Southern Lebanon () is the area of Lebanon comprising the South Governorate and the Nabatiye Governorate. The two entities were divided from the same province in the early 1990s. The Rashaya District and Western Beqaa districts, the southernmost districts of the Beqaa Governorate.
The main cities of the region are Sidon and Tyre on the coast, with Jezzine and Nabatiyeh more inland. The qadaa of Bint Jbeil, Tyre, and Nabatieh in Southern Lebanon are known for their large Shi'a Muslim population with a minority of Christians. Sidon is predominantly Sunni, with the rest of the caza of Sidon having a Shi'a Muslim majority, with a considerable Christian minority, mainly Melkite Greek Catholics. The cazas of Jezzine and Marjeyoun have a Christian majority and also Shia Muslims. The villages of Ain Ebel, Debel, Qaouzah, and Rmaich are entirely Christian Maronite. The caza of Hasbaya has a Druze majority.
History
Free Lebanon State and South Lebanon security belt
Southern Lebanon became the location of the self-proclaimed Free Lebanon State, announced in 1979 by
Saad Haddad.
[ feb2b ] The state failed to gain international recognition, and its authority deteriorated with the death of Saad Haddad in 1984.
Southern Lebanon has also featured prominently in the Israel-Lebanon conflict.
Ahmadinejad's state visit
In October 2010, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited South Lebanon. This was his first visit to Lebanon since he first assumed office in
Tehran in 2005. Both
Israel and the
United States condemned the trip as being "provocative." Ahmadinejad was welcomed by tens of thousands of supporters of
Hezbollah, Iran's Shiite Muslim ally in Lebanon which has been branded a terrorist organization in part or whole by much of South America, the EU, the Arab League, the United States and Israel. This is despite its participation in Lebanon's fragile government.
Cities and districts
Other notable sites
See also
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Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon
-
South Lebanon Army
-
South Lebanon conflict (1982–2000)
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Northern District (Israel)
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Operation Litani against the Palestine Liberation Organization
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United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (instituted by United Nations Security Council Resolution 425)
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South lebanon security belt
-
2006 Lebanon War
External links
