35 Facts About Lebanon

Lebanon, officially known as the Lebanese Republic (Al-Jumhuriyah al-Lubnaniyah), is a country in Western Asia.

Lebanon has a total area of 10,452 square km.

Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon.

Arabic is official language of Lebanon.

Lebanese pound (LBP) is official currency of Lebanon. 

Lebanon is land bordered by Israel and Syria.

Lebanon is the smallest recognized country on the entire mainland Asian continent.

Lebanon ranks the highest among the other countries in the Arab world in Human Development Index and GDP per capita.

Because of its financial stability and diversity, Lebanon was dubbed the "Switzerland of the East" in the 1960s.

Mount Lebanon is a mountain range in Lebanon with an elevation of more than 2500 metres. The country's name is derived from this mountain range.

In 332 BCE, Alexander the Great conquered what is now Lebanon.

Lebanon was a province of the Ottoman Empire from 1516 to 1918.

Due to political concerns about religious affiliation, Lebanon has not conducted a census since 1932.

Between 1975 and 1990, the country experienced civil war as a result of clashes between Christians and Muslims in the region.

Syria and Israel were both heavily involved in Lebanon's civil war. Both of these countries sent troops to the region.

In May 2000, Israel withdrew its troops from the region, and Syria followed suit in April 2005.

Religious groups are represented equally in the country's parliament.

There are seven major political parties in the country.

For more than a year, the country went without a President. This is due to the exodus of large numbers of Christians from the country, and they cannot have a president who is not a Maronite Christian. However, the current president of Lebanon, Michel Aoun, was elected by parliament in October 2016.

Lebanon's parliament has 128 seats and 18 recognised sects. In fact, Lebanon's Parliament recognises all 18 recognised religious sects.

The Bekaa Valley, an extremely fertile flatland about 16 km wide and 129 km long from north to south, lies to the east of the Mount Lebanon Range.

Between November and March, Lebanon receives nearly 80% of its annual rainfall.

Lebanon has over 3,000 plant species.

A piece of land in Lebanon can have two legal owners.

In Lebanon, pigeon clapper testimony is not admissible in court.

It has been illegal in Lebanon since 1945 to fly any foreign flag.

Lebanon is a vital Middle Eastern commercial hub.

Lebanon is also the first Arab country to allow private radio and television broadcasts.

Currently, Lebanon is home to approximately 450,000 refugees. The vast majority of these people are housed in Lebanon's 12 refugee camps. Poverty, unemployment, poor infrastructure, and poor housing conditions plague these refugees.

Outside Lebanon, an estimated 8-14 million Lebanese live, compared to 4.5 million within Lebanon.

Lebanon currently has a population that is 60% Muslim and 40% Christian.

In 2014, Lebanese living abroad sent an estimated $9 billion US dollars to family members in Lebanon.

Lebanon is the only country in the Middle East that lacks a desert. They don't even have native camels.

In Lebanon, there are 21 major daily newspapers that serve the public. However, the media is funded by political parties, which is why the majority of them are biassed.

The country also has the most Christians of any Middle Eastern country.