averages and Historical Data". weatherandclimate.com. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
  5. ^ "Lebanon's Neglected Agricultural Potential - a Story of Baalbek". welthungerhilfe.org.tr. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
  6. ^ Copeland, Lorraine (1969). Neolithic Village Sites in the South Beqaa, Lebanon.
  7. Safadi, Crystal (2015). "The Beqa'a Valley During the Early Bronze Age: A GIS Approach to Settlement Patterns".
  8. ^ Abousamra, Gaby (2019-03-25), "Biblical Ṣobah: a Location Attempt", Aramaean Borders, Brill, pp. 232–233, doi:10.1163/9789004398535_011, ISBN 978-90-04-39853-5, retrieved 2024-06-10
  9. "chateauksara". Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  10. "Chateau Musar". Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  11. "Lebanese wine". Domaine Wardy. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  12. "Lebanese wine". Massaya. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  13. ^ Davids, Douglas J. (2002-01-01), "Narco-Terrorist Relationships", Narco Terrorism: A Unified Strategy to Fight a Growing Terrorist Menace, Brill Nijhoff, pp. 33–34, doi:10.1163/9789004479555_005, ISBN 978-90-04-47955-5, retrieved 2024-06-10
  14. ^ Middle East International No 567, 30 January 1998; Reinoud Leenders p.19
  15. "Lebanon". Central Intelligence Agency. September 28, 2022 – via CIA.gov.
  16. United Press International, Feb 26 2002 'Lebanon army destroys drugs'
  17. "Lebanese find troubles fertile ground for cannabis" Reuters
  18. Gustafsson, Jenny (October 2013). "Villages in the Bekaa Valley cling to cannabis cultivation as their only means of survival". The Caravan. Retrieved 2019-12-30.

External links

Categories:
Beqaa Valley: Difference between revisions Add topic