Area Code 25 – Chouf

Geographic Overview

The +961 25 area code is a geographic National Destination Code (NDC) assigned to the Chouf District, a mountainous region in Mount Lebanon Governorate. The Chouf is renowned for its cedar reserves, historic villages, and as the heartland of the Druze community. Key towns served by this code include Beiteddine (the district's administrative capital), Deir el-Qamar, Baakline, and the coastal city of Damour. The region's telecom infrastructure is part of Lebanon's fixed PSTN network, operated primarily by Ogero, the state-owned incumbent.

Dialing Formats

For local callers within Lebanon, the national dialing format is 0 25 XXXX (or 0 25 XXX XXX for longer subscriber numbers). The leading '0' is the trunk prefix used to access the national PSTN. For international callers, the format is +961 25 XXXX (or +961 25 XXX XXX), where the leading '0' is omitted. Subscriber numbers within the Chouf area code typically range from 5 to 7 digits, depending on the exchange and the density of the local network.

Geographic and Administrative Context

The Chouf district is divided into several administrative municipalities, each with its own local exchange. The area code 25 is geographically allocated, meaning that the number is tied to a physical location and the associated fixed-line infrastructure. This allocation follows ITU-T E.164 recommendations, ensuring that calls are routed efficiently through Lebanon's national numbering plan. The code is not portable to other regions; if a subscriber moves outside the Chouf area, they must obtain a new local number.

Overlay and Numbering Plan Considerations

As of the latest ITU-T national numbering plan, Lebanon has not implemented overlay codes for geographic areas. The Chouf region uses the 25 code exclusively, and there are no plans for an overlay in the near future. However, with the gradual migration to VoIP and NGN (Next Generation Networks), some operators have introduced location-independent services that may use geographic codes, but these are subject to regulatory approval by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) of Lebanon.

Caller Instructions

• Local callers (within Lebanon): Dial 0 25 followed by the subscriber number. For example, to reach a number in Beiteddine, dial 0 25 500 123.
• International callers: Dial your country's exit code (e.g., 00 from most countries, 011 from the US/Canada), then Lebanon's country code 961, then 25 and the subscriber number. For example, from the US, dial 011 961 25 500 123.

When dialing from a mobile phone, the same international format applies, but you may need to include the '+' sign before the country code for ease of dialing. Always ensure you have the correct number of digits; missing digits may result in a misdialed call.