South Governorate


South Governorate is one of the governorates of Lebanon, with a population of 590,000 inhabitants and an area of 929.6 km2. The capital is Sidon. The lowest elevation is sea-level; the highest is 1,000 meters. The local population is religiously diverse and includes Shia and Sunni Muslims, Druze, Eastern Orthodox, Maronite, Protestant, and Greek Catholic Christians. Temperatures can drop to 4 °C during winter with much rain and snow on the higher ground. In the humid summer, temperatures can rise to 30 °C in the coastal areas. The governorate has several rivers: the Litani, Deir El Zahrani, Naqoura, Awali, Qasmiye, and Hasbani. The area is famous for its citrus and banana farms. Its main cities are Sidon, Tyre and Jezzine.

Districts

The governorate is divided into four districts containing 181 municipalities. The capitals are in brackets:

Demographics

According to registered voters in 2014:
Shias make up the majority of the governorate and are the main residents of the Zahrani Tyre districts. Sunnis are the main residents of Sidon the capital of the governorate and the third largest city in Lebanon after Beirut and Tripoli. Christians are mainly residents of the Jezzine district and form a small community in the cities of Tyre, which is the fourth-most-populous city in Lebanon.

Cities, towns and villages

This list includes all cities, towns and villages with more than 6,000 registered voters in 2014:
English namePopulationDistrict
Sidon58,475Sidon District
Tyre29,410Tyre District
Jwaya10,935Tyre District
Jezzine8,276Jezzine District
As-Sarafand7,326Sidon District
Al-Ghaziyah7,221Sidon District
Qana7,107Tyre District
Maarakah6,124Tyre District

Local attractions and events

The area offers a great number of attractions, including pristine white sandy beaches south of Tyre, and the opportunity to snorkel or dive among submerged Phoenician and Roman ruins near the ancient cities of Sidon and Tyre. There are a number of Ottoman-era pazars and seafood restaurants overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Southern Lebanon also hosts the Tyre festival, which attracts thousands of tourists each year.

Districts