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Lebanon
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it All! |
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| AREA: 10,452 sq km (4036 sq miles).
POPULATION: 3,900,000 (official estimate 1999).
POPULATION DENSITY: 316.0 per sq km.
CAPITAL: Beirut. Population:
1,107,702
(1999). |
GEOGRAPHY:
Lebanon lies to the east of the Mediterranean,
sharing borders to the north and east with
Syria,
and to the south with
Phalestine. It is a mountainous
country and between the two mountain ranges of Jebel
Lubnan (Mount Lebanon), Mount Hermon and the
Anti-Lebanon range lies the fertile Bekaa Valley.
Approximately half of the country lies at an
altitude of over 900m (3000ft). Into this small
country is packed such a variety of scenery that
there are few places to equal it in beauty and
choice. The famous cedar trees grow high in the
mountains, while the lower slopes bear grapes,
apricots, plums, peaches, figs, olives and barley,
often on terraces painstakingly cut out from the
mountainsides. On the coastal plain, citrus fruit,
bananas and vegetables are cultivated, with radishes
and beans grown in tiny patches. There are four main geographical regions running north to south parallel to the Mediterranean -- the coastal plain, the Lebanon mountain range, the Bekaa Valley and the Anti-Lebanon range.
The narrow fertile coastal plain is broken at several points by the foothills and peaks of the Lebanon Mountains. Lebanon's main cities, Beirut and Tripoli, are along this plain. The Lebanon mountains include numerous rivers which flow down to the sea, and Lebanon's highest peak Qornet Es-Sauda at 3090
meters. Behind the Lebanon Mountains is the Bekaa Valley, an extension of the Great Rift Valley.
The 15-kilometre-wide fertile Bekaa valley is the country's main agricultural region, growing crops as varied as sugar beet, potatoes, and grapes. The Bekaa's archaeological treasures are among Lebanon's finest: Baalbeck, once a Roman metropolis, and Anjar, an Umayyad city that was an 8th century shopping
center, much as nearby Chtaura is today. Lebanon's two major rivers, the Litani and the Orontes, rise in the Bekaa Valley. The valley ends abruptly at the foot of the Anti-Lebanon range, an arid mountain mass which forms the boundary with Syria. Its highest summit is Mt. Hermon at 3084
meters |
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LANGUAGE: The
official language is Arabic. French and English are
widely spoken. Kurdish and Armenian are spoken by a
small percentage of the population.
RELIGION: Islam and Christianity are the
main religions. Islam accounts for approximately 70%
of the population's beliefs. Christian
denominations, mainly Greek Orthodox, Maronite,
Armenian and Protestant account for around 25%.
TIME: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from April to
September).
ELECTRICITY: 220 volts AC, 50Hz.
Climate:
Lebanon has a Mediterranean climate -- hot and
dry summers and cool, rainy winters. The sun
shines 300 days a year. The annual rainfall on the
coastal plain is around 35in, and more than 50in
in the mountains. Humidity is high along the coast
in summer and daytime temperatures average 30°C
with night temperatures not much lower. Top
Beirut in summer becomes a commuter society as
families move to the mountains to enjoy the cool
dry climate. Winters on the coast can be dry and
mild one day and wet and chilly the next.
Winter daytime temperatures average 15°C. In the
mountains summer daytime temperatures average 26°C
and the nights are pleasantly cool. Winters are
cold and it snows at the higher elevations. The
snow ensures good skiing from December through
April
Currency and banking:
The unit of currency in Lebanon is the Lebanese pound (LL), known locally as the lira.
There are notes (LL 250 - 500 - 1,000 - 5,000 - 10,000 - 20,000 - 50,000 - 100,000) in circulation as the currency lost much of its value during the war. Most shops, restaurants and hotels will accept US dollars.
The currency fluctuates according to the international market and to political developments in Lebanon and the Middle East. Most banks will only change US dollars and UK pounds in cash and
travelers cheques, but moneychangers will buy and sell almost any currency
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| COMMUNICATIONS:
Telephone: IDD is available. Country code:
961. Outgoing international code: 00. Cellular
phones are widely used and are available for hire to
visitors. Fax:
International
facilities available. Faxes can be sent from centrales
(state telephone bureaux) in major towns
and from most hotels (who often add 25% to the
official rates). Post: Service to Europe and
the USA usually takes between 7-8 days. Post offices
are open Monday to Friday: 0800-1100, and Saturday:
0800-1400. Press: There are over 30 daily
newspapers published in Arabic, Armenian and French
and over 100 publications appear on a weekly or
monthly basis. The Daily Star is published in
English and there are several English-language
weeklies, primarily Monday Morning. The
best-selling Arabic dailies are Al Anwar, Al
Nahar, Al Liwaa, Al Safir and Al Dyar. The
most important dailies in French are L'Orient-Le
Jour, Le Soir and Al-Jarida. A wide
choice of international newspapers and magazines are
also available. |
| History
and Archaeology Top |
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Apart from being the home of the Cedar tree,
Lebanon is a land of infinite history and culture. From
looking at a map one can see that Lebanon is located at
the geographic crossroads where East meets West. The
history and archaeology available in this small country
represents the important strategic role that Lebanon has
played over the millennia. The Phoenicians, the Romans,
the Crusaders are but a few of the numerous civilizations
that have left evidence of their existence in Lebanon and
today more than ever these are preserved and displayed. Beirut
was home to 17 different civilizations over 5000 years.
