The name Iaal is derived from the sound donkeys make when braying. This was chosen in honour of the preeminent role donkeys played in logistics connecting the coastal and mountain regions through Iaal.
Location
Iaal is located approximately south-east of Tripoli, from Beirut and from Zgharta. It is situated within the Zgharta District of the North Governorate of Lebanon. Iaal lies at the foot of the Mount Lebanon range and has a road that runs up into the mountains passing through its borders. Neighbouring and nearby communities include Jdaydeh, Kfaryachit, Khaldieh, Morh Kfarsghab and Sakhra. Iaal is one of only five Sunni towns in the Zgharta District and is the southernmost entirely Sunni Muslim settlement in the whole North Governorate of Lebanon.
Buildings
The most identifiable building in Iaal is the castle/fort built on the hilltop of the village centre: the Fortress of Iaal It was built in 1816 by Mustafa Agha Barbar because the area was considered strategic thanks to its panoramic views, which extend all the way down to the Mediterranean coast. The other identifiable building in Iaal is the mosquealong the road that runs up into the mountains called Masjid al-Taqwa, built in 1994. There is a second mosque located within the confines of the castle.
History
It appears that Iaal was inhabited prior to the arrival of Barbar, as evidenced by a census conducted by the Ottomans in 1555 showing that there were 34 males in the village at that time. However, who these villagers were and where they originated from is unknown. What can be presumably safely deduced is that the modern descendants from Iaal are a product of Barbar, those serving him and those who were counted in the 1555 census. Based upon the 1555 census alone, there should be more than the few thousand people currently claiming an origin from Iaal, i.e. if the population was able to grow without the interference of many unnatural deaths and/or significant migration and subsequent loss of identity.
Agriculture
The land of Iaal is watered by Iaal Dam and its outflow of Wadi Iaal. This makes it fertile, sustaining a variety of produce and grazing animals, and has resulted in making Iaal famous for its olive tree gardens.
Climate
Iaal's climate is typical of a Mediterranean plain village: with heavy rains, mild winters and hot, dry, arid summers. Its annual rainfall is. Its average monthly temperatures are shown below:
People
Its inhabitants are entirely Sunni Muslim and number about 1,000 people. In 1988 Iaal had a total population of 903, and in 1998 its population increased by almost 20% to 1,082 people. However, these figures relate to all registered citizens originating from the village, including both residents in Lebanon and those who emigrated abroad. The people of Iaal are also all related to one another through common ancestors. The majority of people who trace their ancestry to the village actually live outside of Iaal. The overwhelming majority of these immigrants and their descendants live in Australia, primarily Sydney, in the local government areas of the Municipality of Kogarah and the City of Liverpool. This diaspora community also runs the Iaal Charitable Association Inc. During the late 19th and early 20th century, most people from Iaal emigrated to Latin America; however, these emigrants fully assimilated into their new environments and lost all connections with their homeland. Some common surnames of people from Iaal include Affouf, Al-Choukairy, Al-Hage, Ardati, Ayyoub, Dennaoui, Diab, Dib, Elmir, Habib, Hadid, Halbouni, Hammoud, Hussein, Ibrahim, Issa, Jameel, Khidr, Mahrees, Merhi, Nasreddine, Nasser, Shehaddy, Subkhi and Taleb.
Notable people
Some notable people born in or descending from Iaal include:
Sam Elmir - councillor in the East Ward of the Kogarah Municipal Council, councillor in the Blakehurst Ward of the Georges River Council, Georges River Council Deputy Mayor.
Rahma el-Dennaoui - Australian girl who went missing in 2005
