About Lebanon:

• It is a country located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea in Western Asia.
• Capital: Beirut
• Borders: It borders the Mediterranean Sea in the west, Syria in the north and east, and Israel in the south.
• History:
  • It is part of an area known as the Fertile Crescent, also known as the “Cradle of Civilization”.
  • Byblos, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, is around 30 km north of modern Beirut.
  • Lebanon was ruled by a number of ancient empires, including the Phoenician, Egyptian, Hittite, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, and Roman.
  • For over 400 years (1516-1918), Lebanon was part of the Ottoman Empire.
  • In 1920, following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Lebanon was ruled by France, which created the State of Greater Lebanon.
  • It wasn’t until 1943 that Lebanon achieved independenceafter French authority dissolved, leading to the withdrawal of French troops.
• Geography:
  • It consists of a narrow strip of territory and is one of the world’s smaller sovereign states. 
  • The Lebanon Mountains, which rise to 9,800 feet (3,000 meters), run down the middle of the country. 
  • The Anti-Lebanon Mountains form Lebanon’s border with Syria.
  • Between the two mountain ranges lies the high, fertile Bekaa Valley.
  • The valley receives water from the Litani, the only river in Lebanon that flows throughout the year.
• Climate: Its Mediterranean climate brings mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers.
• Political Structure:
  • Lebanon is a unitary, multiparty republic with a parliamentary system of government.
  • Parliamentary seats are apportioned equally between Christian and Muslim This sectarian distribution is also to be observed in appointments to public office.
• Languages: Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian
• People: Most Lebanese are Arabs. There are small groups of Armenians and Kurds.
• Economy: Services, including banking and tourism, are Lebanon’s most important economic activities.