الجمهورية اللبنانية Al-Jumhūrīyyah al-Lubnānīyyah Lebanese Republic
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: كلنا للوطن للعلى للعلم  (Arabic) "All for country, for glory, and the flag!"
Anthem: Kulluna lil-watan lil 'ula lil-'alam
Capital (and largest city)		Beirut 33°54′N, 35°32′E
Official languages		Arabic
Other common languages		French, English, Armenian
Demonym		Lebanese (English), Lebneneh (Lebanese Arabic), Libanais (French)
Government		Republic
-	President	Michel Suleiman
-	Prime Minister	Fouad Siniora
-	Speaker of Parliament	Nabih Berri
Independence		from France-administered League of Nations mandate
-	Declared	November 26, 1941
-	Recognized	November 22, 1943
Area
-	Total	10,452 km² (166th) 4,035 sq mi
-	Water (%)	1. The flag of Lebanon ( علم لبنان) is formed of two horizontal red stripes enveloping a horizontal white stripe The Coat of Arms of Lebanon ( شعار لبنان) consists of a red shield with a white bend sinister on which is placed a Cedar tree A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's About 91% of the population of Lebanon is urban and comprises many different ethnic groups and religions including numerous Christian and Muslim sects Beirut (بيروت Bayrūt) is the Capital and Largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2 An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The Armenian language (hy հայերեն լեզու hajɛɹɛn lɛzu —, conventional short form) is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Lebanese or Lebanese Arabic is the colloquial form of Arabic spoken in Lebanon. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its This page lists presidents of Lebanon Though it is not specifically stated in the constitution an unwritten understanding known as the National Pact (al-mithaq al-watani agreed in 1943 Michel Suleiman or Sleiman ( ميشال سليمان, born 21 November 1948) is the current President of Lebanon. This page lists Prime ministers of Lebanon. By an unwritten agreement following independence the holder of this post must be a Sunni Muslim. Fouad Siniora (alternative spellings Fouad Sanyoura Fuad Siniora Fouad Saniora Fouad Seniora ( فؤاد السنيورة, Fu'ād As-Sanyūrah is the Prime This page lists speakers of the Parliament of Lebanon. By unwritten agreement following independence the holder of this post must be a Shiite Muslim. Nabih Berri (نبيه بري born January 28, 1938) is the Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon. Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The League of Nations was an International organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920 Events 43 BC - The Second Triumvirate alliance of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus ("Octavian" later "Caesar Augustus" Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 498 - Kofi Aseidu- After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions  Areas between 10000 km² and 100000 km² are listed here This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 6
Population
-	February 2008 estimate	4,196,453 (125th)
-	Density	358/km² (26th) 948/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2007 estimate
-	Total	$41. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 96 billion (84rd)
-	Per capita	$9,100 (42th)
HDI (2007)		▼ 0. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 772 (medium) (88th)
Currency		Lebanese Lira (LL) (LBP)
Time zone		EET (UTC+2)
-	Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Internet TLD		.lb
Calling code		+961

Lebanon (IPA: /ˈlɛbənɒn/) (Arabic: لبنان Lubnān, French: Liban, officially the Republic of Lebanon^[1] or Lebanese Republic^[2] (الجمهورية اللبنانية), is a religiously diverse, mountainous country in Western Asia, on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The Lebanese pound ( lira in Arabic, ليرة or livre in French) ( ISO 4217: "Lebanese pound" LBP is the currency Ll / ll is a digraph which occurs in several natural Languages In English In English, ll represents the same sound ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Eastern European Time ( EET) is one of the names of UTC+2 Time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. Daylight saving time ( DST Eastern European Summer Time ( EEST) is one of the names of UTC+3 Time zone, 3 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. It is bordered by Syria to the north and east, and Israel to the south. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Due to its sectarian diversity, Lebanon evolved a unique political system, known as confessionalism, based on a community-based power-sharing mechanism. In the Sociology of religion a sect is generally a smaller religious or political group that has broken off from a larger group for example from a Confessionalism is a System of government that distributes political and institutional power proportionally among religious communities Consociationalism is a form of government involving guaranteed group representation and is often suggested for managing conflict in deeply divided societies ^[3] It was created when the ruling French mandatory powers expanded the borders of the former Maronite Christian autonomous Ottoman Mount Lebanon district.

The flag of Lebanon features a cedar in green against a white backdrop, bounded by two horizontal red stripes along the top and bottom. The flag of Lebanon ( علم لبنان) is formed of two horizontal red stripes enveloping a horizontal white stripe Cedrus libani ( Lebanon Cedar or Cedar of Lebanon) is a species of Cedar native to the mountains of the Mediterranean region In Vexillology, a Spanish fess is a term occasionally used to describe the central horizontal stripe of a Tricolour or triband flag that is twice the width This is a reference to the famous cedars of Lebanon, renowned throughout the region in antiquity. The red refers to the blood spilled in order to gain the independence, the white refers to the purity and peace.

Before the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), the country enjoyed a period of relative calm and prosperity, driven by the tourism, agriculture, and banking sectors of the economy. The Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990 was a multifaceted Civil war whose antecedents can be traced back to the conflicts and political compromises reached after the end ^[4] It is considered the banking capital of the Levant and was widely known as the "Switzerland of the East" due to its financial power and diversity. See also Names of the Levant The Levant (lə'vænt is a geographical term that denotes a large area in Western Asia, roughly bounded on the north by the Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Lebanon also attracted large numbers of tourists^[5] to the point that the capital Beirut became widely referred to as the "Paris of Western Asia"^[6]

Immediately following the end of the war, there were extensive efforts to revive the economy and rebuild national infrastructure. Beirut (بيروت Bayrūt) is the Capital and Largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2 Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city ^[7] By early 2006, a considerable degree of stability had been achieved throughout much of the country, Beirut's reconstruction was almost complete,^[8] and an increasing number of foreign tourists were pouring into Lebanon's resorts. ^[5]

The 2006 war, however, caused widespread loss of life and damage to Lebanon's infrastructure from July 21, 2006 until a ceasefire went into effect on August 14, 2006, and the country's economy is still in the process of recovering. Background See also Israel-Lebanon conflict The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO had engaged in cross-border attacks from Southern Lebanon

Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2.1 Ancient history 2.2 French mandate and independence 2.3 1948 Arab-Israeli war 2.4 Civil war and beyond 2.5 Recent history 3 Geography and climate 4 Governorates and districts 5 Demographics and religion 6 Economy 7 Foreign Relations 8 Education 8.1 Schools 8.2 Higher education 9 Language 10 Culture 10.1 Overview 10.2 Creative arts 10.3 Sports 10.3.1 Association football 10.3.2 Rugby league 10.4 Arts and literature 10.5 Festivals 11 Politics 12 International rankings 13 See also 14 Footnotes 15 Book References 16 External links

Etymology

The name Lebanon ("Lubnān" in standard Arabic; "Libnén" in the local dialect) comes from the Canaanite (and common West Semitic) root "LBN", meaning "white"^[9], which could be regarded as a reference to the snow-capped Mount Lebanon. The Canaanite languages or Hebraic languages are a subfamily of the Semitic languages, which were spoken by the ancient peoples of the Canaan region The West Semitic languages are a proposed major sub-grouping of Semitic languages. Mount Lebanon ( Arabic: جبل لبنان as a geographic designation is the Lebanese mountain range known as the Western Mountain Range of Lebanon ^[10] Occurrences of the name have been found in three of the twelve tablets of the Epic of Gilgamesh (2900 BC), the texts of the library of Ebla (2400 BC), and 71 times in the Old Testament. The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Ancient Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literary fiction. Ebla ( Arabic: عبيل، إيبلا modern Tell Mardikh, Syria) was an ancient city about 55 km southwest of Aleppo. In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. ^[10][11][12] The name is even recorded in Ancient Egyptian as Rmnn, where r stood for Canaanite l. Egyptian is an Afro-Asiatic language most closely related to the Berber, Semitic, Somali and Beja languages ^[13]

History

Main article: History of Lebanon

History of the Levant
Stone Age
Kebaran · Natufian culture · Halafian culture · Jericho
Ancient History
Sumerians · Ebla · Akkadian Empire · Canaan · Phoenicians Amorites · Aramaeans · Edomites · Hittites Nabataeans ·Palmyra · Philistines ·Israel and Judah Assyrian Empire · Babylonian Empire Persian Empire · Seleucid Empire · Hasmonean kingdom Roman Empire · Byzantine Empire
The Middle Ages
Umayyad · Abbasid · Fatimid Mamluks · Ottoman Empire
Modern Times
British Mandate of Palestine Syria · Lebanon · Jordan Israel · Palestinian territories
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Ancient history

