Baaloul
| Baaloul Baalool | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
  Baaloul Location in Lebanon | |
| Coordinates: 33°35′23″N 35°45′2″E / 33.58972°N 35.75056°ECoordinates: 33°35′23″N 35°45′2″E / 33.58972°N 35.75056°E | |
| Country |
 Lebanon |
| Governorate | Beqaa Governorate |
| District | Rashaya District |
Baaloul (arabic language بعلول tr.) "Ba'lūl") is a village in southeastern Lebanon, whose geographical location is located in the eastern part of the Bekaa valley. Baaloul's location can be seen in a remote area centered in the middle of mountainous areas. It is bordered to the East by the village of Lela and to the West by the village of Karaoum. Its current population is approximately 120 people in the village, considering that many former residents live abroad. Its inhabitants are practitioners of the religion of Sunni Islam, although a single family of Maronite stands out in the community.
This village is characterized as one of many in Lebanon of which its population has emigrated. The first wave of migration that arose in Baaloul was among the early years of 1935-1945, when Lebanon, before it was a Republic, was dominated by France. The French mandate of Lebanon had temporary authority and made the political and economic decisions in the territory. The French as Christians always treated the community Maronite Christians with preferences, and unlike the Muslims were not in any way discriminated against. Muslim Lebanese of the time were protesting since they argued that they did not want to live in a country where decisions by foreigners is applied over the heads of the Arabs and it resulted in the displacement of these outside the territory.
The second displacement of their inhabitants began mainly in the 1970s, when the country was facing the beginning of a struggle both in the political and social powers between Muslims and Christians. Finally, this struggle became the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990), which worsened to a country that was known then by its status of the "Switzerland of the Middle East." The situation in Lebanon was unstable, with the down economy and a civil war that was the bloodiest ever, and with people feeling that they could not be raising their children, the settlers decided to again start to migrate.
These emigrated largely to countries mainly in Latin America, among them: Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Panama, there were also significant amounts to Canada and United States. These are mostly travelers, returning after achieving a stable economic livelihood, returning again to Baaloul to devote himself to the construction of houses for their families.
Colombia was one of the main destinations of emigration from the village; Between the years 70's, 80's and 90's Department of the Guajira Colombiana, specifically the town of Maicao was and is currently one of the places within Colombia where the community settled.
Venezuela is one of the countries where most inhabitants of this village, being Margarita Island and the economic zone of Paraguana in the city of Punto Fijo, where the inhabitants are mostly concentrated, contributing mainly to the dry goods trade.
Panama in the Decade of the years 80's and 90's received the community of Baaloul which focused on the Colón Free Trade Zone, in the surroundings of Panama Canal imposing a trade regime business type in the town.
Brazil is one of the countries that has most Lebanese in the world, even surpassing the current population of the Lebanon. This country is not an exception in having people from the community of Baaloul, locating its inhabitants in the tri-border of Foz do Iguaçu in Paraná province.
In the present, Baaloul population is approximately around 22 families and adding to the ones on the outside would be approximately 780 families.
The official language of Lebanon is Arabic, and as a second language French; But Baaloul the main language spoken in the community, both within the town and beyond this is the Spanish, since more people have migrated to Baaloul speaking countries than any other. In Baaloul the Spanish is very common among the inhabitants, following him after the Arabic, the English and Portuguese.