ir ▁had ▁an ▁estimated ▁population ▁of ▁ 2 7 , 0 0 0 , ▁of ▁which ▁about ▁ 9 , 0 0 0 ▁were ▁native ▁to ▁Gh az ir . ▁The ▁inhabitants ▁are ▁pre domin antly ▁Mar on ite ▁C athol ics , ▁but ▁there ▁are ▁also ▁Christians ▁from ▁other ▁denomin ations . ▁Al most ▁all ▁churches ▁in ▁Gh az ir ▁( ele ven ▁out ▁of ▁twelve ) ▁are ▁Mar on ite ▁churches , ▁and ▁the ▁remaining ▁one ▁located ▁in ▁lower ▁K far h b ab ▁is ▁Orth odox . ▁Gh az ir ' s ▁major ▁families ▁are ▁Ch le la , ▁T ay ah , ▁H add ad , ▁S la ib y , ▁Gh obe ira , ▁Ze in ny , ▁F rem , ▁Gh az al , ▁Z ay ek , ▁A wa ida , ▁and ▁many ▁others . ▁ ▁Econom y ▁Gh az ir ' s ▁traditional ▁economy ▁during ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁era ▁centered ▁on ▁sil k ▁production , ▁although ▁that ▁industry ▁is ▁now ▁ext inct ▁in ▁the ▁town . ▁However , ▁other ▁old ▁traditional ▁indust ries ▁surv ive ▁in ▁Gh az ir , ▁including ▁t apest ry ▁manufact uring , ▁st raw ▁furn iture - making , ▁iron work ▁and ▁wine ▁and ▁o live ▁oil ▁production . ▁The ▁town ' s ▁modern ▁economy ▁is ▁centered ▁on ▁small ▁business es ▁and ▁the ▁town ' s ▁role ▁as ▁a ▁summ ert ime ▁resort . ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁there ▁were ▁ 3 2 ▁companies ▁with ▁over