Main article: History of ancient Lebanon

The earliest known settlements in Lebanon date back to earlier than 5000 BC. The history of Lebanon is almost as old as the earliest evidence of humankind The Levant is a geographical term that refers to a large area in Southwest Asia, south of the Taurus Mountains, bounded by the Mediterranean Sea in The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric time period during which Humans widely used stone for toolmaking Kebarans was an archaeological culture that lived in the eastern Mediterranean area (c The Natufian culture (natʏˈfjẽː existed in the Mediterranean region of the Levant. Tell Halaf ( Akkadian: Guzana; تل حلف, Syria) Jericho ( Arabic, ʼArīḥā; Hebrew, Standard Yəriḥo Tiberian Yərîḫô "Ancient" redirects here For other uses see Ancient_(disambiguation. Sumer ( Sumerian: sux-Latn [[Ki (earth ki]]-[[EN (cuneiform en]]-'''ĝir15''', Akkadian: Šumeru; possibly Biblical Shinar Ebla ( Arabic: عبيل، إيبلا modern Tell Mardikh, Syria) was an ancient city about 55 km southwest of Aleppo. Canaanites redirects here For the 1940s social and political movement in Israel, see Canaanites (movement. Phoenicia ( Phoenician: Phoenician nunsvg|12px|נ]]Phoenician nun Amorite ( Sumerian MARTU, Akkadian Tidnum or Amurrūm, Egyptian Amar, Hebrew ’emōrî The Aramaeans (also Arameans) ( Aramaic / Syriac: ܐܪܡܝܐ, Ārāmāye' were a Semitic (West Semitic language group The Hittites were an ancient Anatolian people who spoke a language of the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European language family and established The Nabataeans ( Arabic: الأنباط, Al-Anbāṭ) were an ancient Semitic people Arabs of southern Jordan, Canaan Palmyra ( Arabic: تدمر Tadmor) was in ancient times an important city of central Syria, located in an Oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus The Philistines ( Hebrew פלשתים plishtim) (see "other uses" below were a people who inhabited the southern coast of Canaan, The history of Ancient Israel and Judah is known to us from classical sources including Judaism 's Tanakh or Hebrew Bible (known Early history The most Neolithic site in Assyria is at Tell Hassuna, the center of the Hassuna culture Babylonia was an Amorite state in lower Mesopotamia (modern southern Iraq) with Babylon as its capital The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia The Seleucid Empire /sə'lusɪd/ ( 312 - 63 BC) was a Hellenistic empire i The Hasmoneans (/hæzməˡniən/ חשמונאים Hashmonaiym, Audio were the ruling dynasty of the Hasmonean Kingdom ( 140 &ndash 37 BCE The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The term modern period or modern era (sometimes also modern times) is the period of history that followed the Middle Ages between c The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement History of Bahrein, AND COMPARE THE TRUE IMPORTANCE OF THE TWO STATES The history of Lebanon is almost as old as the earliest evidence of humankind The land that became Jordan forms part of the richly historical Fertile Crescent region The State of Israel (מדינת ישראל Medinat Yisrael) was established in 1948 after nearly two thousand Name There are differences of opinion as to what the Palestinian territories should be called Ahiram or Ahirom was the Phoenician king of Byblos (ca 1000 BC) Ahiram was succeeded by his son Ittobaal as king of Byblos Byblos ( Βύβλος) is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal (earlier Gubla) The National Museum of Beirut ( متحف بيروت الوطنيّ) is the principal Museum of Archaeology in Lebanon. The history of ancient Lebanon traces the course of events in what is now known as Lebanon from the beginning of history to the beginning of Arab rule. Archaeologists have discovered in Byblos, which is considered to be the oldest continuously-inhabited city in the world,^[14] remnants of prehistoric huts with crushed limestone floors, primitive weapons, and burial jars which are evidence of the Neolithic and Chalcolithic fishing communities who lived on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea over 7,000 years ago. Byblos ( Βύβλος) is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal (earlier Gubla) [6]

Lebanon was the homeland of the Phoenicians, a seafaring people that spread across the Mediterranean before the rise of Cyrus the Great. Phoenicia ( Phoenician: Phoenician nunsvg|12px|נ]]Phoenician nun ^[15] After two centuries of Persian rule, Macedonian ruler Alexander the Great attacked and burned Tyre, the most prominent Phoenician city. Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' Tyre ( Arabic صور Ṣūr, Phoenician Phoenician wawsvg|12px|ו]] Ṣur, Hebrew Throughout the subsequent centuries leading up to recent times, the country became part of numerous succeeding empires, among them Persian, Assyrian, Macedonian, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Crusader, and Ottoman. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Macedon or Macedonia ( Greek grc Μακεδονία grc-Latn Makedonía) was the name of a kingdom centered in the northern-most The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The Crusader states were a number of mostly 12th- and 13th-century feudal states created by Western European Crusaders in Asia Minor, Greece and The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish

French mandate and independence

Main article: French Mandate of Lebanon

Lebanon was part of the Ottoman Empire for over 400 years, in a region known as Greater Syria,^[16] until 1918 when the area became a part of the French Mandate of Syria following World War I. The French Mandate of Lebanon was a League of Nations Mandate created at the end of World War I. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Greater Syria (سوريّة الكبرى also known (in a historic context simply as Syria, is a term that denotes a historic region in the Middle East bordering The French Mandate of Syria was a League of Nations Mandate created after the First World War and the Partitioning of the Ottoman Empire. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All On September 1, 1920, France formed the State of Greater Lebanon as one of several ethnic enclaves within Syria. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية ^[17] Lebanon was a largely Christian (mainly Maronite) enclave but also included areas containing many Muslims and Druzes. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Maronites ( الموارنة,, Syriac: ܡܪܘܢܝܐ, Latin: Ecclesia Maronitarum) are members of one of the Syriac A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion The Druze ( Arabic: درزي derzī or durzī, plural دروز durūz) are a religious community found primarily in Syria, Lebanon On September 1, 1926, France formed the Lebanese Republic. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Republic was afterward a separate entity from Syria but still administered under the French Mandate of Syria. Lebanon gained independence in 1943, while France was occupied by Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. ^[18] General Henri Dentz, the Vichy High Commissioner for Syria and Lebanon, played a major role in the independence of the nation. Henri Fernand Dentz (born 16 Dec 1881, Roanne, Loire, France; died 13 Dec 1945, Fresnes, Val-de-Marne Vichy ( Occitan: Vichèi) is a commune in the department of Allier in Auvergne in central France. High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking special executive positions held by a commission of appointment The Vichy authorities in 1941 allowed Germany to move aircraft and supplies through Syria to Iraq where they were used against British forces. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. The United Kingdom, fearing that Nazi Germany would gain full control of Lebanon and Syria by pressure on the weak Vichy government, sent its army into Syria and Lebanon. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية

After the fighting ended in Lebanon, General Charles de Gaulle visited the area. The French Mandate of Lebanon was a League of Nations Mandate created at the end of World War I. Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle ( ( 22 November 1890 – 9 November 1970) was a French General and statesman who led the Free French Under various political pressures from both inside and outside Lebanon, de Gaulle decided to recognize the independence of Lebanon. On November 26, 1941 General Georges Catroux announced that Lebanon would become independent under the authority of the Free French government. Events 43 BC - The Second Triumvirate alliance of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus ("Octavian" later "Caesar Augustus" Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Free French Forces (Forces Françaises Libres FFL) were French fighters in World War II who decided to continue fighting against Axis forces Elections were held in 1943 and on November 8, 1943 the new Lebanese government unilaterally abolished the mandate. Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The French reacted by throwing the new government into prison. In the face of international pressure, the French released the government officials on November 22, 1943 and accepted the independence of Lebanon. Events 498 - Kofi Aseidu- After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

The allies kept the region under control until the end of World War II. The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers during the Second World War. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The last French troops withdrew in 1946. Lebanon's unwritten National Pact of 1943 required that its president be Christian and its prime minister be Muslim. The National Pact is an unwritten agreement that laid the foundation of Lebanon as a multi-confessional state and has shaped the country to this day President is a Title leaders of Organizations companies, Trade unions universities, and countries. This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation.

Lebanon's history since independence has been marked by alternating periods of political stability and turmoil (including a civil conflict in 1958) interspersed with prosperity built on Beirut's position as a regional center for finance and trade. The 1958 Lebanon crisis was a Lebanese political crisis caused by political and religious tensions in the country Beirut (بيروت Bayrūt) is the Capital and Largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2

1948 Arab-Israeli war

Main article: 1948 Arab-Israeli war

Five years after gaining independence, Lebanon joined the Arab League to invade Israel shortly after its declaration of independence. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. ^[19][20] during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It took over logistical support of the Arab Liberation Army after it found itself cut off from its bases in Syria while going on an attack on the newly-proclaimed Jewish State. The Arab Liberation Army ( Jaysh al-Inqadh al-Arabi) was an army of volunteers from Arab countries led by Fawzi al-Qawuqji. The terms " Jewish state " and " homeland of the Jewish people " are used to describe the State of Israel and refer to its status as a Nation-state ^[20] The Lebanese army gained nothing during the war, and the Israeli army managed to conquer territory west of the Naphtali Mountains. ^[19] After the defeat of the Arab Liberation Army in Operation Hiram,^[21] Lebanon accepted an armistice with Israel on March 23, 1949 and the conquered territory was returned. Operation Hiram, possibly also known as the Battle of Sa'sa', was a military operation conducted by the Israel Defence Force (IDF during the 1948 An armistice is a situation where the warring parties agree to stop fighting Events 1174 - Jocelin, Abbot of Melrose, is elected Bishop of Glasgow. Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. During the war, about 100,000 Palestinian refugees fled to Lebanon.

