 The inhabitants of Souk El Garb are predominantly Greek-Catholics and Greek-Orthodox Christians.Prior to the outbreak of the Civil War in 1975, the town, along with neighboring Aley, was a popular tourist destination for wealthy Arab outsiders from the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, who used to own there luxurious Villas where they spent the summers, escaping the heat and humidity in their own countries.Souk El Gharb was famous for housing several important schools and teaching institutions in Lebanon, including