Zaghdraiya Explained

Official Name:Zaghdraiya
Settlement Type:Village
Pushpin Map:Lebanon
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Mapsize:300
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Lebanon
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Governorate
Subdivision Name1:South Governorate
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Sidon District
Unit Pref:Imperial
Population Blank1 Title:Ethnicities
Population Blank2 Title:Religions
Utc Offset:+2
Utc Offset Dst:+3
Coordinates:33.5256°N 35.4022°W
Postal Code:2018
Area Code:07

Zaghdraiya (also Zeghdrâya, Zoghedraya, Zghedraia. Arabic: زغدرايا) is a town in the South Governorate in Lebanon. It is located southeast of Sidon.[1] The village is bordered with a number of villages/towns like Darb es Sim, Maghdouche, Miye ou Miye. It has a very small population and is mainly formed of very few houses and a lot of agricultural space.

The word Zaghdraiya means "castle" or "fortress" possibly due to the fact that the village is surrounded by hill tops in almost every direction.[2]

History

In 1875, Victor Guérin found it to be a village of 150 Metualis, who planted figs and olives in the environment.[3]

The town saw many struggles between its political party branches of various militias during the Lebanese Civil War

Demographics

As of 2014, the town had 786 registered voters, the vast majority of whom were Shiites.[4] There are a small number of Palestinian refugees living in the town as well.[5]

Sights

The town is mostly an agricultural landscape with a lot of olive, lemon, fig, orange, loquat (Akkidenia), and green almond trees. the town produces grapes, green beans, and jujubes. The Siniq river passes through the village and is usually the source of irrigation of these crops. The town overlooks hills of southern Lebanon due to it being predominantly uninhabited landscapes and rarely any tall buildings.

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: زغدرايا. geoview.info. 2015-09-26.
  2. Web site: مدن وقرى لبنانية . www.lwc-london.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150927061921/http://www.lwc-london.com/pages.php?id=10 . 2015-09-27.
  3. Guérin, 1880, p. 515
  4. Web site: التوزيع حسب المذاهب للناخبين/ناخبات في بلدة زغدرايا، قضاء صيدا (قرى) محافظة الجنوب في لبنان . 2024-11-15 . إعْرَفْ لبنان . en.
  5. Web site: 2017 . Population and Housing Census in Palestinian Camps and Gatherings in Lebanon 2017 . 15 November 2024 . Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics . 251, 270.