Global InformationLebanon information
Republic of Lebanon الجمهورية اللبنانية (Arabic) al-Jumhūrīyah al-Lubnānīyah | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
| Anthem: كلّنا للوطن Kullunā li-l-waṭan "All of us, for our country!" | |
 Location of Lebanon (in green) | |
 | |
| Capital and largest city | Beirut 33°54′N 35°32′E / 33.900°N 35.533°E |
| Official languages | Arabic[1] |
| Local vernacular | Lebanese Arabic[2] |
| Foreign languages | French[a] |
| Ethnic groups (2021)[5] |
|
| Demonym(s) | Lebanese |
| Government | Unitary parliamentary republic that includes confessionalism[6] |
• President | Vacant |
• Prime Minister | Najib Mikati |
• Speaker of the Parliament | Nabih Berri |
| Legislature | Parliament |
| Establishment | |
• Mount Lebanon Emirate | 1516 |
• Double Qaim-Maqamate of Mount Lebanon | 1 December 1843 |
• Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate | 9 June 1861 |
• Greater Lebanon | 1 September 1920 |
• Constitution | 23 May 1926 |
• Independence declared | 22 November 1943 |
• French mandate ended | 24 October 1945 |
• Withdrawal of French forces | 17 April 1946 |
• Israeli troops withdrawn | 24 May 2000 |
• Syrian troops withdrawn | 30 April 2005 |
| Area | |
• Total | 10,452 km2 (4,036 sq mi) (161st) |
• Water (%) | 1.8 |
| Population | |
• 2022 estimate | 5,296,814[7] (122nd) |
• Density | 560/km2 (1,450.4/sq mi) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2022 estimate |
• Total |  $78.233 billion[8] (108th) |
• Per capita | $11,793[8] (114th) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2022 estimate |
• Total | $21.780 billion[8] (103rd) |
• Per capita | $3,283[8] (133rd) |
| Gini (2011) |  31.8[9]medium |
| HDI (2021) |  0.706[10]high (112th) |
| Currency | Lebanese pound (LBP) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Driving side | right[11] |
| Calling code | +961[12] |
| ISO 3166 code | LB |
| Internet TLD |
|
33°50′N 35°50′E / 33.833°N 35.833°E Lebanon (/ˈlɛbənɒn, -nən/ ⓘ LEB-ə-non, -nən; Arabic: لُبْنَان, romanized: Lubnān, local pronunciation: [lɪbˈneːn]), officially the Republic of Lebanon,[c] is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. It is bordered by Syria to the north and east, by Israel to the south, and by the Mediterranean Sea to the west; Cyprus lies a short distance away from the country's coastline. Lebanon's location at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian hinterlands has contributed to the country's rich history and shaped a unique cultural identity shaped by religious diversity.[13] Lebanon has a population of more than five million people and covers an area of 10,452 square kilometres (4,036 sq mi). Lebanon's capital and largest city is Beirut, followed by Tripoli and Jounieh. While Arabic is the official language, French is also recognized in a formal capacity; Lebanese Arabic is the country's vernacular, though French and English play a relatively significant role in everyday life,[14] with Modern Standard Arabic being limited to news and government matters.
The earliest evidence of human civilization in Lebanon dates back to 5000 BCE.[15] From 3200 to 539 BC, what was to become Lebanon was part of Phoenicia, a maritime empire that stretched the Mediterranean Basin.[16] In 64 BC, the Roman Empire conquered the region, and Lebanon soon became a major center for Christianity under the aegis of the Byzantine Empire. In the 7th century, the Muslim conquest of the Levant brought the region under the control of the Rashidun Caliphate. The 11th century saw the beginning of the Crusades and the establishment of Crusader states, which later fell to the Ayyubids and the Mamluks, who in turn ceded the territory to the Ottoman Turks in the aftermath of the Ottoman–Mamluk War of 1516–1517. Under Ottoman ruler Abdulmejid I, the first Lebanese proto-state was established in the form of the Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate, created in the 19th century as a home for Maronite Christians under the Ottoman "Tanzimat" period.
