Lebanon is a small Middle East country with the total area of 10,400 km2, located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Syria on the north and east and Israel on the south. Between 1975 and 1990 Lebanon experienced civil war that strongly affected the economy. Before the war Lebanon was the banking center of the Middle East and attracted a lot of tourists. Since 1990 the country has been coping with extensive damage brought about by the war.

Tourism has gradually revived as Lebanon is a very interesting country, mainly thank to its ancient sights – the area of today´s Lebanon was settled about 7,000 years ago. It is also a land of cedars; a cedar is even the part of the national flag.

Landscape

Lebanon has mostly mountainous terrain and moderate Mediterranean climate with cold winters and hot summers. The land used to be densely forested with cedars but the number of these coniferous trees was reduced substantially due to constant cutting and trading them. The mountain range extending across the whole country is called Lebanon Mountains, known locally as Mount Lebanon. The highest peaks are Qurnat as Sawda and Mount Hermon which is of volcanic origin. Rivers in Lebanon are small streams many of which flow only during winter but the country is not short of water thank to sufficient rainfalls. Good natural conditions enable varied agriculture.

History of Lebanon

The area of present-day Lebanon changed hands frequently. After the Phoenicians, the first know Lebanese settlers, Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Ottomans came and conquered the land. The modern Lebanese nation was formed in 1920 after the Ottoman Empire had been divided and the League of Nations authorized France to rule Lebanon. The country won independence during World War II. In 1948, Lebanon took part in the Arab-Israeli war which ended with an armistice and closed border a year later. In 1975, civil war broke out, caused by Christian and Muslim inter-religious dispute. The 15-year-long war resulted in ruined Beirut, devastated infrastructure and 150,000 killed people. In July 2006 the conflict between Lebanon and Israel renewed but lasted only a month. Nevertheless, the relations are still tense.

People and culture

The estimated population is slightly less than four million – there has not been a censu since 1932 in Lebanon. Almost 90 % of the population is urban; Beirut, Tripoli, Juniyah, Zahlah, Sayda (Sidon) and Sur (ancient Tyre) are the largest cities. Most of the people is of Arab descent, other ethnicities being Armenians, Kurds and Assyrians. Arabic is the official language but French and English are commonly spoken, too. As for the religion, in 1940´s there used to be more Christians than Muslims; however, in the following years Muslims outnumbered them due to a higher birthrate. After work Lebanese people like chatting over coffee and practising outdoor activities like skiing, snowboarding, canoeing, cycling, rafting, climbing, swimming and spelunking. Lebanese cuisine is diverse and includes everything from traditional foods like kebbe (lamb and crushed wheat) to international specialties. Lebanese music combines Arabic and European styles.

Why is Lebanon worth visiting?

Lebanon is an Arabic country with a European feel. It is open to any kind of culture and religion, though it has brought about a lot of troubles. You can meet Shiites, Sunnis, Palestinians, Armenians, Maronites and Christians living next to each other. And it is possible to go skiing in the mountains and swimming in the sea on the same day!