North Lebanon

North Lebanon

شمال لبنان
North Lebanon شمال لبنان
Region
	Map of Lebanon with North Lebanon highlighted
Country	Lebanon
Region	North-Akkar
Incorporated	1959
Population
• Total	1,230,800
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)

North Lebanon (Arabic: شمال لبنان, romanized: Shamal Lubnan) is the northern region of Lebanon comprising the North Governorate and Akkar Governorate. On 16 July 2003, the two entities were divided from the same province by former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The division was known as Law 522.^[1]

The main cities and towns of the region are Halba, Tripoli, Miniyeh, Zgharta, Bcharreh, Amioun and Batroun. The districts of Akkar, Tripoli and Miniyeh-Danniyeh are known for their large Sunni Muslim population^[2] while the districts of Zgharta, Bcharreh, Koura and Batroun are known for their large Christian population.^[3]

Education

One of the best schools in Lebanon, International School - Al Koura, is in North Lebanon.^[4]^[5]

The University of Balamand (UOB) is in North Lebanon.^[6] UOB was ranked second-best university in Lebanon according to QS University Rankings 2023.^[7]

The most modern public Lebanese University campus is the North Campus.^{[citation needed]}

History

French occupation

Tripoli Massacre

On 13 November 1943, a tragic incident took place in Tripoli, resulting in the loss of lives of 14 students, all under the age of 15. The students were struck by French tanks driven by Senegalese soldiers while participating in a peaceful march through the streets. During the demonstration, the students were fervently advocating for an end to the occupation. The massacre contributed to accelerating the declaration of Lebanon’s independence.^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]

Background

One day before the massacre, the French occupation army arrested Abdul Hamid Karami and imprisoned him in the Rashaya Citadel.^[12]

Governorate Creation

On 12 June 1959, North Lebanon Governorate was created which separated Koura, Zgharta, Bcharreh and Batroun from Mount Lebanon.^[13]

Districts that formed North Lebanon:

1959-1993


Districts
Akkar
Tripoli
Koura
Zgharta
Bcharreh
Batroun

1993-2003

On 23 November 1993, Minyeh and Danniyeh were separated from Tripoli and established their own district in North Lebanon.^[14]

2003-present

On 16 July 2003, Akkar was separated from North Lebanon due to the presence of government departments in the city of Tripoli which forced the citizens of Akkar to come from long distances in order to finish their government transactions.^[15]

Syrian occupation

Killings and massacres

On 12 February 1978, Syrian special units (Arabic: الوحدات الخاصة السورية) attacked the northern village of Qnat, where they killed 15 Lebanese Forces fighters, the battle is known as battle of Qnat.^[16]

On 9 February 1986, Syrian Military Intelligence killed Tawhid leader Khalil Akkawi because he refused to fight the Lebanese Forces.^[17] Three supporters of Akkawi's Islamic Tawheed, or Islamic Unification Movement, were slain in gunfights with Syrian troopers after his burial, police reported.^[18]

Former Syrian minister of interior Mohammad al-Shaar participated in the 1986 Bab al-Tabbaneh massacre. In the 1980s, al-Shaar was a top intelligence official in northern Lebanon when Syrian troops stormed Tripoli and crushed a Sunni group that supported Palestine Liberation Organization chief Yasser Arafat.^[19]

Torture and detention

The Syrian military intelligence (المخابرات السورية) set up a torture prison inside the Evangelical School in Jabal Mohsen, the prison was called "American Prison" (معتقل الاميركان).^[20]

2021 Akkar Explosion

On 15 August 2021, 28 people were killed and 79 injured when a fuel tank exploded in Akkar in North Lebanon.^[21]

2024 Aitou Massacre

On 15 October 2024, Israel killed at least 21 in strike on Christian town in North Lebanon.^[22]

Electoral District

2000

In the 2000 Lebanese general election, North Lebanon was divided in two electoral districts: Akkar-Danniyeh-Bcharreh and Tripoli-Miniyeh-Zgharta-Koura-Batroun. Those division were made by Ghazi Kanaan and Rafik Hariri to ensure that the Sunni majority would take away the true Christian opposition representation, however Nayla Moawad still managed to win.^[23]

2005

In the 2005 Lebanese general election, the March 14 alliance that was formed between Nayla Moawad, Boutros Harb, Kataeb, Lebanese Forces and Saad Hariri after the Cedar Revolution won all the seats in North Lebanon.^[24]

2009

In the 2009 Lebanese general election, North Lebanon was divided into 7 electoral districts: Akkar, Minniyeh-Danniyeh, Tripoli, Zgharta, Bcharreh, Koura and Batroun.