After the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire around World War I, the five Ottoman provinces constituting modern-day Lebanon came under the Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon, to be administered by France. Under the Mandate administration, France established Greater Lebanon as the predecessor state to today's independent Lebanon. However, French rule over the region weakened significantly in the aftermath of the German invasion of France in 1940, during World War II. By 1943, Lebanon had gained independence from Free France and subsequently established a distinct form of confessionalist government, with the state's major religious groups being apportioned specific political powers. The new Lebanese state was relatively stable for a short period after independence,[17] but this was ultimately shattered by the outbreak of large-scale fighting in the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990) between various political and sectarian factions. Amidst the internal hostilities of this period, Lebanon was also subjugated by two overlapping military occupations: by Syria from 1976 to 2005 and by Israel from 1985 to 2000. Since the end of the conflicts, there have been extensive efforts to revive the economy and rebuild national infrastructure.[18]
Lebanon is a developing country, ranked 112th on the Human Development Index.[19] It has been classified as an upper-middle-income state.[20] The Lebanese liquidity crisis, coupled with nationwide corruption and recent disasters such as the 2020 Beirut explosion, have precipitated the collapse of Lebanon's currency and fomented political instability, widespread resource shortages, and high unemployment and poverty. The World Bank has defined Lebanon's economic crisis as one of the world's worst since the 19th century.[21][22] Despite the country's small size,[23] Lebanese culture is renowned both in the Arab world and globally, powered primarily by the Lebanese diaspora.[24] Lebanon is a founding member of the United Nations and of the Arab League,[25] and is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, and the Group of 77, among others.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
article_11was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Simpson, Andrew (2 January 2019). Language and Society: An Introduction. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-094020-1.
- ^ Khashan, Hilal (December 1990). "The Political Values of Lebanese Maronite College Students". The Journal of Conflict Resolution. 34 (4): 723–744. doi:10.1177/0022002790034004007. JSTOR 174186. S2CID 145632505.
The heritage of the Maronites is perceived as anything Phoenician, Greco-Roman, Mediterranean, or internationalist, but not Arab.
- ^
- Hajjar, George (2002). "Aspects of Christian-Muslim Relations in Contemporary Lebanon" (PDF). hartsem.edu. Hartford International University for Religion and Peace. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 July 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
In recent years, the Melkites, like the Maronites, have denied affiliation with Arab ethnicity, race and culture.
- Hajjar, George (2002). "Aspects of Christian-Muslim Relations in Contemporary Lebanon" (PDF). hartsem.edu. Hartford International University for Religion and Peace. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 July 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
- ^ "Lebanon - the World Factbook". 23 September 2021.
- ^ "The Lebanese Constitution" (PDF). Presidency of Lebanon. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 January 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
- ^ "Lebanon". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 24 September 2022. (Archived 2022 edition.)
- ^ a b c d "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2023 Edition. (Lebanon)". International Monetary Fund. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ^ "Gini Index coefficient". CIA World Factbook. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ "Human Development Report 2021/2022" (PDF). United Nations Development Programme. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
- ^ "Driving in Lebanon". adcidl.com. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
ciawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ McGowen, Afaf Sabeh (1989). "Historical Setting". In Collelo, Thomas (ed.). Lebanon: A Country Study. Area Handbook Series (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: The Division. OCLC 18907889. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
- ^ "Lebanon". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
- ^ Dumper, Michael; Stanley, Bruce E.; Abu-Lughod, Janet L. (2006). Cities of the Middle East and North Africa. ABC-CLIO. p. 104. ISBN 978-1-57607-919-5.
Archaeological excavations at Byblos indicate that the site has been continually inhabited since at least 5000 B.C.
- ^ "All at sea: The maritime lives of the ancient Phoenicians". press.princeton.edu. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ "Background Note: Lebanon". U.S. Department of State. 22 March 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
- ^ "Lebanon". Canadian International Development Agency. Government of Canada. 28 May 2009. Archived from the original (Governmental) on 30 May 2008. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
- ^ "Lebanon- Human development report 2021/2022".
- ^ "World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) Statistical Annex: Country Classification" (PDF). un.org. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
- ^ "Lebanon: Why the country is in crisis". bbc.com. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
- ^ "Lebanon - World bank". June 2021.
- ^ "Lebanon country profile". BBC News. 24 August 2011. Archived from the original on 16 October 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
- ^ Abdelhady, Dalia. The Lebanese Diaspora: The Arab Immigrant Experience in Montreal, New York, and Paris. NYU Press, 2011, page 130
- ^ "Arab League". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
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