"Heaven on Earth" a Lebanon Travel Page by Lebanese

Lebanon is a small country of only 10,452 sq km. From north to south it extends 217 km and from east to west it spans 80 km at its widest point. It is bounded by Syria on both the north and east and by Palestine on the south.
The Lebanese government had estimated in 1997 that the population was 3,111,828. However, An independent 1998 estimate placed the population at 3,505,794, yielding a population density of 335 persons per sq km (869 per sq mi).
Culture & History:
Lebanon’s rich history has been shaped by many cultural traditions, including Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Islamic (including Mameluke), Crusader, Ottoman Turkish, French, and recently American. The resulting culture is distinctively Lebanese, a combination of East and West, past and present. Folk music and dancing have a long tradition and are very popular. Influential Lebanese writers emerged in the early 20th century and greatly influenced the Arabic language. Painters, sculptors, and performers and producers in theater, film, and television have recently distinguished themselves.

Lebanon has been called many things such as the "Pearl of the Middle East" and the "Switzerland of the East." Everyone from the East and the West has enjoyed living here, because of the country's natural beauty, pleasant climate, rich culture, open social system, and active financial markets. All that was built after its independence in 1943 continued until the start of the civil war which began in mid 1975 and lasted for seventeen years. The war ended in the early 1990s and reconstruction began. In bringing down old buildings, the city's past was unveiled, particularly the Phoenician wall. Otherprojects that are being rebuilt are in the North, South, Mount Lebanon, and the Bekaa valley, including roads, highways, telecommunications, water, electricity, and the preservation of the environment.


Lebanon’s coastal plain is divided into several isolated sections by gorges, which are cut by streams that pour down the mountains in winter and spring. In ancient times, north-south movement along the plain was nearly impossible. Villages developed on larger sections of the plain, and those with good harbors and better agricultural areas evolved into the city-states of Phoenicia. These cities then used the Mediterranean Sea to communicate and trade with one another and beyond the coastal plain. Due to geographical and other barriers, however, Phoenicia never unified politically. Later, mountainous areas provided protection for groups seeking refuge, but these groups, too, were isolated and did not form a unified nation. The modern nation of Lebanon was formed after World War I (1914-1918), when the defeated Ottoman Empire, which had controlled the area, was divided. When France received a mandate from the League of Nations to rule Lebanon after the war, the region’s people were aligned along religious and cultural lines, but felt little unity based on a Lebanese nationality.


Information courtesy of Lebanonatlas.com.

Lebanon has one of the most educated and technically prepared populations in the Middle East. In 1995, 92 percent of Lebanese aged 15 and older were literate. Primary education in Lebanon is free and compulsory for five years; school attendance is near universal for primary school-aged children. Beirut is home to six universities: the well-known American University of Beirut; the Jesuit-sponsored Saint Joseph University; the government-supported Lebanese University; the Egyptian-sponsored Beirut Arab University; the Lebanese American University; and the Armenian Hagazian College. Lebanon also has more than 100 technical, vocational, and other specialized schools.

Information courtesy of Lebanonatlas.com.

Way of Life: The Lebanese value individualism, which contributes to their creativity and inventiveness. Close family relations, loyalty to family and friends, and honor are also important. People strive to gain influence and to accumulate and display wealth, which are signs of success that win respect. Men and women mix freely and attend schools in equal numbers. In their leisure time, Lebanese people enjoy lively conversations over Turkish coffee, participating in outdoor activities, and eating good food. Traditional foods include kebbe, a dish of lamb and crushed wheat, and tabbouleh, a salad made of parsley, mint, tomatoes, and crushed wheat. People enjoy a variety of foods, however, and restaurants serve everything from French, Arabic, Turkish, Persian, and Greek specialties to hamburgers and pizza.

Services: Before the civil war erupted in 1975, domestic, foreign, and transit trade (the re-export of products manufactured outside Lebanon but distributed through it) stimulated prosperity; these forms of trade have begun to revive since the war. Financial services such as banking, investment, and insurance—significant before the war—have also begun a slow recovery. Tourists, who support an industry of hotels, restaurants, casinos, and nightclubs, are attracted to Lebanon’s scenery, climate, historical sites, and cultural activities. Before 1975 an estimated 550,000 tourists visited Lebanon annually. In 1997, there were about 558,000 visitors, mostly from Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas. In 1987 the United States government restricted its citizens from entering Lebanon due to Islamic militant activity; the United States lifted the travel ban in 1997 after the Lebanese government pledged to boost efforts against terrorism. Superior educational and medical facilities attract thousands of clients and also add an important service element.

Information courtesy of Lebanonatlas.com.