Zgharta

Zgharta (also Zghorta) is a large town in North Lebanon, with an estimated population around 40,000. It is the seat of Zgharta district (Qadaa' Zgharta). Zgharta is closely related to the mountain town of Ehden, essentially sharing the same population. Each summer, most Zghartans move to their summer dwelling in Ehden; this is reversed in winter when Ehden is practically deserted. Zghartans speak the Lebanese dialect with a distinctive accent. The population is overwhelmingly Maronite christian.

Zgharta's political influence in Lebanon has been disproportionatly larger than its size. It produced 2 presidents: Suleiman Frangieh and Rene Moawad, and several prominent politicians (Suleiman Frangieh Jr, Nayla Moawad, Tony Frangieh). Ehden also produced 2 patriarchs of the Maronite church (Estefan Douaihy and Hanna (John) Makhlouf), and an Ottoman era nationalist leader (Yusuf Karam). Political power in Zgharta district is dominated by a few rival clans from the town: the Frangie, Karam, Douaihy and Moawad. The surrounding villages and towns, though populous and prosperous, have no political power.

Traditionally, agriculture was a large portion of the local economy, with olives grown for olive-oil around Zgharta and apple orchards around Ehden. Recently, the service sector has seen significant growth.