Civil war and beyond

Main article: Lebanese civil war

See also: 1982 Lebanon War

See also: List of attacks in Lebanon

In 1975, civil war broke out in Lebanon. The Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990 was a multifaceted Civil war whose antecedents can be traced back to the conflicts and political compromises reached after the end The 1982 Lebanon War (מלחמת לבנון Milhemet Levanon) (الإجتياح Al-Ijtīāḥ, "the invasion" called by Israel the Operation Peace This page contains a selection from the large number of attacks and other violent events in Lebanon since 1975 the starting year of the long-lasting Lebanese civil war The Lebanese Civil War lasted fifteen years, devastating the country's economy, and resulting in the massive loss of human life and property. The Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990 was a multifaceted Civil war whose antecedents can be traced back to the conflicts and political compromises reached after the end It is estimated that 150,000 people were killed and another 200,000 maimed. ^[22] The war ended in 1990 with the signing of the Taif Agreement and parts of Lebanon were left in ruins. The Taif Agreement ( Arabic: اتفاقية الطائف) (also "National Reconciliation Accord" or "Document of National Accord" was an agreement ^[23]

During the civil war, the Palestine Liberation Organization used Lebanon to launch attacks against Israel. The Palestine Liberation Organization ( PLO) (منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية or Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah) is a political and paramilitary Lebanon was twice invaded and occupied by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in 1978 and 1982,^[24] the PLO expelled in the second invasion. The Israel Defense Forces ( IDF) (צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, lit Israel remained in control of Southern Lebanon until 2000, when there was a general decision, led by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, to withdraw due to continuous guerrilla attacks executed by Hezbollah militants and a belief that Hezbollah activity would diminish and dissolve without the Israeli presence. Ehud Barak (אֵהוּד בָּרָק born Ehud Brog on 12 February 1942) is an Israeli politician former Prime Minister, and Hezbollah (حزب الله, literally " party of God " is a Shi'a Islamic political and Paramilitary organisation ^[25] The UN determined that the withdrawal of Israeli troops beyond the blue line was in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 425, although a border region called the Shebaa Farms is still disputed. The Blue Line is a border demarcation between Lebanon and Israel published by the United Nations on 7 June 2000 for the On March 19, 1978, five days after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, United Nations Security Council Resolution 425 called on Golan Heights The Shebaa Farms (مزارع شبعا; חוות שבעא Havot Sheba‘a or הר דוב Har Dov) is a small area of land with disputed Hezbollah declared that it would not stop its operations against Israel until this area was liberated. ^[26]

Recent history

On February 14, 2005, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated in a car bomb explosion near the Saint George Bay in Beirut. Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A car bomb is an explosive device placed in a car or other Vehicle and then detonated. The Saint George Bay (known in Lebanon as Golfe de Saint-Georges) is located on the northern coast of the city of Beirut in Lebanon ^[27] Leaders of the March 14 Alliance accused Syria of the attack^[28] due to its extensive military and intelligence presence in Lebanon, and the public rift between Hariri and Damascus over the Syrian-backed constitutional amendment extending pro-Syrian President Lahoud's term in office. The March 14 Alliance ( تحالف 14 آذار) or M14, named after the date of the Cedar Revolution, is a coalition of Anti-Syrian political Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية Damascus ( دمشق,, also commonly known as الشام ash-Shām) is the capital and largest city of Syria. General Émile Jamil Lahoud ( اميل لحود; born 12 January 1936 is a former President of Lebanon. Others, namely the March 8 Alliance and Syrian officials, claimed that the assassination may have been executed by the Israeli Mossad in an attempt to destabilize the country. The March 8 Alliance is a coalition of various political parties in Lebanon. The Mossad ( HaMossad leModi'in v'leTafkidim Meyuhadim) (המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים - Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations ^[29]

This incident triggered a series of demonstrations, known as Cedar Revolution, that demanded the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon and the establishment of an international commission to investigate the assassination. The Cedar Revolution ( Arabic: ثورة الأرز - thawrat al-arz) or Independence Intifada ( intifāḍat al-istiqlāl) was a chain of demonstrations The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1595 on April 7, 2005, which called for an investigation into the assassination of Rafik Hariri. Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[30] The findings of the investigation were officially published on October 20, 2005 in the Mehlis report. Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Mehlis Report is the result of the United Nations ' investigation into the 14 February 2005 assassination of Lebanon 's former prime minister ^[31] Eventually, and under pressure from the West, Syria began withdrawing its 15,000-strong army troops from Lebanon. ^[32] By April 26, 2005, all uniformed Syrian soldiers had already crossed the border back to Syria. Events 1467 - The miraculous image in Our Lady of Good Counsel appear in Genazzano, Italy. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[33] The Hariri assassination marked the beginning of a series of assassination attempts that led to the loss of many prominent Lebanese figures.

On July 12, 2006, Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers leading to a conflict, known in Lebanon as July War, that lasted until a United Nations-brokered ceasefire went into effect on 14 August 2006. Events 1191 - Saladin 's garrison surrenders ending the two-year Siege of Acre. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Hezbollah (حزب الله, literally " party of God " is a Shi'a Islamic political and Paramilitary organisation Background See also Israel-Lebanon conflict The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO had engaged in cross-border attacks from Southern Lebanon The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 is a resolution intended to resolve the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. Events 1183 - Taira no Munemori and the Taira clan take the young Emperor Antoku and the three sacred treasures Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

In October 2007, Émile Lahoud finished his second term as President. General Émile Jamil Lahoud ( اميل لحود; born 12 January 1936 is a former President of Lebanon. The opposition conditioned its vote for a successor on a power-sharing deal, thus leaving the country without a president for over 6 months.

On May 09, 2008, Hezbollah and Amal militants, in an armed attack triggered by a government decision on Hezbollah's communications network, temporarily took over Western Beirut. Events 1457 BC - Battle of Megiddo (15th century BC between Thutmose III and a large Canaanite coalition under the King of 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Hezbollah (حزب الله, literally " party of God " is a Shi'a Islamic political and Paramilitary organisation Hezbollah (حزب الله, literally " party of God " is a Shi'a Islamic political and Paramilitary organisation Beirut (بيروت Bayrūt) is the Capital and Largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2 [7] The situation was described by the government as an attempted "coup".

On May 21, 2008, all major Lebanese parties signed an accord to elect Michel Suleiman as President, to form a national unity government with 11 out of 30 seats for the opposition, thus enabling it to veto decisions, and to adopt a new electoral law, based on the 1960 law with amendments for the 3 Beirut constituencies. Events 878 - Syracuse Italy is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Michel Suleiman or Sleiman ( ميشال سليمان, born 21 November 1948) is the current President of Lebanon. The deal was brokered by an Arab League delegation, headed by the Emir and Foreign Minister of Qatar and the Secretary General of the Arab League, after 5 days of intense negotiations in Doha. The Arab League ( الجامعة العربية) officially called the League of Arab States ( جامعة الدول العربية Qatar ( قطر; ˈqɑtˁɑr local pronunciation giṭar officially the State of Qatar (Arabic دولة قطر transliterated Doha (الدوحة or Ad-Dōḥah) is the Capital city of Qatar. Michel Suleiman was officially elected President on Sunday May 25, 2008 in the presence of the Foreign Ministers of Syria and Iran as well as France and Saudi-Arabia. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi

Geography and climate

Main article: Geography of Lebanon

Lebanon is located in Western Asia. Mount Lebanon ( Arabic: جبل لبنان as a geographic designation is the Lebanese mountain range known as the Western Mountain Range of Lebanon The Anti-Lebanon mountains, is the Western name for the Eastern Lebanon Mountain Range ( Arabic: جبال لبنان الشرقية)which are a northeast-trending Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the west along a 225-kilometre (140 mi) coastline, by Syria to the east and north, and by Israel to the south. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The Lebanon-Syria border stretches for 375 kilometres (233 mi) and the Lebanon-Israel border for 79 kilometres (49 mi). The border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights in Syria is disputed by Lebanon in a small area called Shebaa Farms, but the border has been demarcated by the United Nations. Borders of Israel The Golan Heights ( الجولان al-Jawlān, הגולן ha-Golan) is a strategic Plateau and mountainous Golan Heights The Shebaa Farms (مزارع شبعا; חוות שבעא Havot Sheba‘a or הר דוב Har Dov) is a small area of land with disputed The Blue Line is a border demarcation between Lebanon and Israel published by the United Nations on 7 June 2000 for the The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security ^[34]

Most of Lebanon's area is mountainous terrain,^[35] except for the narrow coastline and the Beqaa Valley, which plays an integral role in Lebanon's agriculture.