The March 14 Alliance won in 6 out of 7 electoral districts, the only electoral district they lost in was Zgharta which was won by the March 8 Alliance.^[25]

2018 and 2022

In the 2018 and 2022 Lebanese general election, North Lebanon was divided into 3 electoral districts: North I, North II and North III.^[26]

That electoral law was crafted to favor Gebran Bassil so he could finally win a seat after losing in 2005 and 2009.^[27]

Demographics

The following only includes numbers of northern Lebanese that are at least 21 years old and eligible to vote.^[28]

North I


Religion	Akkar
Sunni	213152
Orthodox	42904
Maronite	31718
Alawite	15797
Shia	3240
Catholic	1861
Evangelical	777
Armenian Catholic	31
Armenian Orthodox	26
Minorities	11
Total	309517

North II


Religion	Tripoli	Minyeh	Danniyeh
Sunni	209594	44166	61443
Alawite	21962
Orthodox	12718	3500	5756
Maronite	4300	339	7428
Armenian Orthodox	1712
Catholic	1170
Minorities	1077
Shia	963	3	38
Evangelical	546
Armenian Catholic	376
Druze	20
Total	254438	48008	74665

North III


Religion	Batroun	Koura	Zgharta	Bcharreh
Maronite	45928	11914	66536	50556
Orthodox	9667	39236	3394	230
Sunni	3974	9350	11139	39
Catholic	1270	182	360	45
Shia	1141	1250	111
Armenian Orthodox	179	53	118	24
Minorities	166	53
Armenian Catholic	60		163
Alawite	46	569	63
Evangelical	12	60	74
Druze	1		1
Total	62444	62667	82051	50894

Notable events

References

[1] "انشاء محافظتين جديدتين في لبنان (محافظة عكار - محافظة بعلبك الهرمل)".

[2] "Tripoli, "The Bride of The Revolution"".

[3] "معركة التوازن المسيحي (بشري، البترون، الكورة، زغرتا)".

[4] "International School - Al Koura".

[5] "List of 77 Best Schools in Lebanon".

[6] "UOB".

[7] "QS World University Rankings 2023".

[8] "مجزرة طرابلس في 13 تشرين الثاني 1943ساهمت في تسريع إعلان إستقلال لبنان".

[9] "حين استشهد 14 طالبًا في طرابلس تحت دبابات الفرنسيين".

[10] "مقاربة استقلالية... طرابلس تعيد انتاج وطنيتها".

[11] "شهداء مجزرة الاستقلال في طرابلس… من ينصفهم ومن يخلّد ذكراهم؟".

[12] "هذه قصة شهداء الاستقلال في طرابلس".

[13] "مرسوم إشتراعي رقم 116 - التنظيم الاداري".

[14] "انشاء قضاء المنية - الضنية في محافظة لبنان الشمالي".

[15] "انشاء محافظتين جديدتين في لبنان (محافظة عكار - محافظة بعلبك الهرمل)".

[16] "The Battle of Qnat".

[17] "Rougier, B. (2015). North Lebanon in Bilad al-Sham. In The Sunni Tragedy in the Middle East: Northern Lebanon from al-Qaeda to ISIS (pp. 1–25)".

[18] "Four Killed, Including Syrian, in Tripoli Gunfights".

[19] "Report: Al-Shaar Left Beirut to Avoid Interpol Arrest Warrants".

[20] "جان الحاج يروي قصة عذاباته في السجون السورية".; "حي الأميركان في المدينة المأزومة طرابلس".

[21] "Fuel tanker explodes in Lebanon, killing at least 28".

[22] "Israel kills at least 21 in strike on Christian town in north Lebanon". Reuteurs. Retrieved 2024-10-14.

[23] "في العام ٢٠٠٠... قانون غازي كنعان".

[24] "المجلس النيابي لانتخابات 2005".

[25] "نتائج الانتخابات لكل الاقلام في جميع الدوائر الانتخابية".

[26] "مجموع أصوات المرشحين بحسب الدوائر لعام 2018".

[27] "دائرة الشمال الثالثة".

[28] "بالأرقام .. الانتخابات النيابية اللبنانية".

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