Administrative Divisions of Lebanon

Lebanon is divided administratively into three levels: provinces or governorates (محافظات), cazas or districts (أقضية), and municipalities (بلديات). There are eight governorates (although a ninth was recently announced), 26 districts, and (as of the 2016 municipal elections) 1029 municipalities in the country.

The municipality of Byblos (Jbeil), capital of the Jbeil District in the Mount Lebanon Governorate


Terminology

Click on the audio files below to hear the Arabic words for these administrative levels, first in Modern Standard Arabic and then in colloquial Lebanese Arabic.

governorate, province muHāfaẒa pl. -āt (MSA)
محافظة ج. محافظات
muHāfaZaŧ pl. -āt (colloquial)
district, caza qaDāĀ pl. ĀaqDiyaŧ (MSA)
قضاء ج. أقضية
qaDāĀ pl. ĀaqDiyeŧ (colloquial)
municipality baladiyyaŧ pl. -āt (MSA)
بلدية ج بلديات
baladiyyeŧ pl. -ēt (colloquial)
governorate, province muHāfaẒa pl. -āt (MSA)
محافظة ج. محافظات

The three administrative divisions are respectively headed by the following persons:

governor muHāfiẒ (MSA)
محافظ
mHāfiZ (colloquial)
district head (caïmacam) qāĀimaqām
قائمقام
mayor raĀīs baladiyyeŧ
رئيس بلدية

Governorates of Lebanon (محافظات لبنان)

Lebanon has eight governorates, as shown on the following map. Click on the audio files to hear how their names are pronounced in colloquial Lebanese Arabic.


This image and the images below are derivatives of محافظات وأقضية لبنان by Aboluay / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain.
1 Akkar
عكّار 5 Mount Lebanon
جبل لبنان
2 North Lebanon
الشمال 6 Beqaa
البقاع
3 Baalbek-Hermel
بعلبك-الهرمل 7 South Lebanon
الجنوب
4 Beirut
بيروت 8 Nabatiyeh
النبطية

Until 2003, there were only six governorates. Baalbek-Hermel was part of the Beqaa Governorate, and Akkar was part of the North Lebanon Governorate.

On August 16, 2017, the Lebanese Parliament announced the creation of a ninth governorate: Keserwan-Jbeil. This governorate will contain the two northernmost districts of the Mount Lebanon Governorate, i.e. Keserwan and Jbeil.

Districts of Lebanon (أقضية لبنان)

With the exception of Beirut and Akkar, each governorate is divided into districts. There are 26 districts in total (counting Beirut and Akkar each as one district), as shown on the following map. Click on the audio files to hear how their names are pronounced in colloquial Lebanese Arabic.

1 Akkar
عكّار 2f Batroun
البترون
2a Minieh-Dannieh
المنية-الضنّية 3a Hermel
الهرمل
2b Tripoli
طرابلس 3b Baalbek
بعلبك
2c Zgharta
زغرتا 4 Beirut
بيروت
2d Koura
الكورة 5a Byblos (Jbeil)
جبيل
2e Bsharre
بشرّي 5b Keserwan
كسروان

5c Matn
المتن 7a Sidon
صيدا
5d Baabda
بعبدا 7b Jezzine
جزّين
5e Aley
عالية 7c Tyre
صور
5f Chouf
الشوف 8a Nabatiyeh
النبطية
6a Zahleh
زحلة 8b Hasbaya
حاصبيا
6b Western Beqaa
البقاع الغربي 8c Marjaayoun
مرجعيون
6c Rachaya
راشَيّا 8d Bint Jbeil
بنت جبيل

Municipalities of Lebanon (بلديات لبنان)

With the exception of Beirut, each district is divided into municipalities. There were 1029 municipalities at the time of the 2016 municipal elections.