Lebanon has a moderate Mediterranean climate. A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles the Climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type world-wide In coastal areas, winters are generally cool and rainy whilst summers are hot and humid. In more elevated areas, temperatures usually drop below freezing during the winter with frequent, sometimes heavy, snow; summers, on the other hand, are warm and dry. ^[36] Although most of Lebanon receives a relatively large amount of rainfall annually (compared to its arid surroundings), certain areas in north-eastern Lebanon receive little rainfall because the high peaks of the western mountain front block much of the rain clouds that originate over the Mediterranean Sea. ^[37]

In ancient times, Lebanon housed large forests of the Cedars of Lebanon, which now serve as the country's national emblem. Cedrus libani ( Lebanon Cedar or Cedar of Lebanon) is a species of Cedar native to the mountains of the Mediterranean region ^[38] However, centuries of trading cedar trees, used by ancient mariners for boats, and the absence of any efforts to replant them have depleted Lebanon's once-flourishing cedar forests. ^[38]

Governorates and districts

Main articles: Governorates of Lebanon, Districts of Lebanon, and Municipalities of Lebanon

Lebanon is divided into six governorates (mohaafazaat, Arabic: محافظات —singular mohafazah, Arabic: محافظة) which are further subdivided into twenty-five districts (aqdya—singular: qadaa). |||} Lebanon is divided into six Governorates ( Muhafazah) listed with their capitals in parentheses Beirut ( Beirut The governorates of Lebanon are divided into 25 Districts ( Aqdya, singular Qadaa) |||} The districts of Lebanon are divided into municipalities A Governorate is an Administrative division of a country It is headed by a Governor. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language A Governorate is an Administrative division of a country It is headed by a Governor. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Districts are a type of Administrative division, in some countries managed by a Local government. Kaza, qadaa, qaza, qazaa, or caza (قضاء qaḍāʾ, plural أقضية aqḍiyah; Ottoman Turkish pronunciation ^[39] The districts themselves are also divided into several municipalities, each enclosing a group of cities or villages. The governorates and their respective districts are listed below:

Beirut Governorate The Beirut Governorate is not divided into districts and is limited to the city of Beirut. North Governorate (الشمال transliterated: ash- Shamal) is one of the Governorates of Lebanon. Akkar (عكار is a district ( Qadaa) in the North Governorate, Lebanon. The Miniyeh-Danniyeh District is a district in the North Governorate of Lebanon. Zgharta District (زغرتا is a District ( Qadaa) of the North Governorate, Lebanon. The Tripoli District is a small but very densely populated district in the North Governorate of Lebanon. Bsharri District is one of the 7 Districts ( Qadaa) of the North Governorate, Lebanon. Batroun District (البترون is a district ( Qadaa) in the North Governorate, Lebanon, south of Tripoli. Mount Lebanon ( Arabic: جبل لبنان; transliterated: Jabal Libnan is one of the Governorates of Lebanon. Jbeil (Qadaa' Jbail ( Arabic: قضاء جبيل) is a district ( Qadaa) in the Mount Lebanon Governorate ( Arabic Keserwan (Qadaa' Keserwèn ( Arabic قضاء كسروان) is a district ( Qadaa) in the Mount Lebanon Governorate ( Arabic Matn ( Arabic: قضاء المتن, translit: Qada' el Matn sometimes spelled Metn, is a district ( Qadaa) in the The Governorate of Beirut ( Arabic:, ar-Latn Muhāfazat Bayrūt is the only Lebanese governorate that consists of one District and one City Beirut (بيروت Bayrūt) is the Capital and Largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2 Baabda District (Arabic قضاء بعبدا translit Qada' Baabda sometimes spelled B'abda is a district (qadaa in Mount Lebanon, Lebanon, to the south Aley ( عاليه) is a district ( Qadaa) in Mount Lebanon, Lebanon, to the south-east of the Lebanon's capital Beirut Chouf (also spelled Shouf Shuf or Chuf in Arabic جبل الشوف Jebel ash-Shouf) is a historical region of Lebanon, and also an administrative South Governorate (الجنوب transliterated: Al-Janub) is one of the governorates of Lebanon. The Jezzine District is a district in the South Governorate of Lebanon. The Sidon District is a district within the South Governorate of Lebanon. The Tyre District is a district in the South Governorate of Lebanon. Beqaa ( البقاع) is a governorate in Lebanon with a population of 750000 inhabitants The Hermel District ( Arabic: قضاء الهرمل) is a district in the Beqaa Governorate of Lebanon. Baalbek District ( Arabic: قضاء بعلبك) is an administrative district in the Beqaa Governorate of the Republic of Lebanon. Zahle District ( Arabic: قضاء زحلة) is an administrative district in the Beqaa Governorate of the Republic of Lebanon. Western Beqaa District ( Arabic: قضاء البقاع الغربي) is an administrative district in the Beqaa Governorate of the Republic of Rashaya District ( Arabic: قضاء راشيا) is an administrative district in the Beqaa Governorate of the Republic of Lebanon. Nabatieh Governorate (محافظة النبطية Muhaa-fza al-Nabatiya) is one of the six governorates of Lebanon. The Hasbaya District is a district in the Nabatiyeh Governorate of Lebanon. The Nabatieh District is a district in the Nabatieh Governorate of Lebanon. The Marjeyoun District is a district in the Nabatieh Governorate of Lebanon. The Bint Jbeil District is a district in the Nabatiyeh Governorate of Lebanon. The Governorate of Beirut ( Arabic:, ar-Latn Muhāfazat Bayrūt is the only Lebanese governorate that consists of one District and one City Beirut (بيروت Bayrūt) is the Capital and Largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2	Nabatiyeh Governorate (Jabal Amel) - 4 districts Bint Jbeil Hasbaya Marjeyoun Nabatieh
Beqaa Governorate - 5 districts Baalbek Hermel Rashaya Western Beqaa (al-Beqaa al-Gharbi) Zahle	North Governorate (al-Shamal) - 7 districts Akkar Batroun Bsharri Koura Miniyeh-Danniyeh Tripoli Zgharta
Mount Lebanon Governorate (Jabal Lubnan) - 6 districts Aley Baabda Byblos (Jbeil) Chouf Kesrwan Matn	South Governorate (al-Janoub) - 3 districts Jezzine Sidon (Saida) Tyre (Sur)

Demographics and religion

Main article: Demographics of Lebanon

No official census has been taken since 1932, reflecting the political sensitivity in Lebanon over confessional (i. Nabatieh Governorate (محافظة النبطية Muhaa-fza al-Nabatiya) is one of the six governorates of Lebanon. The Bint Jbeil District is a district in the Nabatiyeh Governorate of Lebanon. The Hasbaya District is a district in the Nabatiyeh Governorate of Lebanon. The Marjeyoun District is a district in the Nabatieh Governorate of Lebanon. The Nabatieh District is a district in the Nabatieh Governorate of Lebanon. Beqaa ( البقاع) is a governorate in Lebanon with a population of 750000 inhabitants Baalbek District ( Arabic: قضاء بعلبك) is an administrative district in the Beqaa Governorate of the Republic of Lebanon. The Hermel District ( Arabic: قضاء الهرمل) is a district in the Beqaa Governorate of Lebanon. Rashaya District ( Arabic: قضاء راشيا) is an administrative district in the Beqaa Governorate of the Republic of Lebanon. Western Beqaa District ( Arabic: قضاء البقاع الغربي) is an administrative district in the Beqaa Governorate of the Republic of Zahle District ( Arabic: قضاء زحلة) is an administrative district in the Beqaa Governorate of the Republic of Lebanon. North Governorate (الشمال transliterated: ash- Shamal) is one of the Governorates of Lebanon. Akkar (عكار is a district ( Qadaa) in the North Governorate, Lebanon. Batroun District (البترون is a district ( Qadaa) in the North Governorate, Lebanon, south of Tripoli. Bsharri District is one of the 7 Districts ( Qadaa) of the North Governorate, Lebanon. The Miniyeh-Danniyeh District is a district in the North Governorate of Lebanon. The Tripoli District is a small but very densely populated district in the North Governorate of Lebanon. Zgharta District (زغرتا is a District ( Qadaa) of the North Governorate, Lebanon. Mount Lebanon ( Arabic: جبل لبنان; transliterated: Jabal Libnan is one of the Governorates of Lebanon. Aley ( عاليه) is a district ( Qadaa) in Mount Lebanon, Lebanon, to the south-east of the Lebanon's capital Beirut Baabda District (Arabic قضاء بعبدا translit Qada' Baabda sometimes spelled B'abda is a district (qadaa in Mount Lebanon, Lebanon, to the south Byblos ( Βύβλος) is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal (earlier Gubla) Chouf (also spelled Shouf Shuf or Chuf in Arabic جبل الشوف Jebel ash-Shouf) is a historical region of Lebanon, and also an administrative Keserwan (Qadaa' Keserwèn ( Arabic قضاء كسروان) is a district ( Qadaa) in the Mount Lebanon Governorate ( Arabic Matn ( Arabic: قضاء المتن, translit: Qada' el Matn sometimes spelled Metn, is a district ( Qadaa) in the South Governorate (الجنوب transliterated: Al-Janub) is one of the governorates of Lebanon. The Jezzine District is a district in the South Governorate of Lebanon. The Sidon District is a district within the South Governorate of Lebanon. The Tyre District is a district in the South Governorate of Lebanon. About 91% of the population of Lebanon is urban and comprises many different ethnic groups and religions including numerous Christian and Muslim sects e. religious) balance. The CIA World Fact Book gives the following distribution: Muslim - 59. The World Factbook ( ISSN; also known as the CIA World Factbook) is an annual publication of the Central Intelligence Agency of the 7% (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian - 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant), other 1. 3%. ^[40]

There are 17 religious sects recognized. ^[41] Some followers of the Druze religion do not consider themselves to be Muslim; however, the state legally recognizes Druze followers as Muslim. The Druze ( Arabic: درزي derzī or durzī, plural دروز durūz) are a religious community found primarily in Syria, Lebanon A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion The Druze ( Arabic: درزي derzī or durzī, plural دروز durūz) are a religious community found primarily in Syria, Lebanon A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion

The number of those inhabiting Lebanon proper was estimated at 3,925,502 in July 2007. ^[41] There are approximately 18 million people of Lebanese descent spread all over the world, with Brazil having the largest Lebanese community abroad (8 million). |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld ^[42] Argentina, Australia, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Spain, Germany, Great Britain, Mexico, Venezuela, USA, West Africa, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic also have large Lebanese communities. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the The United States of America —commonly referred to as the West Africa or Western Africa is the Westernmost Region of the African Continent. Haiti ( English: ˈheɪ·tiː or haɪ·ˈjiː·tiː French Haïti a·i·ti Haitian Creole: The Dominican Republic ( Spanish: República Dominicana;) is a nation located in the Caribbean region and shares the island of Hispaniola with

Economy

Main article: Economy of Lebanon

The urban population in Lebanon is noted for its commercial enterprise. Lebanon's economy and Markets are best described at the dawn of the new millennium by a private and liberal economic activity and an openness to abroad with perfect Capital ^[43] Over the course of time, emigration has yielded Lebanese "commercial networks" throughout the world. ^[44] Lebanon has a high proportion of skilled labour comparable to most European nations and the highest among Arabic speaking countries. ^[45]

Although Lebanon is ideally suited for agricultural activities in terms of water availability and soil fertility, as it possesses the highest proportion of cultivable land in the Arabic speaking world,^[46] it does not have a large agricultural sector. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Soil fertility is the characteristic of soil that supports abundant plant life Attracting a mere 12% of the total workforce,^[47] agriculture is the least popular economic sector in Lebanon. Workforce (Voyager episode The workforce is the labour pool in Employment. It contributes approximately 11. 7% of the country's GDP, also placing it in the lowest rank compared to other economic sectors. Major produce include apples, peaches, oranges, and lemons. ^[48]

Lebanon's lack of raw materials for industry and its complete dependency on Arab countries for oil have made it difficult for the Lebanese to engage in significant industrial activity. Materials are physical Substances used as inputs to production or Manufacturing. An oil is a substance that is in a viscous Liquid state ( "oily") at ambient temperatures or slightly warmer and is Manufacturing (from Latin manu factura, "making by hand" is the use of tools and labor to make things for use or sale As such, industry in Lebanon is mainly limited to small businesses concerned with reassembling and packaging imported parts. In 2004, industry ranked second in workforce, with 26% of the Lebanese working population,^[47] and second in GDP contribution, with 21% of Lebanon's GDP. ^[48]

A combination of beautiful climate, many historic landmarks and World Heritage Sites continues to attract large numbers of tourists to Lebanon annually, in spite of its political instability. The Kadisha Valley (also known as Qadisha Valley, Wadi Qadisha Ouadi Qadisha or وادي قاديشا in Arabic) lies within the Becharre and A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex In addition, Lebanon's strict financial secrecy and capitalist economy—unique in its area—have given it significant economic status among Arab countries. Bank secrecy (or bank privacy) is a legal principle under which Banks are allowed to protect personal information about their customers through the use of Numbered Capitalism is the Economic system in which the Means of production are owned by private Persons and operated for Profit and where The thriving tourism and banking activities have naturally made the services sector the most important pillar of the Lebanese economy. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel The majority of the Lebanese workforce (nearly 65%)^[47] have preferred employment in the services sector, as a result of the abundant job opportunities and large paychecks. The GDP contribution, accordingly, is very large and amounts to roughly 67. 3% of the annual Lebanese GDP. ^[48]

The economy's dependence on services has always been an issue of great criticism and concern, as it leaves the country subject to the instability of this sector and the vagaries of international trade. International trade is exchange of Capital, Goods, and Services across International borders or Territories.

The 1975-1990 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended Lebanon's position as a West Asian entrepôt and banking hub. Infrastructure typically refers to the technical structures that support a society such as Roads Water supply, Wastewater, Power grids Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. An entrepôt (from the French " Warehouse " is a Trading post where merchandise can be imported and Exported without A banker or bank is a Financial institution whose primary activity is to act as a payment agent for customers and to borrow and lend money ^[41] The subsequent period of relative peace enabled the central government to restore control in Beirut, begin collecting taxes, and regain access to key port and government facilities. Beirut (بيروت Bayrūt) is the Capital and Largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2 Economic recovery has been helped by a financially sound banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers, with family remittances, banking services, manufactured and farm exports, and international aid as the main sources of foreign exchange. A banker or bank is a Financial institution whose primary activity is to act as a payment agent for customers and to borrow and lend money In Economics, an export is any good or Commodity, Transported from one country to another country in a Legitimate fashion ^[49]

Until the 2006 Lebanon War, Lebanon's economy witnessed excellent growth, with bank assets reaching over 75 billion dollars. Background See also Israel-Lebanon conflict The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO had engaged in cross-border attacks from Southern Lebanon ^[50] By the end of the first half of 2006, the influx of tourists to Lebanon had already registered a 49. 3% increase over 2005 figures. ^[50] Market capitalization was also at an all time high, estimated at $10. Capitalization (or capitalisation &mdash see spelling differences) is writing a word with its first letter as a Majuscule (upper case letter 9 billion at the end of the second quarter of 2006, just weeks before the fighting started. ^[50]

Beirut's airport, Rafiq Hariri International Airport, re-opened in September 2006 and the efforts to revive the Lebanese economy have since been proceeding at a slow pace. Major contributors to the reconstruction of Lebanon include Saudi Arabia (with $US 1. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi 5 billion pledged),^[51] the European Union (with about $1 billion)^[52] and a few other Gulf countries with contributions of up to $800 million. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in ^[53]

Foreign Relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Lebanon

Lebanon concluded negotiations on an association agreement with the European Union in late 2001, and both sides initialed the accord in January 2002. The foreign policy of Lebanon reflects its geographic location the composition of its population and its reliance on commerce and trade The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Lebanon also has bilateral trade agreements with several Arab states and is working toward accession to the World Trade Organization. Aside from Syria, Lebanon enjoys good relations with virtually all of the other Arab countries (despite historic tensions with Libya, the Palestinians, and Iraq), and hosted an Arab League Summit in March 2002 for the first time in more than 35 years. The Arab League ( الجامعة العربية) officially called the League of Arab States ( جامعة الدول العربية Lebanon also is a member of the Organization of Islamic Conference and maintains a close relationship with Iran, largely centered on Shi'a Muslim links. The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC is an International organization with a permanent delegation to the United Nations. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Lebanon is a member of the Francophone countries and hosted the Francophone Summit in October 2002. The adjective francophone (alternately Francophone) means French -speaking typically as primary language whether referring to individuals groups or places ^[54]

Education

Main article: Education in Lebanon

Schools

All Lebanese schools are required to follow a prescribed curriculum designed by the Ministry of Education. All Lebanese schools are required by the government to follow a prescribed curriculum designed by the Ministry of Education. Private schools, approximately 1,400 in all,^[55] may also add more courses to their curriculum with approval from the Ministry of Education. The main subjects taught are mathematics, sciences, history, civics, geography, Arabic, and either French or English or both. The subjects gradually increase in difficulty and in number. Students in Grade 11, for example, usually study up to eighteen different subjects.

The government introduces a mild form of selectivity into the curriculum by giving 11^th graders choice between two "concentrations": sciences, humanities, and 12^th graders choose between four concentrations: life sciences, general sciences, sociology and economics, and humanities and literature. The choices in concentration do not include major changes in the number of subjects taken (if at all). However, subjects that fall out of the concentration are given less weight in grading and are less rigorous, while subjects that fall within the concentration are more challenging and contribute significantly to the final grade.

Students go through three academic phases:

• Elementary: Six years. Primary education is the first stage of Compulsory education.
• Intermediate: Three years; students earn Intermediate Certification (Lebanese Brevet) at completion.
• Secondary: three years, students who pass official exams earn a Baccalaureate Certificate (Baccalauréat Libanais) in the concentration they chose in 12th grade. Australia See also Education Students studying at French-system schools may also graduate with a French Baccalaureate that is considered equivalent to the Lebanese Baccalaureate.

These three phases are provided free to all students and the first eight years are, by law, compulsory. ^[56] Nevertheless, this requirement currently falls short of being fully enforced.

Higher education

Following secondary school, Lebanese students may choose to study at a university, a college, or a vocational training institute. The number of years to complete each program varies. While the Lebanese educational system offer a very high quality and international class of education, the local employment market lacks of enough opportunities, thus encouraging many of the young educated to travel abroad.