Since the summer of 1993 Beirut's downtown has been converted
into one of the largest urban archaeological excavations
constantly reveling the teasers that lay beneath the city.
Excavations have revealed shaped flint tools, believed to
be |
| between forth and sixty thousand years old, contributing
to Beirut's first human occupation. A continues boundary
wall of Canaanite Beirut along with a Phoenician glacis -
a defensive wall and rampart served to protecty the city
in the Bronze and Iron Ages. Byblos,
the port that gave its name to the Bible, is reputed to be
one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the
world dating back 7,000 years. Archaeological excavations
in Byblos have revealed temples from many periods such as
the Early Bronze Age 'Temple to the Lady of Byblos' and
the 'Temple en L' and the Middle Bronze Age. From the
royal tombs of the second millennium BC came the famous
Ahiram sarcophagus with the earliest existing Phoenican
inspiration. Today in Byblos you can still see the ruins
of a small Roman colonnade along which religious and civic
buildings once |
stood, as well as an impressive Crusader castle
surrounded by the medieval town and picturesque souks. The
Jeita grottoes,
discovered by an American Missionary in 1836, are amongst
the most beautiful displays of stalagmites and stalacities
in the world. The grottoes cover a distance of 650 meters
and are split into two galleries on different levels. The
lower grotto can be visited by boat over a 623 meter
subterranean lake and the upper one on foot through a
cement gangway. The 19th century
 palace
of Beiteddine is
stunningly incorporated into its magnificent Shouf
mountain surroundings. Beiteddine was chosen by Emir
Bechir El Chehabi II in 1788 as the site for his capital,
he continued working on the place and its gardens until he
was exiled in 1842. The palace with its arcades, galleries
and courtyards is divided into three traditional sections:
Dar El Baranie - the exterior lodging, Dar El Wousta - the
middle lodging, and Dar El Harim - the Emir's |
private quarters. The oriental palace has been
declared a historic monument and today houses three
museums; a feudal weapons, costumes and ewelry museum, an
archaeological museum and a Byzantine mosaic museum. Baalbeck
is amongst the largest and best preserved corpus of Roman
architectures in the world. There are two temples,
dedicated to Jupiter and Bacchus, constructed between the
1st and 3rd centuries. Jupiter Heliopolitan,
 the
larger temple, contains the famous six columns, 22
meters high standing on a 13-meter high platform. The
second temple known as the Temple of Bacchus is amongst
the best preserved Roman temples currently in existence.
In Baalbeck one can also see a Christian basilica and
remnants of an ancient theater. The ancient quarries
contain a huge block believed to be the largest hewn stone
weighing an estimated ,1,000 tons and undoubtedly meant
for inclusion in the outer wall of Baalbeck. Top |
| Aanjar was
build by the Omayye Caliph Al-Walid in the early 8th
century. The town plan is reminiscent of Roman camps with
two main intersecting streets and a number of columns and
baths. However, it is exclusively Islamic and actually the
only Omayyad site in the Lebanon. It is enclosed within an
almost square-like fortification with four fortified tower
gates, dividing the site into four equal parts with the
remains of two palaces, two Roman-type baths-hammams, and
a residential quarter, a mosque and souks containing
almost 600 shops. Tyre
(Sur), between the 12th and 4th centuries BC, florished
becasue of its maritime trade and became renowned for its
Tyrian purple dye, |
its glass
industry and its Phoenician overseas sattlements in the
Mediterranean. Tyre contains one of the largest Roman
sites in the region with a well preserved hippodrome, a
necropolis with tombs and sarcophagi from the Roman and
Byzantine periods, and a monumental arch. From the
entrance of the site all the way to the sea there is a
mosaic street flanked with cipolin marble columns,
surrounded with remains of baths and a residential area.