Clicking the number of each district on the map below will take you to a Localiban.org page with detailed information about its municipalities.

click map

Akkar (عكار) Minieh-Danniyeh (المنية-الضنّية) Tripoli (طرابلس) Zgharta (زغرتا) Koura (الكورة) Bcharreh (بشرّي) Batroun (البترون ) Hermel (الهرمل) Baalbek (بعلبك) Jbeil (جبيل) Keserwan (كسروان) Matn (المتن) Baabda (بعبدا) Aley (عالية) Chouf (الشوف) Zahleh (زحلة) Western Beqaa (البقاع الغربي) Rachaya (راشيا) Sidon (صيدا) Jezzine (جزّين) Tyre (صور) Nabatiyeh (النبطية) Hasbaya (حاصبيا) Marjaayoun (مرجعيون) Bint Jbeil (بنت جبيل)

For a complete clickable list of the municipalities, see Localiban’s page on the territorial administration of Lebanon.

Governorate and District Capitals (عواصم المحافظات والأقضية)

capital 3āSimaŧ pl. 3awāSim (MSA)
عاصمة ج. عواصم
3āSmeŧ pl. 3awāSim (colloquial)

The following chart lists the capital of each governorate and district in Lebanon. Click on the audio files to hear how these capitals are pronounced in colloquial Lebanese Arabic.

Governorate Capital Audio عاصمة محافظة
Akkar Halba
حلبا عكّار
Governorate Capital Audio عاصمة محافظة
North Tripoli
طرابلس الشمال
District Capital عاصمة قضاء
Batroun Batroun
البترون البترون
Bcharri Bcharri
بشري بشري
Koura Amioun
أميون الكورة
Minieh-Danniyeh Minieh
المنية المنية-الضنّية
Tripoli Tripoli
طرابلس طرابلس
Zgharta Zgharta
زغرتا زغرتا
Governorate Capital Audio عاصمة محافظة
Baalbek-Hermel Baalbek
بعلبك بعلبك
District Capital عاصمة قضاء
Baalbek Baalbek
بعلبك بعلبك
Hermel Hermel
الهرمل الهرمل
Governorate Capital Audio عاصمة محافظة
Beirut Beirut
بيروت بيروت
Governorate Capital Audio عاصمة محافظة
Mount Lebanon Baabda
بعبدا جبل لبنان
District Capital عاصمة قضاء
Aley Aley
عاليه عاليه
Baabda Baabda
بعبدا بعبدا
Chouf Deir El-Qamar
دير القمر الشوف
Matn Jdeideh
جديدة المتن
Byblos (Jbeil) Byblos (Jbeil)
جبيل جبيل
Keserwan Jounieh
جونيه كسروان
Governorate Capital Audio عاصمة محافظة
Beqaa Zahleh
زحلة البقاع
District Capital عاصمة قضاء
Rachaya Rachaya
راشيا راشيا
Western Beqaa Jeb Jannine
جب جنين البقاع الغربي
Zahleh Zahleh
زحلة زحلة
Governorate Capital Audio عاصمة محافظة
South Lebanon Sidon
صيدا الجنوب
District Capital عاصمة قضاء
Jezzine Jezzine
جزين جزين
Sidon Sidon
صيدا صيدا
Tyre Tyre
صور صور
Governorate Capital Audio عاصمة محافظة
Nabatiyeh Nabatiyeh
النبطية النبطية
District Capital عاصمة قضاء
Bint Jbeil Bint Jbeil
بنت جبيل بنت جبيل
Hasbaya Hasbaya
حاصبيا حاصبيا
Marjaayoun Jdeidet Marjaayoun
جديدة مرجعيون مرجعيون
Nabatiyeh Nabatiyeh
النبطية النبطية

Lebanese Arabic Institute Map: Local Authorities in Lebanon

The Lebanese Arabic Institute has prepared a detailed interactive map, Local Authorities in Lebanon, which shows the municipal areas of Lebanon and marks the location of cities and villages. It includes links to relevant government and community websites and Facebook pages, Wikipedia and Localiban entries, as well as some videos.

External Resources

Related:

Areas of Beirut

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