Lebanon has 41 nationally-accredited universities, several of which are internationally recognized. ^[57][58] The American University of Beirut (AUB) and the Université Saint-Joseph (USJ) were the first Anglophone and the first Francophone universities to open in Lebanon, respectively. The American University of Beirut (AUB الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت is a private independent University in Beirut, Lebanon. Université Saint-Joseph (USJ is a private higher institute of education founded by the Jesuits in 1875 in Beirut, Lebanon, known ^[59][60] The forty-one universities, both public and private, largely operate in French, or English as these are the most widely used foreign languages in Lebanon. ^[61]

At the English universities, students who have graduated from an American-style high school program enter at the freshman level to earn their baccalaureate equivalence from the Lebanese Ministry of Higher Education. A freshman, fresher, fish, or frosh is a first-year student in an educational institution This qualifies them to continue studying at the higher levels. Such students are required to have already taken the SAT I and the SAT II upon applying to college, in lieu of the official exams. The SAT Reasoning Test (formerly Scholastic Aptitude Test and Scholastic Assessment Test) is a standardized test for College admissions in the The SAT Subject Tests is the collective name for 20 Multiple choice Standardized tests given on individual subjects On the other hand, students who have graduated from a school that follows the Lebanese educational system are directly admitted to the sophomore year. These students are still required to take the SAT I, but not the SAT II. The University academic degrees for the first stage are the Bachelor or the Licence, for the second stage are the Master or the DEA and the third stage is the doctorate. A degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of Higher education, such as universities, normally as the result of successfully completing A bachelor's degree is usually an Undergraduate Academic degree awarded for a course or major that generally lasts for three four or in some cases and Licentiate (from Latin licentia docendi = permission/right to teach is the title of a person who holds an Academic degree called a License. A doctorate is an Academic degree that indicates the highest level of academic achievement

The United Nations assigned Lebanon an Education Index of 0. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security 84 in 2005. ^[62]

Language

Lebanon's official language is Arabic per article 11 of the Constitution. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language ^[63] The law allows French to be used for some official purposes, and French is therefore considered as an administrative and national language. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people The majority of Lebanese people speak Arabic and either French or English fluently. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Moreover, Lebanese people of Armenian descent also speak Armenian fluently. The Armenian diaspora is a term used to describe the communities of Armenians living outside of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. The Armenian language (hy հայերեն լեզու hajɛɹɛn lɛzu —, conventional short form) is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian

The colloquial variant of Arabic used in Lebanon is one part of a grouping of dialects called Levantine Arabic, differing in a way from the literary Modern Standard Arabic, owing its historical blend to Arabic, Turkish, and the Syriac dialect of Aramaic. A colloquialism is an expression not used in formal speech, writing or Paralinguistics. Levantine Arabic (Arabic شامي (Shami and sometimes called Eastern Arabic) is a group of Arabic varieties spoken in the 100 km-wide eastern-Mediterranean Literary Arabic (ar اللغة العربية الفصحى "the Eloquent Arabic language" or Standard Arabic is the literary and standard variety In recent years, it has become increasingly common for Lebanese people, especially the better educated, to converse in a combination of Arabic, English and French whereby the same sentence would include words or expressions from the different languages.

Regional influences and occupations throughout the centuries could possibly explain why Lebanese people speak so many languages, even incorporating them into their own. In addition, due to the importance of the Lebanese diaspora and business interests of Lebanese worldwide, it has always been important to master languages other than Arabic.

In the Christian communities, until the Lebanese Civil War, it was seen as a mark of status to not speak Arabic. The reason for this could possibly be that Christians generally were educated in many of the French educational institutions and so a general Francophonic class emerged in their communities. However, as the Muslim population increased in previously Christian areas, Arabic is nowadays almost universally spoken among Lebanese.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Lebanon

Overview

The area including modern Lebanon has been home to various civilizations and cultures for thousands of years. Originally home to the Phoenicians, and then subsequently conquered and occupied by the Assyrians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, the Ottoman Turks and most recently the French, Lebanese culture has over the millennia evolved by borrowing from all of these groups. Phoenicia ( Phoenician: Phoenician nunsvg|12px|נ]]Phoenician nun The Assyrians are an Ethnic group whose origins lie in what is today Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. layout and formatting it should ensure no clashes with the top of the infobox The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding The Ottoman Turks were the subdivision of the Ottoman Muslim Millet that dominated the ruling class of the Ottoman Empire. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Lebanon's diverse population, composed of different ethnic and religious groups, has further contributed to the country's lively festivals, highly successful musical styles and literature as well as their rich cuisine, and numerous violent clashes amongst different religious and ethnic groups. When compared to the rest of the Western Asia, Lebanese society as a whole is well educated, and as of 2003 87. Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. 4% of the population was literate. ^[64] Lebanese society is very modern and similar to certain cultures of Mediterranean Europe. It is often considered to serve as Europe's gateway to Western Asia as well as the Asian gateway to the Western World. ^[65]

Creative arts

Main article: Music of Lebanon

Lebanese music is known around the world for its soothing rhythms and oriental beats. Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon, has long been known especially in a period immediately following World War 2, for its art and intellectualism Traditional and folk music are extremely popular as are western rhythms.

One of the most well-known Lebanese singers is Fairuz; her songs are broadcast every morning on most radio stations and many TV channels, both in Lebanon and the Arab world in general. Fairuz ( فيروز, also spelled Fairouz or Fayrouz) (born November 21, 1935) is a distinguished Lebanese singer Other prominent artists include Julia Boutros, composer and oud player Marcel Khalife, Majida El Roumi, Sabah, Wadih El Safi, and the important nun and singer Sister Marie Keyrouz, founder of The Ensemble of the Peace. The oud ( عود ʿūd, plural أعواد, a‘wād; kaban; Persian: بربط barbat; ud Marcel Khalife ( مارسيل خليفة; b 1950 Amchit, Mount Lebanon) is a Lebanese composer singer and Oud (an Arabic Lute Majida El Roumi ( ماجدة الرومي, also transliterated as Majida Al Roumi) was born in Kfarshima, Lebanon on December 13 Sabah ( Arabic: صباح) (bNovember 10 1927&ndash is a Lebanese singer and actress whose career has stretched from the year 1943 to the present Wadih El Safi (born Wadih Francis in Niha, Lebanon, in 1921) is a Lebanese Singer, songwriter and actor Sister Marie Keyrouz (also spelled "Kairouz" is a chanter of Oriental Church music a member of the Congrégation des Soeurs Basiliennes Chouérites and founder-president

Some Lebanese artists, such as Najwa Karam and Assi Hellani, remain loyal to a traditional type of music known as 'jabali' ("from the mountains"), while other artists incorporate Western style into their songs. Najwa Karam (born February 26, 1966 in Zahle Lebanon) is a Lebanese singer Mohammed El Helani (born November 28 1970) known to the large audience as Assi El Helani, is a Lebanese Singer who is has been Lebanese performers are perhaps the most popular in the Arab world alongside Egyptian artists, and the star scene includes prominent figures like Najwa Karam, Nancy Ajram, Elissa (singer), Ragheb Alame, Myriam Fares, Wael Kfoury, Nawal al Zoghbi, Carole Samaha, Julia Boutros, Marwan Khouri, Waleed Tawfeek, Amal Hijazi and Majida El Roumi. Najwa Karam (born February 26, 1966 in Zahle Lebanon) is a Lebanese singer Nancy Nabil Ajram or Nancy Ajram ( نانسي نبيل عجرم) (born May 16, 1983 is a multi-award winning Lebanese Elissar Z Khoury (إليسار زكريا خوري known as Elissa (إليسا is an Arab Lebanese singer Myriam Faris (ميريام فارس (born May 3, 1983) is a Lebanese Musician and Entertainer from South Lebanon. Nawal Al Zoghbi ( Arabic نوال الزغبي full name Nawal George Al Zoghbi, is a successful Lebanese Arab singer Carole Samaha is a Lebanese Musician and Actress. She has released three Studio albums. Amal Hijazi or Amal Higazi ( Arabic: أمل حجازى) (born on February 20, 1978) is a Lebanese singer model and Majida El Roumi ( ماجدة الرومي, also transliterated as Majida Al Roumi) was born in Kfarshima, Lebanon on December 13 In addition, the lead guitarist from All Time Low, Jack Barakat, was born in Lebanon as well as the London based singer/songwriter Mika. All Time Low is an American Pop punk band from Lutherville-Timonium Maryland. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, Lebanon is playing a leader rule in media and digital arts in the MENA region, in addition to the growth of online campaign such as Going Niche www. The term MENA, for " Middle East and North Africa " is an Acronym often used in academic and business writing goingniche. com.