Archaeologists have recently discovered what may possibly
be the
 remains
of the oldest basilica built in the 4th century by
Paulinos, the Bishop of Tyre, in Tyre's residential El
Bass neighborhood. In Sidon
(Saida) the most outstanding remains are the ruins of the
Crusader sea castle built in the 13th century to protect
the harbor and the Castle of Saint Louis, known as the
land castle. Large khanis (inns/warehouses) were
constructed to serve the principle port for Damascus. Khan
El Franji (Inn of the Foreigners) was built by Emir
Fakhreddine to receive French traders and travelers from
the 17th to 19th centuries. Not far and almost on the
coast is the Grand Mosque which was built on the
foundations of the Church of St. John of the Hospitalers,
originally built by the Crusaders in the 13th century.
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The Cedars and the
Qadisha Valley: Older than history itself, the Cedar of Lebanon is
legendary for its longevity, beauty and historical
resonance, It is the cedar that made the early city
dwellers in Byblos, Sidon and Tyre wealthy, and the
tree itself is a symbol that has stood the test of
at least three thousand years. The Cedars of
Bsharreh and their geological partner the Qadisha
Gorge, together form one of the most spectacular
sights in the country. The gorge, also known as Wadi
Qanoubin, is a treasure of ancient caves, rock-cut
churches and monasteries. This rich history, coupled
with its lush natural beauty and important botanical
specimens, won this site a place on the World
Heritage list. more
history
Top |
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Visas
All foreigners except nationals of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) must have a valid visa to enter Lebanon. Passports must be valid for at least three months beyond the estimated duration of stay in Lebanon. GCC nationals are issued a three-month visa on arrival.
Since 3rd May 1997, it has been the case that tourist and business visas can be obtained on arrival at Beirut Airport and at other ports of entry on the Lebanese border. (However, it is advisable to check with your local Lebanese embassy before arrival in Lebanon that this is still the case.) This rule applies to nationals of the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, and USA.
Refugees must hold travel documents according to the London Convention of 1946 and the Geneva Convention of 1951, issued by any country other than Israel.
Single and multiple entry visas can be obtained from any Lebanese consulate or embassy.
The government of Lebanon refuses entry and transit to holders of Israeli passports.
Entry is also refused to:
Residents of Gaza holding a Laissez-Passer issued by Egyptian authorities unless the holder has obtained a visa from a Lebanese representative abroad.
Holders of passports containing a visa for Israel, (valid, expired, used or unused). They may only transit Lebanon on the same aircraft within 24 hours and without leaving the airport. Exceptions are members of travel groups (organized by travel agents and comprising more than three persons) who are holding a passport with a visa for Israel.
Nationals of India need a return or onward ticket, if their profession gives rise to the suspicion that they may look for employment in Lebanon (e.g. manual labourers).
Passports of USA nationals must be validated prior to departure from the USA stating that travel to Lebanon is authorized by US Secretary of State in Washington DC. This is a US government regulation.
As visa regulations are subject to change, visitors should check with their nearest Lebanese embassy or consulate prior to making travel arrangements
Festivals and holidays
Many of the holidays are religious occasions, and with Lebanon's diverse religious makeup there are quite a few.
Islamic holidays
the main ones are Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Ramadan, the month when Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset, and Eid al-Adha which marks the end of the pilgrimage to Makkah. Shiite Muslims observe the anniversary of the Martyr Hussein, and all Muslims celebrate the Islamic New Year.
Christian holidays
Easter and Christmas.
November 22nd is Lebanon's Independence Day. Top
Customs regulations
Visitors are allowed 200 cigarettes and one liter of alcohol.
The import and export of foreign currency is not restricted.
An import license for arms and ammunition is required under all circumstances to be obtained prior to arrival from the Ministries of
Defense and Interior at Beirut.
The export of antiquities is prohibited without an export license
Travel documents
Visitors to Lebanon should keep their passports with them at all times. There are military checkpoints all over the country, and even though ID checks are becoming less frequent, being caught without identification papers can cause problems and delays.
Drivers must carry an International Drivers License, and although third party insurance is not mandatory, it is recommended
When to visit
Lebanon is a year-round destination. In terms of weather the best times to visit the country are spring and autumn. The summer coastal climate is hot and humid, but in the mountains it is very pleasant. Winter is mild and rainy in the lowlands and it snows at elevations over 1100
meters.
Skiing during the winter months is popular at Faraya and the Cedars. Tour operators offer ski-season holiday packages
Shopping
Beirut is full or shops and markets selling everything from hand woven rugs to electronic equipment, including fashionable clothing. Locally produced handicrafts include pottery, blown glass, embroidered materials, caftans, copper and brass ornaments, mother-of-pearl inlaid trinkets and furniture and rugs.
A good selection of handicrafts is offered at La Maison de l'Artisan opposite the French Embassy. They sell work by artisans from around the country for a reasonable price.
Tipping
Tipping is not expected but is usually given for good service. Most restaurants include a service charge but it is customary to leave an extra tip of 5 -- 10%, as wages are much lower now than they were before the war.
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