Bekaa valley

Bekaa valley, broad valley of east-central Lebanon, extending in a northeast-southwest direction for 75 miles (120 km) along the Litani and Orontes rivers, between the Lebanon Mountains to the west and Anti-Lebanon Mountains to the east. The valley contains nearly half of Lebanon’s arable land but is not as intensively farmed as the country’s coastal plain because of less rainfall and a wider variation in temperature. Crops grown include grains, fruits, and vegetables. Cannabis has also long been cultivated there, contributing to the valley’s reputation as one of the largest drug-producing centers in the world.

Main towns include Zahle, noted for its vineyards and for its production of arack (a triple-distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grapes and fresh aniseed); Baalbek, the site of several outstanding Roman ruins; and Riyaq. In the late 20th century, Bekaa was the scene of continued skirmishes between the Syrian and certain Lebanese and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) forces and Israel (see Lebanese Civil War). After the start of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, the valley was inundated with refugees seeking safety, food, and medicine.