Sports

Main article: Sport in Lebanon

Because of Lebanon's unique geography, both summer and winter sports thrive in the country. In fact, in autumn and spring it is sometimes possible to engage in both during the same, skiing in the morning and swimming in the Mediterranean during the afternoon. At the competitive level, basketball, football, and hip ball are among Lebanon's most popular sports. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered In recent years, Lebanon has hosted the Asian Cup and the Pan-Arab Games; the country will host the Winter Asian Games in 2009. The Pan Arab Games are a regional Multi-sport event held between nations from the Arab World. The Asian Games, also called the Asiad, is a Multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. To meet the needs of these international competitions, Lebanon maintains state-of-the-art athletic facilities, which in turn encourage local sporting activities. Lebanon sends athletes to both the winter and summer games of the Olympics and Special Olympics. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games Special Olympics is an international organization created to help people with Intellectual disabilities develop self-confidence social skills and a sense of personal accomplishment

Association football

Main article: Football in Lebanon

In association football, the main federation for Lebanon is the Federation Libanaise de Football. In Lebanon football is the most popular sport It is governed by the Federation Libanaise de Football. The Lebanese Football Association ( Federation Libanaise de Football, الاتحاد اللبناني لكرة القدم is the governing body of football in Lebanon Lebanon has never made it to the FIFA World Cup or, in fact, ever won a trophy. The FIFA World Cup, occasionally called the Football World Cup, but usually referred to simply as the World Cup, is an international Association football They compete in the West Asian Football Federation Championship every time. The West Asian Football Federation Championship is a football competition of mainly West Asian countries and territories The Lebanese national soccer team has progressed past the first round of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2010 by eliminating India, 6-3 on aggregate. The top division of football in Lebanon is the Lebanese Premier League. In Lebanon football is the most popular sport It is governed by the Federation Libanaise de Football. Lebanese Premier League Clubs - 2008/09 See also Lebanese Premier League 2008-09 Al Ahed Al Ansar Twelve teams compete. The lexicons of football in Lebanon are Beirut clubs Nejmeh and Al-Ansar. Beirut (بيروت Bayrūt) is the Capital and Largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2 Al-Nejmeh Sporting Club (نادي النجمة commonly known as Nejmeh, is a professional sports club based in the Manara destruct of Beirut, the This page is about the Lebanese football club For the Saudi Arabian football club see Al-Ansar (Medina Al-Ansar (الأنصار is a Lebanese The lower division is the Lebanese Second Division. Teams see Lebanese Second Division 2008-09 This is not the full list Cup competitions include the Lebanese Elite Cup, the Lebanese FA Cup, Lebanese Super Cup and the Lebanese Federation Cup. The Lebanese Elite Cup is a Lebanese cup competition played by the top-5 league finishers and cup holders The Lebanese FA Cup is the top knockout tournament in Lebanese football. The Lebanese Super Cup is a Lebanese cup competition Cup Winners 1996: Al-Ansar 1997: Al-Ansar The Lebanese Federation Cup is a lebanese cup competition It first started in 1999 when Al-Ansar won by beating Salam Zghorta 4-0 in the final

Rugby league

Rugby league is also popular in Lebanon. History See also History of rugby league The grass roots of rugby league can be traced to early football history, through the playing of ball games The national rugby league team nearly qualified for the 2008 World Cup, but were narrowly beaten by Samoa in their final game. The Lebanon national rugby league team represent Lebanon in international Rugby league tournaments Teams See also 2008 Rugby League World Cup squads Format Draw The draw after being confirmed by the RLIF on April Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa, is a country governing the western part of the Samoan Islands Archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean

Lebanon boasts six ski resorts, with slopes suitable for skiers and snowboarders of all ages and levels of experience. Snow skiing is a group of sports utilizing Skis as primary equipment Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a Snow -covered slope on a Snowboard attached to a participant's feet using a special boot set into a mounted binding Off-slope, there are many opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. Cross-country skiing (also known as XC skiing) is a Winter sport popular in many countries with large snowfields primarily Northern Europe, Development of snowshoes Origins Before humanity built snowshoes nature provided examples A snowmobile (known locally as snowmachine, snowsled or by the Brandname Ski-Doo) is a land vehicle that is commonly propelled by In the summer, skilifts can be used to access some of Lebanon's best hiking trails, with panoramic views stretching as far as Cyprus to the west and Syria to the east on clear days. The word 'hiking' is understood in all English-speaking countries but there are differences in usage Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية Canoeing, cycling, rafting, climbing, swimming, sailing and spelunking are among the other common leisure sports in Lebanon. Canoeing is the activity of paddling a Canoe for the purpose of recreation (also called a float trip Sport, or transportation. Cycling is the use of Bicycles or - less commonly - Unicycles Tricycles Quadricycles and other similar wheeled Human powered vehicles Rafting or whitewater rafting is a challenging recreational activity utilizing a Raft to navigate a River or other bodies of water UserStan Shebs for a timetable --> Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet (or Swimming is the movement by humans or animals through Water, usually without artificial assistance Sailing is the art of controlling a Sailing vessel. By changing the Rigging, Rudder and dagger or centre board a Sailor manages the force Caving or spelunking is the recreational Sport of exploring Caves In contrast Speleology is the scientific study of caves and the cave Adventure and extreme sports are also possible throughout the country. The Beirut Marathon is held every fall, drawing top runners from Lebanon and abroad. The Beirut Marathon is a Marathon sporting event that has been held every year in Beirut, Lebanon since 2003 Shorter races are also held for youth and less serious competitors. Race day is promoted as a fun, family event, and it has become a tradition for many to participate in costumes or outlandish clothing.

Arts and literature

Lebanon's contribution to the Arab Rennaissance during the middle of the 19th century is immense. This flowering allowed for the modernisation of the Arabic language moving it away from its Koranic classical dictums, and allowing for the creation and adaptation of previously unknown terms/ words as Al-Watan (the nation), Al-Watania (Nationalism).

The first theatre production in the Arab world was performed at the Al-Kahzen household in 1862, a Lebanese aristocratic family who were also representatives of France.

By the turn of the 20th century, Beirut was vying with Cairo as the major centre for modern Arab thought, with untold number of newspapers, magazines, and literary societies.

In literature, Gibran Khalil Gibran, who was born in Bsharri, Lebanon but grew to adulthood in Boston, Massachusetts, is known to be one of the world's famous writers, particularly known for his book The Prophet, which has been translated into more than twenty different languages. Kahlil Gibran (born Gibrān Khalīl Gibrān bin Mikhā'īl bin Sa'ad; Arabic ar جبران خليل جبران بن ميخائيل بن سعد (born January The Prophet is a book of 26 poetic essays written in English in 1923 by the Lebanese - American artist philosopher and writer Khalil Gibran ^[66]

Several contemporary Lebanese writers have achieved international success; including Elias Khoury, Amin Maalouf and Hanan al-Shaykh. Elias Khoury (الياس خوري (born 12 July 1948, Beirut) is a Lebanese novelist playwright and critic Amin Maalouf ( أمين معلوف) born 25 February, 1949 in Beirut, is a Lebanese Author. Hanan al-Shaykh (b November 12, 1945, Beirut) is a Lebanese author of contemporary Arab women's

In art, Moustafa Farroukh and Alfred Bassbouss are very famous. Mustafa Farroukh (1901-1957) was one of Lebanon's most prominent painters of the 20th century. Formally trained in Rome and Paris, he exhibited in venues from Paris to New York to Beirut over his career. His work was applauded for its representation of real life in Lebanon in pictures of the country, its people and its customs. Farroukh became highly regarded as a Lebanese nationalist painter at a time when Lebanon was asserting its political independence. His art captured the spirit and character of the Lebanese people and he became recognized as the outstanding Lebanese painter of his generation. His total paintings were more than 2000 sold to collectors inside and outside of Lebanon. He also wrote five books and taught art at the American University of Beirut.

Festivals

Several international music festivals are held in Lebanon, featuring world-renowned artists and drawing crowds from Lebanon and abroad. Among the most famous are Baalbeck International Festival, Beiteddine Festival, Byblos International Festival, and the Al-Bustan Festival. The Baalbeck International Festival is the oldest and most known cultural event in the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean. The Beiteddine Festival is an annual summer festival that takes place in Beiteddine Palace in Beiteddine, Lebanon. The Byblos International Festival is a Music festival that takes place in the historic quarter of Byblos, Lebanon. Beirut (Beirut Nights) in particular has a very vibrant arts scene, with numerous performances, exhibits, fashion shows, and concerts held throughout the year in its galleries, museums, theatres, and public spaces. Beirut (بيروت Bayrūt) is the Capital and Largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2 The Beirut Nights are numbers of events that take place from time to time in Beirut, Lebanon.

Politics

Lebanon

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Lebanon

Constitution President Michel Sleiman Prime Minister Fouad Siniora Current government Parliament Speaker Political parties Elections Governorates Districts Municipalities Foreign relations

Other countries · Atlas  Politics Portal view • talk • edit

Main article: Politics of Lebanon

Lebanon is a parliamentary, democratic republic, which implements a special system known as confessionalism. Lebanon is a Parliamentary democracy within the overall framework of confessionalism, in which the highest offices are proportionately reserved for representatives The Constitution of Lebanon was adopted on 23 May, 1926. The most recent amendment of the Constitution was for the Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation This page lists presidents of Lebanon Though it is not specifically stated in the constitution an unwritten understanding known as the National Pact (al-mithaq al-watani agreed in 1943 Michel Suleiman or Sleiman ( ميشال سليمان, born 21 November 1948) is the current President of Lebanon. This page lists Prime ministers of Lebanon. By an unwritten agreement following independence the holder of this post must be a Sunni Muslim. Fouad Siniora (alternative spellings Fouad Sanyoura Fuad Siniora Fouad Saniora Fouad Seniora ( فؤاد السنيورة, Fu'ād As-Sanyūrah is the Prime This is the list of the Lebanese government that was formed by Fouad Siniora on 19 July 2005 who was appointed by then president Émile Lahoud. The Parliament of Lebanon (known as Le Parlement in Lebanon is the Lebanese national legislature. This page lists speakers of the Parliament of Lebanon. By unwritten agreement following independence the holder of this post must be a Shiite Muslim. Lebanon has numerous political parties, but they play a much less significant role in Lebanese politics than they do in most parliamentary democracies Elections in Lebanon gives information on Election and election results in Lebanon. |||} Lebanon is divided into six Governorates ( Muhafazah) listed with their capitals in parentheses Beirut ( Beirut The governorates of Lebanon are divided into 25 Districts ( Aqdya, singular Qadaa) |||} The districts of Lebanon are divided into municipalities The foreign policy of Lebanon reflects its geographic location the composition of its population and its reliance on commerce and trade Information on politics by country is available for every Country, including both De jure and De facto independent Lebanon is a Parliamentary democracy within the overall framework of confessionalism, in which the highest offices are proportionately reserved for representatives A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its Confessionalism is a System of government that distributes political and institutional power proportionally among religious communities ^[67] This system, allegedly meant to ensure that sectarian conflict is kept at bay, attempts to fairly represent the demographic distribution of religious sects in the governing body. ^[68][69] As such, high-ranking offices in are reserved for members of specific religious groups. The President, for example, has to be a Maronite Catholic Christian, the Speaker of the Parliament a Shi’a Muslim, the Prime Minister a Sunni Muslim and the Deputy Prime Minister an Orthodox Christian. President is a Title leaders of Organizations companies, Trade unions universities, and countries. Maronites ( الموارنة,, Syriac: ܡܪܘܢܝܐ, Latin: Ecclesia Maronitarum) are members of one of the Syriac The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a legislative body This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic A Deputy Prime Minister or Vice Prime Minister is in some countries a government minister who can take the position of acting Prime Minister when the The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world ^[70][71]

