Chtaura is the valley's hub for banking, transportation, and commerce, with many hotels and restaurants on the main road.

[2] For almost 30 years, during the civil war, the Syrian Army's military headquarters for the Beqaa Valley was in Chtaura.

On 24 November 1989, following the assassination of President René Moawad, his successor, Elias Hrawi, was elected by a hastily gathered assembly of 53 MPs in the Chtaura's Park Hotel.

In the early 20th century, the Ottomans developed Chtaura to be the cultural Hub of the Beqaa Valley due to its strategic location, and the population jumped to about 10,000-15,000 people.

The population continued to grow throughout the twentieth century, and today the town is home to about 60–80,000 people.