Biqā{ʽ} Valley, Al-

Biqā{ʽ} Valley, Al-
or Al-Bekaa ancient Coele-Syria

Broad valley of central Lebanon.

Located between the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon mountain ranges, it is about 80 mi (130 km) long and 10 mi (15 km) wide. Traversed by the upper Orontes and Litani rivers, it is an agricultural area. The ruins of the ancient city of Baalbek are located there. The majority of the population is Shīʽite Muslim. The valley was the scene of some factional fighting during the Lebanese Civil War (1975–91), and during that time Israel intermittently fought there against forces of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Syrian army. Since the 1980s the valley has been a stronghold of the Shīʽite militant organization, Hezbollah.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Biqāʿ, Al- — ▪ valley, Lebanon also spelled  Bekaa , or  Beqaa , classical  Coele Syria        broad valley of central Lebanon, extending in a northeast southwest direction for 75 miles (120 km) along the Līṭānī and Orontes rivers, between the Lebanon… …   Universalium

  • valley — valleylike, adj. /val ee/, n., pl. valleys. 1. an elongated depression between uplands, hills, or mountains, esp. one following the course of a stream. 2. an extensive, more or less flat, and relatively low region drained by a great river system …   Universalium

  • Beqaa Valley — Beqaa (Arabic: البقاع, valley ; also transliterated as Bekaa, Biqâ‘ or Becaa) is a fertile valley in east Lebanon. The Romans considered the Beqaa Valley to be a major agricultural source, and today it remains Lebanon’s most important farming… …   Wikipedia

  • Lebanon — /leb euh neuhn/ or, esp. for 1, / non /, n. 1. a republic at the E end of the Mediterranean, N of Israel. 3,858,736; 3927 sq. mi. (10,170 sq. km). Cap.: Beirut. 2. a city in SE Pennsylvania. 25,711. 3. a city in N central Tennessee. 11,872. 4. a… …   Universalium

  • Litani River — River, southern Lebanon. Rising west of Baalbek, it flows southwest between the Lebanon and Anti Lebanon mountains to enter the Mediterranean Sea south of Sidon. Its lower course is known as Qāsimiyyah. Although only 90 mi (145 km) long, the… …   Universalium

  • Orontes River — River, Middle East. Rising in the Biqā Valley of Lebanon and flowing north between the Lebanon and Anti Lebanon mountains, it passes the cities of Hims and Ḥamāh in Syria, where it has been dammed to form Ḥimṣ Lake. Northwest of Ḥamāh it enters… …   Universalium

  • Geography of Lebanon — Coordinates: 33°50′N 35°50′E / 33.833°N 35.833°E / 33.833; 35.833 …   Wikipedia

  • History of Lebanon — The history of Lebanon is almost as old as the earliest evidence of humankind. Its geographic position as a crossroads linking the Mediterranean Basin with the great Asian hinterland has conferred on it a cosmopolitan character and a… …   Wikipedia

  • Timeline of Military Operations in the 2006 Lebanon War — This is a timeline of Military operations of the 2006 Israel Lebanon conflict.July 12 July 19Wednesday, July 12The conflict began on July 12 when 8 Israeli soldiers were killed and a further two were captured during a cross border attack. At 9:05 …   Wikipedia

  • Syria — /sear ee euh/, n. 1. Official name, Syrian Arab Republic. a republic in SW Asia at the E end of the Mediterranean. 16,137,899; 71,227 sq. mi. (184,478 sq. km). Cap.: Damascus. 2. a territory mandated to France in 1922, including the present… …   Universalium

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