This trend continues in the distribution of the 128 parliamentary seats, which are divided equally between Muslims and Christians. The Parliament of Lebanon (known as Le Parlement in Lebanon is the Lebanese national legislature. Prior to 1990, the ratio stood at 6:5 in favor of Christians; however, the Taif Accord, which put an end to the 1975-1990 civil war, adjusted the ratio to grant equal representation to followers of the two religions. The Taif Agreement ( Arabic: اتفاقية الطائف) (also "National Reconciliation Accord" or "Document of National Accord" was an agreement ^[70] According to the constitution, direct elections must be held for the parliament every four years, although for much of Lebanon’s recent history, civil war precluded the exercise of this right. A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity

The parliament elects the president for a non-renewable six-year term. At the urging of the Syrian government, this constitutional rule has been bypassed by ad hoc amendment twice in recent history. Elias Hrawi’s term, which was due to end in 1995, was extended for three years. Elias Hrawi (الياس الهراوي,( September 4, 1925 - July 7, 2006) was a President of Lebanon, whose term of office ^[72] This procedure, denounced by pro-democracy campaigners, was repeated in 2004 to allow Émile Lahoud to remain in office until 2007. General Émile Jamil Lahoud ( اميل لحود; born 12 January 1936 is a former President of Lebanon. ^[73]

The President appoints the Prime Minister on the nomination of the parliament (which is, in most cases, binding). ^[74] Following consultations with the parliament and the President, the Prime Minister forms the Cabinet, which must also adhere to the sectarian distribution set out by confessionalism. A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch.

Lebanon's judicial system is based on the Napoleonic Code. The Grand Serail (السراي الكبير also known as the Government Palace) is the headquarters of the Prime Minister of Lebanon. The Napoleonic Code, or Code Napoléon (originally called the Code civil des Français) is the French Civil code, established under Juries are not used in trials. The Lebanese court system consists of three levels: courts of first instance, courts of appeal, and the court of cassation. There also is a system of religious courts having jurisdiction over personal status matters within their own communities, with rules on matters such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance. Lebanese law does not provide for Civil marriage (although it recognizes such marriages contracted abroad); efforts by former President Elias Hrawi to legalize civil marriage in the late 1990s floundered on objections mostly from Muslim clerics. Civil marriage or secular marriage is a Marriage which is performed by a government official and not a religious organization This page lists presidents of Lebanon Though it is not specifically stated in the constitution an unwritten understanding known as the National Pact (al-mithaq al-watani agreed in 1943 Elias Hrawi (الياس الهراوي,( September 4, 1925 - July 7, 2006) was a President of Lebanon, whose term of office A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Additionally, Lebanon has a system of military courts that also has jurisdiction over civilians for crimes of espionage, treason, and other crimes that are considered to be security-related. ^[75] These military courts have been criticized by human rights organizations such as Amnesty International for "seriously fall[ing] short of international standards for fair trial" and having "very wide jurisdiction over civilians". According to the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Lebanon's overall human rights record is poor and it commits serious abuses Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a Western based international Non-governmental organization which defines its mission as "to ^[76]

After Rafic Hariri's assassination on 14 February 2005, the country has seen turbulent political times, and it shaped the Cedar Revolution and the rise of the March 14 alliance which is made of: Lebanese Forces, Future Movement and the PSP. Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Cedar Revolution ( Arabic: ثورة الأرز - thawrat al-arz) or Independence Intifada ( intifāḍat al-istiqlāl) was a chain of demonstrations Events 1489 - The Queen of Cyprus, Catherine Cornaro, sells her kingdom to Venice. The Progressive Socialist Party (or PSP) ( Arabic "الحزب التقدمي الاشتراكي" al-hizb al-taqadummi al-ishtiraki) is a political

International rankings

Organization	Survey	Ranking
United Nations Development Programme	Human Development Index	88 out of 177
Yale University/Columbia University	Environmental Sustainability Index, 2005 (pdf)	129 out of 146
Reporters Without Borders World-wide	Press Freedom Index 2006	98 out of 168
Transparency International	Corruption Perceptions Index 2005	99 out of 159
Heritage Foundation/The Wall Street Journal	Index of Economic Freedom, 2007	72 out of 161
World Bank	Ease of Doing Business Index, 2008	85 out of 178
The Economist	Global Peace Index	114 out of 121
Fund for Peace/ForeignPolicy.com	Failed States Index, 2007	28 out of 177[77]

See also

• List of Lebanese businessmen

Articles about recent events

• 2007 Lebanon conflict
• 2006–2007 Lebanese political protests

Miscellaneous

• Settlements in Lebanon
• Communications in Lebanon
• Military of Lebanon
• Shebaa Farms
• South Lebanon conflict
• Transport in Lebanon
• List of Lebanese Banks
• List of Lebanese people
• List of Lebanon-related topics
• List of universities in Lebanon

Tourism

• Sannine Zenith Lebanon
• Beirut Nights

Footnotes

Book References

• Fisk, Robert. Sustainability, in a general sense is the capacity to maintain a certain process or state indefinitely Pity the Nation: The Abduction of Lebanon. New York: Nation Books, 2002.
• Firzli, Nicola Y. Al-Baath wa-Lubnân [Arabic only] ("The Baath and Lebanon"). Beirut: Dar-al-Tali'a Books, 1973
• Hitti Philip K. History of Syria Including Lebanon and Palestine, Vol. Philip Khuri Hitti (1886 - 1978 born in Shimlan, Ottoman Syria (now Lebanon) was a scholar of Islam and introduced the field of Arab culture 2 (2002) (ISBN 1-931956-61-8)
• Holst, Sanford. Phoenicians: Lebanon's Epic Heritage. Los Angeles: Cambridge and Boston Press, 2005.
• Norton, Augustus R. Amal and the Shi'a: Struggle for the Soul of Lebanon. Austin and London: University of Texas Press, 1987.
• Riley-Smith, Jonathan. The Oxford Illustrated History of the Crusades. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.
• Salibi, Kamal. A House of Many Mansions: The History of Lebanon Reconsidered. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1990.

External links

Web portals

• Lebanese White Pages
• Naharnet
• Lebanese Tag
• Ya Libnan Live news from Beirut
• NOW Lebanon
• Discover Lebanon
• LebNights ForumThe Biggest Arabian Lebanese Forum

Government

• The Lebanese Governmental Portal for Information & Forms
• Official site of the President of the Lebanese Republic
• Official site of The Lebanese Parliament (Arabic)(French)
• Central Administration for Statistics
• Ministry of Tourism
• Internal Security Forces
• The Lebanese Armed Forces
• General-security.gov.lb
• Lebanon Customs site
• Central Bank of Lebanon
• Beirut Stock Exchange

News

• AnNahar newspaper (Arabic)
• L'Orient-Le Jour (Lebanese daily newspaper in French) (French)
• LBC
• Future TV
• Liban Press (Lebanese news headlines) (Arabic) (English) (French)
• Liban3000.com
• Ya Libnan (English)
• NOW Lebanon (Arabic)(English)
• United Nations - Mehlis Report official report of the investigation into Rafiq al-Hariri's assassination

Culture and education

• UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Lebanon
• Al-Bustan Festival, Beit Meri
• Baalbek Festival
• Beiteddine Festival
• Byblos Festival
• Lebanese Cultural Journal
• The National Museum of Beirut

General information

• Lebanon at The World Factbook
• US State Department - Lebanon includes Background Notes, Country Study and major reports
• LibanVote (comprehensive electoral database)

Festivals

• Baalbeck
• Beiteddine
• Byblos

Travel and Tourism

• Lebanon travel guide from Wikitravel
• Ministry of Tourism - Official website of the Lebanese Ministry of Tourism
• Guide of Lebanon - General Guide of Lebanon
• Travel Agency in Lebanon

The World Factbook ( ISSN; also known as the CIA World Factbook) is an annual publication of the Central Intelligence Agency of the Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide.

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