Akkar District

Description

Akkar is a district in the North Governorate, Lebanon. It covers an area of 788 km (304 sq mi) and has a population of 198,174. The capital lies at Halba. The district is characterized by the presence of a relatively large coastal plain, with high mountains to the east. Akkar had been governed during the last 400 years by the Emirs and the beiks of the Merheb family. After the civil war this was no longer the case as peasants took over the land with the aid of Syrian troops during the civil war. The largest cities in Akkar are Halba, al-Bireh (previously called "Biret el Hokem" where we find the Castle of Merheb Family), Kobayat (Quobayet). Akkar has many important Roman and Arabic archaeological sites. One of the most famous archaeological sites and the birth place of the Emperor Alexander Severus, is the Tell of Arqa near the town of Miniara. (via DBpedia)