Republic of Lebanon
Capital: Beirut
Language: Arabic and French (Official),
English and Armenian
Time Zone: 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean
Time
Population(1996): 3.7 Million
Currency: Lebanese Pound (1 US$ = 1500 L.P.)
Area: 10,452 square kilometers
Jalaa Monument
Location
The Lebanese Republic is a small and densely populated country
situated in the eastern Mediterranean with a total land area of 10,
452 square meters. It is one of the smallest states in the region
and at its widest point Lebanon stretches a mere 85 kilometers from
its western to eastern borders. Lebanon has a 212-kilometer
coastline and is bordered to the west by the Mediterranean Sea, to
the north and east by Syria and to the south by Israel. A
mountainous country, more than half of Lebanon's land is at
altitudes of 1,000 meters above sea level. The Republic is defined
by two mountain ranges running broadly parallel from north to south,
known as the Lebanon (Mount Lebanon) and the Anti-Lebanon. Mount
Lebanon is the larger of the two ranges and runs 48 kilometers along
the Mediterranean coast, reaching an altitude of 3,090 meters at the
summit of Qornet es-Sauda. To the east of Sidon, the Mount Lebanon
range extends into the Chouf mountains - a largely terraced, arable
region - and to the south it merges into the hills of Galilee. The
Anti-Lebanon marks the eastern border with Syria, and the southern
continuation of the range forms Mount Hermon, which reaches 2, 814
meters at its highest point. The majority of Lebanon's major cities
are situated along the coastal plain, wedged between the
Mediterranean Sea and the Mount Lebanon range. The coastal strip,
which is composed of sandy bays and rocky headlands, is well
irrigated and fertilized and includes orange groves and palm trees.
Between the two mountain ranges lies the 15 kilometer wide fertile
Bekaa Valley, which in Roman times was known as the "Bread Basket of
the Roman World." Lebanon's main cities are the capital Beirut (Beyrouth),
Zahle, Tripoli, Sidon, Jounieh and Tyre.
Map of Lebanon
Government:
Lebanon is a Democratic Republic, with a parliamentary system of
government and a cabinet headed by the Prime Minister. Its
constitution is based on the separation of executive, legislative
and judicial powers, with a President elected for a six year term.
The 128 Members of Parliament are elected by universal adult
sufferage for a four year term. The Lebanese Republic is divided
into six regional governments, or Mohafazaat: Beirut, North Lebanon,
Mount Lebanon, South Lebanon, The Bekaa Valley and Nabatiyeh
Beirut
The monetary unit is the Lebanese pound (LP). With currency notes issued in LP50, LP100, LP250, LP500, LP1,000, LP5,000, LP10,000, LP20,000, LP50,000 and LP100,000 denominations. Coins are now issued in LP100, LP250 and LP500 denominations. More than eighty banks operate in the country and transactions are performed efficiently and at low cost.
Tyre 'Sour'
Population
In October 1996, the Ministry of Social Affairs published the
results of the first population census since 1932. According to the
census, Lebanon has a population of 3.1 million, excluding some
200,000 - 230,000 Palestinian refugees. The average household has
4.7 people, but households in Beirut are smaller (4.1 people) than
in rural areas, such as the Bekaa Valley (5.0 people). Lebanon's
population is young, with the under 15 year olds accounting for
29.2% of the total population.
Climate
Lebanon has a Mediterranean climate hot, dry summers and cool, rainy
winters. Average temperatures in Beirut average 29-32 degrees
Celsius in the summer and 16-19 degrees Celsius in the winter. In
the winter months, temperatures well below 0 degrees Celsius are
common in the mountains. Lebanon is one of the few countries in the
Middle East with sufficient rainfall to support agricultural,
industrial and domestic activities. Annual precipitation ranges from
700 - 1,000 millimeters in the fertile coastal plain to 200
millimeters in north-eastern parts of the Bekaa Valley. Mount
Lebanon is the country's most humid area and receives up to 1,400
millimeters a year. Generally, rain occurs from October to April,
with virtually no precipitation in the summer months.
Bardawni River
Lebanon has a diverse range of activities ranging from mountain skiing to swimming in the Mediterranean. Populated since ancient times, as proven by the increasing number of Archaeological discoveries, Lebanon has witnessed a long and extremely eventful evolution that is still continuing. Lebanon's multi-layered past has amounted to numerous contrasting historical sites which, thankfully, can still be digested and appreciated by any visitor who sets foot here.
