Southern Lebanon

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 and Western Beqaa Districts, the southernmost districts of the Beqaa Governorate, in Southern Lebanon are sometimes included.
The main cities of the region are Sidon, Tyre, Jezzine and Nabatiyeh. The cazas 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. 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
Aaramta
Al Rihan
Alma ash-Shab (Aalma ach Chaab)
Abbasieh
Adlun
Al Mansuri
Ain Ebel
Ain Baal or Ayn Bal
Aitaroun or Aytarun
Ansariyeh or Insariye
Ansar
Ash Shawmara
At Tayyabah
At Tiri
Aitit
Aynata
Ayta ash Shab (Ayta al-Sha'b, Ayta)
Baraachit
Barish
Bayt Lif
baytulay
Bazouryeh
Beit Yahoun
Bint Jbeil
Blida, Lebanon
Borj el Shamali or Borj Chemali
Borj Qalaouiyeh
Borj Rahal
Boustane
Brashit
Braikeh
Chaqra
Chtoura
Deir Kifa
Deyrintar
Dayr Qanunc
Deir Qanoun En Nahr
Derdghaya
Dibil or Debel
Dibbine
Doueir
Ebel el Saki
El Biyyadah or Al Bayyadah
El Hennyeh or Al Hinniyah
El Mansoun or Al Mansuri
El Qlaile or Al Qulaylah
El Soultaniyeh
Fardis
Frun
Ghandouriyeh
Ghaziyeh
Ghassaniyeh
Hadata or Haddathah
Hanaway
Harris or Harres
Hula or Houla
Hounin
Jabal Amel
Jarjouh
Jarmaq
jebchet
Jmaijmah
Joiya or Jouaya or Jwayya
Qabrikha or Kabrikha
Kaakaeit al-Jesser
Kafra, Lebanon
Kafr Dunin
Kafr Kila
Kawkaba or Kaoukaba
Kfar Melki
Kafarrouman
Khirbet Selm
Khiam
Kfarchouba
Kfarfila
Kfarhamam
Kfar Tebnit
Kounin
Maachouq
Mahrouna
Majdel Balhis
Majdel Selm or Majdal Zun
Marakeh
Marjayoun—a Lebanese Christian village
Markaba (Marqaba)
Maroun al-Ras
Marwahin
Maaroub
Mayfadoun
Meiss el Jabal or Mays al Jabal
Mlikh
Miye ou Miye
Maghdouche
Nabatiye or Nabatiyeh
Naqoura (Nakoura, An-Naqurah)
Niha
Nmairiyeh
Odaisseh
Oum el Ahmad
Qlayaa
Qana
Qantara
Rab El Thalathine
Rachaf—a small town
Rachaya El Foukhar—Hasbaya Qaza
Ramyah
Ras Al-Biyada
Rmaich
Rmadyeh
Roûm
Selaa
Shabriha
Shebaa and Shebaa Farms (ownership disputed, occupied by Israel since 1967)
Shihin, Lebanon
Shhur
Siddiqine
Sidon or Saida
Sir el Gharbiyeh
Srifa
Sujod
As-Sultaniyah
Tallousa
Tair Debbe
Tayr Harfa or Tair Harfa
Tayr Falsayh
Taibeh
Tebnine (Tebnine, Tibneen), site of the former castle town Toron
Tulin, Lebanon (Toulin)
Tura
Tyre or Sur
Saida district
Jezzine district
Tyre district
Wadi al-Taym
Yarin
Yaroun or Yarun
Yahun
Yater or Yatar
Zibdine
Zibqin
Other notable sites
Abou Assouad River
Awali River
El Zahrani River
Litani River
Saitaniq River
Kasmieh River
Blue Line (Lebanon)
Beaufort Castle
Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, including Ain al-Hilweh, Nabatieh camp and Wavel
Ras al-Ain, Lebanon
See also
Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon
South Lebanon Army
South Lebanon conflict (1982–2000)
Northern District (Israel)
Operation Litani against the Palestinian Liberation Organization
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (instituted by United Nations Security Council Resolution 425)
South lebanon security belt
References
External links
South Lebanon Website
Regions of Lebanon
Geography of Lebanon
Israeli–Lebanese conflict
2006 Lebanon War