In a 26 March 2003 telephone interview with the Research Directorate, a representative of the Map Room at the University of Ottawa confirmed the existence of a Lebanese city named "Miryatah" and stated that she found it in various maps from 1960 to 1994. However, there were various ways to spell the city's name, the first being "Miryatah" or "Mirya'ah," the second being "Meriâta" and the third being "Miryata" (University of Ottawa 26 Mar. 2003). The most recent map that the representative consulted is from the Institut de géographie national de France (IGN) and is dated 1994 (ibid.).

The said city is located at a latitude of 34.25 degrees north and at a longitude of 35.56 degrees east (ibid.). The representative thinks that it is located in a small valley, in an agricultural area, not an urban one, as it is only at 180 meters above sea level (ibid.).

The IGN map of 1994 represents Miryatah as being at 8 kilometers from Tripoli, Lebanon (ibid.). It also refers to a census, which mentions that in 1967, Miryatah had 936 residents and Tripoli had 240, 000 residents (ibid.). The IGN map also reports that Miryatah is situated in the caza-or administrative unit-of Zgharta, in the province of Ash Shamal (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

University of Ottawa Map Room. 26 March 2003. Telephone interview with a representative.

The Compact Oxford English Dictionnary, 2nd Ed. 1991

IRB Databases

Lebanon: A Travel Guide. 1995

Middle East on a Shoestring, 2nd Ed. 1997

Times Atlas of the World, 9th Comprehensive Ed. 1994

Internet sites, including:

Map Quest

National Geographic (Maps and Geography)

Travel Journal.net

United Nations Department of Public Information, Cartographic Section

Search engines, including:

AOL Netfind

Google

Lycos

Yahoo