Lebanon: Country Information

Country name: Lebanon, (Arabic: Lobnan)

Capital: Beirut

Location: Bounded by the Meditterranean sea on the west, Syria to the north and east, and Palestine/Israel to the south.

Flag: A horizontal bar on the top and bottom, and a large white strip in the middle containing a green cedar tree.

Spoken languages: Arabic (main), French, English and Armenian

Type of government: Republic

Governates: Beirut, Mount Lebanon, Bekaa, North, Nabatieh, South

Legislation: 128 members of parliament (MP), equally split between Muslims and Christians

Independance day: 22nd of November 1943

Area: 10452 square kilometers

Coastline: 225 kilometers

Climate: medditerranean

Lebanese-syrian border: 375 kilometers

Population: around 4 millions (no exact estimates)

Currency: Lebanese lira / Lebanese pound (1 USD = approx. 1510 LBP)

Country Code: +961

Country top-level domain: lb

Country second-level domains: com.lb, net.lb, org.lb, gov.lb

Religions: Lebanon is very diverse in terms of sects, but the main religions are Islam and Christianity. Sects include but are not limited to: Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Alawite, Maronite, Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Armenian Catholic, Protestant. This diversity is the pride of Lebanon.

Facts:

• The first law school in the world was founded in Lebanon
• Lebanon is the country that has the most books written in relation or about it
• The name of Lebanon is mentioned 75 times in the old testament
• The city of Byblos (Jbeil) is the oldest continuously living city in the world
• The first alphabet to the world was initiated by Kadmus in Byblos
• Despite its small size, Lebanon has more than 40 universities
• The capital Beirut was destroyed and then rebuilt from the rubble 7 times
• Despite the small population, Lebanon has 18 religious communities
• Around 3 times the number of Lebanese citizens living inside Lebanon, are living outside (sad but true)