| Area |
10,452 sq km (4036 sq miles). |
| Population |
3,236,000 (1999). |
| Capital |
Beirut- population 1,504,900 (1990) |
| Climate |
There are four seasons. Summer (June to September) is hot on the coast and cooler in the mountains. Spring and autumn are warm and pleasant. Winter (December to mid-March) is mostly rainy with snow in the mountains. |
| Language |
The official language is Arabic, followed by French as the second language; English is widely spoken. Kurdish and Armenian are spoken by a small percentage of the population. |
| Religion |
Islam and Christianity are the main religions. Islam (predominantly Shi'ite) accounts for approximately 40 per cent of the population's beliefs. Christianity denominations, mainly Greek Orthodox, Maronite, Armenian and Protestant account for another 40 per cent. Other religions account for the remaining 20 per cent. |
| Time |
GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from April to September).
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| Highlights |
Lebanon is a country rich in history - the town of Byblos is reputedly the oldest town in the world, with Phoenician, Egyptian and Byzantine influences. The city of Baalbek is a fascinating place to visit as it contains one of the best-preserved temple areas of the Roman world in existence. Tyre's archaeological sites, divided into three distinct areas contain impressive remains of ancient cultures. Beirut, once known as the 'Paris of the East' has a magnificent location on the largest rocky promontory of the Mediterranean coast. It is unique among world capitals in being at the crossroads of three continents; the three great monotheistic religions, the Oriental and Western cultures. Tripoli, in the north, has its old medieval centre at the foot of the Crusader Castle and the port area has numerous fish markets and restaurants. Lebanese cuisine is widely acknowledged to be the finest in the Middle East.
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| Country Facts |
Lebanon lies to the east of the Mediterranean and bordered by Syria and Palestine. It is a mountainous country and between the two parallel mountain ranges of Jebel Lubnan and the Anti-Lebanon range lies the fertile Bekaa Valley. Almost half of the land lies at an altitude of over 900m and the diversity and beauty of the scenery is amazing for such a small country. |