View source for Chtaura

{{refimprove|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage-->
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->| official_name                   = Chtaura
| other_name                      =
| native_name                     = {{lang|ar|شتورا}} <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
| nickname                        =
| settlement_type                 = <!--For Town or Village (Leave blank for the default City)-->
| motto                           = <!-- images and maps  ----------->
| image_skyline                   =
| imagesize                       =
| image_caption                   =
| image_flag                      =
| flag_size                       =
| image_seal                      =
| seal_size                       =
| image_shield                    =
| shield_size                     =
| image_blank_emblem              =
| blank_emblem_type               =
| blank_emblem_size               =
| image_map                       =
| mapsize                         =
| map_caption                     =
| image_map1                      =
| mapsize1                        =
| map_caption1                    =
| image_dot_map                   =
| dot_mapsize                     =
| dot_map_caption                 =
| dot_x                           =
| dot_y                           =
| pushpin_map                     = Lebanon <!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map -->
| pushpin_label_position          = bottom
| pushpin_mapsize                 = 280
| pushpin_map_caption             = Location in Lebanon
<!-- Location ------------------>| subdivision_type                = Country
| subdivision_name                = {{Flag|Lebanon}}
| subdivision_type1               = [[Governorates of Lebanon|Governorate]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[Beqaa Governorate]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[Districts of Lebanon|District]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[Zahle District]]
| subdivision_type3               =
| subdivision_name3               =
| subdivision_type4               =
| subdivision_name4               = <!-- Politics ----------------->
| government_footnotes            =
| government_type                 = Mayor : Nicolas Assi نقولا عاصي
| leader_title                    =
| leader_name                     =
| leader_title1                   = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
| leader_name1                    =
| leader_title2                   =
| leader_name2                    =
| leader_title3                   =
| leader_name3                    =
| leader_title4                   =
| leader_name4                    =
| established_title               = <!-- Settled -->
| established_date                =
| established_title2              = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
| established_date2               =
| established_title3              = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
| established_date3               = <!-- Area    --------------------->
| area_magnitude                  =
| unit_pref                       = Imperial <!--Enter: Imperial, if Imperial (metric) is desired-->
| area_footnotes                  =
| area_total_km2                  = <!-- ALL fields dealing with a measurements are subject to automatic unit conversion-->
| area_land_km2                   = <!--See table @ Template:Infobox Settlement for details on automatic unit conversion-->
| area_water_km2                  =
| area_total_sq_mi                =
| area_land_sq_mi                 =
| area_water_sq_mi                =
| area_water_percent              =
| area_urban_km2                  =
| area_urban_sq_mi                =
| area_metro_km2                  =
| area_metro_sq_mi                =
| area_blank1_title               =
| area_blank1_km2                 =
| area_blank1_sq_mi               = <!-- Population   ----------------------->
| population_as_of                =
| population_footnotes            =
| population_note                 =
| population_total                =
| population_density_km2          =
| population_density_sq_mi        =
| population_metro                =
| population_density_metro_km2    =
| population_density_metro_sq_mi  =
| population_urban                =
| population_density_urban_km2    =
| population_density_urban_sq_mi  =
| population_blank1_title         = Ethnicities
| population_blank1               =
| population_blank2_title         = Religions
| population_blank2               =
| population_density_blank1_km2   =
| population_density_blank1_sq_mi = <!-- General information  --------------->
| timezone                        = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
| utc_offset                      = +2
| timezone_DST                    = +3
| utc_offset_DST                  =
| coordinates                     = {{coord|33|48|53|N|35|51|17|E|region:LB|display=inline}}
| elevation_footnotes             = <!--for references: use <ref> </ref> tags-->
| elevation_m                     = 910
| elevation_ft                    = <!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
| postal_code_type                = <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... -->
| postal_code                     =
| area_code                       = 1801
| blank_name                      =
| blank_info                      =
| blank1_name                     =
| blank1_info                     = Governor : Nicolas Assi نقولا عاصي
| website                         =
| footnotes                       =
| name                            =
}}
'''Chtaura''' ({{langx|ar|شتورا}}) is a town in [[Lebanon]] in the fertile [[Beqaa Valley|Beqaa valley]] located between the [[Mount Lebanon]] and [[Syria]]. It is located halfway on the [[Beirut]] - [[Damascus]] highway. It is located {{convert|44|km}} from Beirut.
Chtaura is the valley's hub for banking, transportation, and commerce, with many hotels and restaurants on the main road. From Chtaura, travelers can depart for [[Zahlé]], [[Baalbek]], or Damascus.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.saidon.com/cities/chtaura.html|title=Chtaura Profile - Chtaura Overview - Lebanon - Saidon.com|website=www.saidon.com}}</ref>
==History==
On January 29, 1983, the Israeli-run [[Front for the Liberation of Lebanon from Foreigners]]  detonated a car bomb close to the [[Fatah]] HQ at Chtaura (also named Shtura), and another in West Beirut, close to the HQ of the left-wing [[Mourabitoun]]. Some sixty people were killed and hundreds wounded.<ref>[[Ronen Bergman]], 2018, [[Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations]], in "notes"</ref>
For almost 30 years, during the civil war, the [[Syrian Army]]'s military headquarters for the [[Beqaa Valley]] was in Chtaura. On 24 November 1989, following the assassination of President [[René Moawad]], his successor, [[Elias Hrawi]], was elected by a hastily gathered assembly of 53 MPs in the Chtaura's Park Hotel.<ref>[[Middle East International]] No 364, 1 December 1989, Publishers [[Christopher Mayhew|Lord Mayhew]], [[Dennis Walters|Dennis Walters MP]]; [[Jim Muir]] pp.3-5</ref>
== Climate ==
The area east of Lebanon is known for its dryness. It rarely rains in Chtaura in the summer, and there is a lack of humidity. The summers are  warm, with temperatures reaching 36 degrees Celsius. In winter there are an average of 3-4 snowstorms yearly.
== Population ==
Chtaura's population has steadily grown since its founding. A century ago, Chtaura had less than two- thousand inhabitants and 70 houses. In the early 20th century, the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottomans]] developed Chtaura to be the cultural Hub of the Beqaa Valley due to its strategic location, and the population jumped to about 10,000-15,000 people. The population continued to grow throughout the twentieth century, and today the town is home to about 60–80,000 people. The town had a small Armenian community up until the start of the Lebanese Civil War.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-01 |title=V.H. Apelian's Blog: Krikor Kradjian - The Armenian Shtaura – 1 -. |url=https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2024/05/krikor-kradjian-armenian-shtaura-1_79.html |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=V.H. Apelian's Blog}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.localiban.org/article3763.html  Chtaura], Localiban
{{Zahle District}}
[[Category:Populated places in Zahlé District]]
{{lebanon-geo-stub}}