The urban geography of Beirut

Abstract

This thesis concentrates on those factors important to the geography of the economic and social organisation of Beirut for which reasonably reliable material could be obtained. This results in three main groups, namely the pattern of land values (III), the socio-economic morphology (IV) and business land use (V). Two minor sections, the physical background (I) and the historical background (II) introduce the physical and temporal setting of the city. The land values pattern exhibits features characteristic of both western and non western cities, with the direction of change being distinctly towards the western pattern. The same is true of the socio-economic morphology and the business land use. Relics of the old oriental pattern still stand out against the flood-tide of increasing westernisation. Further, there is marked a real differentiation of rate of change within the city itself. Wherever possible, material has been quantified to provide a basis for future comparative studies. Elsewhere comments are based on personal study of the situation with local inhabitants. The increasingly sophisticated nature of urban theory is recognised by the author but in view of the lack of comparative data this thesis remains a largely empirical study. It is hoped that it will add to the compendium of individual studies of Middle Eastern cities on which comprehensive theories of Middle Eastern urban geography can in future be based.