Lebanon

Lebanon (pronounced /ˈlɛbənɒn/ or /ˈlɛbənən/; Arabic: لبنان‎ Lubnān; French: Liban), officially the Lebanese Republic[5] (Arabic: الجمهورية اللبنانية‎), is a country in Western Asia, on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered by Syria to the north and east, and Israel to the south. Lebanon established a unique political system in 1942, known as confessionalism, a community-based power-sharing mechanism.[6] It was created when the ruling French mandatory powers expanded the borders of the former autonomous Ottoman Mount Lebanon district that was mostly populated by Maronite Catholics and Druze.
Lebanon was the historic home of the Phoenicians, a maritime culture that flourished for more than 3,000 years (3700-450 BC). Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, the five provinces that comprise present-day Lebanon were mandated to France. The country gained independence in 1943, and French troops withdrew in 1946.
Before the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), the country enjoyed a period of relative calm and prosperity, driven by tourism, agriculture, and banking.[7] It is considered one of the banking capitals of Western Asia, and during its heyday was known to some as the "Switzerland of the East" due to its financial power and diversity at the time. Lebanon also attracted large numbers of tourists[8] to the point that the capital Beirut was referred to as "Paris of the Middle East." Immediately following the end of the war, there were extensive efforts to revive the economy and rebuild national infrastructure.[9]
Until July 2006, a considerable degree of stability had been achieved throughout much of the country, Beirut's reconstruction was almost complete,[10] and an increasing number of foreign tourists were pouring into Lebanon's resorts.[8] This was until the one month long 2006 Lebanon War, between the Israeli military and Hezbollah, which caused significant civilian death and serious damage to Lebanon's civil infrastructure. The conflict lasted from 12 July 2006 until a cessation of hostilities call, by the UN Security Council, went into effect on 14 August 2006

Capital(and largest city)
Beirut33°54′N 35°32′E / 33.9°N 35.533°E / 33.9; 35.533
Official languages
Arabic
Other common languages
Lebanese, French, English, Armenian...
Ethnic groups
95% Lebanese, 5% other [1][2]
Demonym
Lebanese
Government
Confessionalist,Parliamentary republic
-
President
Michel Suleiman
-
Prime Minister
Saad Hariri
-
Speaker of Parliament
Nabih Berri
Independence
from France
-
Declared
26 November 1941
-
Recognized
22 November 1943
Area
-
Total
10,452 km2 (166th)4,035 sq mi
-
Water (%)
1.6
Population
-
2007 estimate
4,099,000[3] (123rd)
-
Density
401/km2 (25th)948/sq mi
GDP (PPP)
2009 estimate
-
Total
$51.474 billion[4]
-
Per capita
$13,374[4]
GDP (nominal)
2009 estimate
-
Total
$31.298 billion[4]
-
Per capita
$8,132[4]
HDI (2007)
▲ 0.796 (medium) (78th)
Currency
Lebanese pound (LBP)
Time zone
EET (UTC+2)
-
Summer (DST)
EEST (UTC+3)
Drives on the
right
Internet TLD
.lb
Calling code
961

1 Etymology
2 History
2.1 Ancient history
2.2 French mandate and independence
2.3 Lebanese Military
2.4 1948 Arab-Israeli war
2.5 Civil war and beyond
2.6 Nahr al-Bared conflict
2.7 Cedar Revolution
2.8 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
3 Geography and climate
4 Government and politics
4.1 Foreign relations
5 Governorates and districts
6 Economy
7 Education
7.1 Schools
7.2 Higher education
8 Demographics
9 Culture
9.1 Overview
9.2 National flag
9.3 Sports
9.4 Arts and literature
9.5 Music
9.6 Festivals
9.7 Movies
10 See also
11 References
12 Further reading
13 External links
13.1 General information
13.2 News media
13.3 Telecommunications
13.3.1 Landline
13.3.2 Mobile
13.4 Television & Radio
13.4.1 Television
13.4.2 Radio
13.5 Government
13.6 Non-governmental organizations
13.7 Learned Societies and Non-Profit Organizations
13.8 Web portals
13.9 Culture and education
13.10 Festivals
13.11 Travel and tourism