Zahlah, also Zahleh and Zahle, city in east central Lebanon. Zahlah is located 37 km (23 mi) east of Beirut (Bayrut) at the foot of the eastern slopes of Mount Sannin. It is also the largest city of the fertile Bekáa Valley (Al Biqa') and is an administrative, commercial, banking, and farming center. Although farming in the area was hurt by Lebanon's civil war in the 1970s and 1980s, Zahlah's industry and commerce blossomed after Beirut was ravaged by the war and the country looked for new places to conduct business. The city is connected by rail and road to Lebanon's major cities and to Syria. Zahlah is built in terraces up steep mountain slopes. It has a number of old churches and a notable stone hotel and is well known for its outdoor cafes and restaurants.
Zahlah is the largest predominantly Christian city in the Middle East. Greek Catholics make up about 50 percent of Zahlah's population; the other 50 percent are Maronite and Greek Orthodox Christians.
