Facts on Lebanon

Lebanon Information and History

Lebanon is a small, mountainous country in the Middle East. After independence in 1943, Lebanon prospered as a banking, resort, and university center. It is estimated that two-thirds of the resident population are Muslim, with the rest being Christian. No census has been taken since 1932 due to political sensitivity over religious affiliation. Fighting between Christian and Muslim militias escalated into civil war from 1975 to 1991. Democracy was restored in 1992—allocating government positions based on religion. During the civil war both Israel and Syria sent troops into Lebanon. Israel withdrew its army in 2000; some 16,000 Syrian soldiers remain.

 

ECONOMY

Industry: banking, food processing, jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral and chemical products.
Agriculture: citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples; sheep.
Exports: foodstuffs and tobacco, textiles, chemicals, precious stones, metal products.

Text source: National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition, 2

 

INTERESTING FACTS

• Lebanon is the only country in the Middle East that does not have a desert
• Lebanon is a big tourist attraction
• They need to exercise to keep fit
• There are many small dishes you eat before the main course
• Fish is a healthy meal in Lebanon
• The bread they eat is flat and dry
• The Phoenicians, the ancient Lebanese, were the first to develop script in 1100 B.C.  They did so to facilitate their prosperous trade further
• Lebanon has 18 religious communities
• It has 40 daily newspapers
• It has 42 universities
• It has over 100 banks (that is banks and not branches of a bank)
• 5. 70% of the students are in private schools
• 6. 40% of the Lebanese people are Christians (this is the highest percent all the Arab countries)
• There's 1 doctor per 10 people in Lebanon (In Europe & America, there's 1 doctor per 100 people)
• The name LEBANON appears 75 times in the Old Testament
• The name CEDAR (Lebanon's tree) appears 75 times too in the Old Testament!!
• Beirut was destroyed and rebuilt 7 times (this is why it's compared to The Phoenix).
• There are 3.5 Million Lebanese in Lebanon
• There are around 10 Million Lebanese outside Lebanon!
• Lebanon, the country, was occupied by over 16 countries:
  Egyptians-Hittites-Assyrians- Babylonians- Persians- Alexander the greats
  Army- the Roman Empire Byzantine- the Arabian Peninsula-The Crusaders- the Ottoman Empire- Britain-France- Israel- Syria.
• Byblos (city in Lebanon) is the oldest, continuously living city in the world.
• Lebanon's name has been around for 4,000 yrs non- stop (it's the oldest country/ nation's name in the world!)
• Lebanon is the only Arab country that doesn't have a desert.
• There are 15 rivers in Lebanon (all of them coming from its own mountains)
• Lebanon is one of the most populated countries in its archeological sites, in the world!!!
• The first alphabet was created in Byblos (city in Lebanon)
• The only remaining temple of Jupiter (the main Roman god) is in Baalbeck, Lebanon (The City of the Sun)
• The name of BYBLOS comes from the BIBLE!!!
• Lebanon is the country that has the most books written about it.
• Lebanon is the only non-dictatorial country in the Arab world (it has a President!)
• According to Christianity, Jesus Christ made his 1st miracle in Lebanon, in Sidon (The miracle of Turning water into wine).
•  The Phoenicians (Original People of Lebanon) built the 1st boat, and they were the first to sail ever!
• Phoenicians also reached America long before Christopher Columbus did.
• The 1st law school in the world was built in Lebanon, in Downtown Beirut.
• People say that the cedars were planted by God's own hands (This is why they're called "The Cedars of God", and this is why Lebanon is called
  "God's Country on Earth."

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