CBS Daytime Albtar-Snow 2013 01

Al-Bitar ( ar, link=no, البطار) is a village in the

Tartus Governorate Tartus Governorate, also transliterated as Tartous Governorate, ( ar, مُحافظة طرطوس / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat Ṭarṭūs'') is one of the 14 governorates of Syria. It is situated in western Syria, bordering Latakia Governorate to t ...

nesting at one of the Coastal Mountain Range peaks at an altitude of about 1000m above mean sea level. Al-Bitar is located about 7 km from

Mashta al-Helu Mashta al-Helu ( ar, مشتى الحلو, also known as Meshta al-Helu or Mashta al-Helo) is a town and resort in northwestern Syria, administratively part of the Tartus Governorate, located 35 kilometers east of Tartus. The village is located in ...

town and resort, 60 km from Homs, 50 km from

Tartus ) , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = , imagesize = , image_caption = Tartus corniche Port of Tartus • Tartus beach and boulevard Cathedral of Our Lady of Tortosa • Al-Assad Stadium&n ...

and about 215 km from the capital city Damascus. The village itself elevates about 700m above mean sea level, while some of its peaks reaches 1000m. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), al-Bitar had a population of 1,225 in the 2004 census.General Census of Population and Housing 2004
Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Hama Governorate. Its inhabitants are predominantly Christians, of the

Greek Orthodox Church The term Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also cal ...

Economy

Apple farms are the backbone of al-Bitar's economy and have been the major income for the residents since the villagers decided to replace the previously predominant vain and fig trees, with apple around the 1950s of the last century. There are still a lot of vain, fig and other fruit trees but mainly for personal consumption. In addition to eating and preserving, the locals use the grapes to make triple distilled Arak. Most fruits are used also to make different sorts of jams and jellies. Farms are mostly terraces and as the region enjoy a lot of rain between September and March, hence farms are mainly rained. Most of the apple produced in the village is either golden delicious or

red delicious Red Delicious is a type of apple with a red exterior and sweet taste that was first recognized in Madison County, Iowa, in 1872. Today, the name ''Red Delicious'' comprises more than 50 cultivars. From 1968 to 2018, it was the most produced cu ...

and many regard it among the tastier in the world due to the water and soil. Some of the farmers dedicate part of their farms for wheat and corns, mainly for personal use. Wheat is used mostly to produce

bulgur Bulgur (from tr, bulgur, itself from fa, بلغور, bolġur (bolghur)/balġur (balghur), groats ), also riffoth (from biblical he, ריפות, riffoth) and burghul (from ar, برغل, burġul ), is a cracked wheat dish found ...

, which makes the main dishes all over the year; whether as a standalone meal, next to other meals or part of other meals; such as

tabbouleh Tabbouleh ( ar, تبولة, translit=tabbūla; also tabouleh, tabbouli, tabouli, or taboulah) is a Levantine salad made mostly of finely chopped parsley, with tomatoes, mint, onion, bulgur (soaked, not cooked), and seasoned with olive oil, lemon ...

kibbeh Kibbeh (, also kubba and other spellings; ar, كبة, kibba; tr, içli köfte) is a family of dishes based on spiced ground meat, onions, and grain, popular in Middle Eastern cuisine. In Levantine cuisine, kibbeh is usually made by pounding ...

mujaddara Mujaddara ( ar, مجدرة ''mujadarah'', with alternative spellings in English majadra, mejadra, moujadara, mudardara, and megadarra) consists of cooked lentils together with groats, generally rice, and garnished with sautéed onions. Name and o ...

and many others. The soil fertility and Mediterranean climate, combined with the habit of keeping animal farms for milk, egg and meat, allow the locals to enjoy a great level of self-sufficiency.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bitar Populated places in Safita District Eastern Orthodox Christian communities in Syria