Lebanon, land of the ancient Phoenicians, is in the Middle East, on the Mediterranean Sea. It’s bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Palestine/Israel to the south, and Syria to the east and north. Cyprus is only 125 miles away, across the Mediterranean to the northeast. Italy’s a $300 roundtrip plain ride away (yes!).
It is the only Middle Eastern country with no desert. It is long and narrow, with a long strip of sea coast (where Beirut is), and two mountain ranges reaching 10,000 feet, with the rich Bekaa Valley inbetween. Roads in most of the country snake around ridges along hillsides, and some communities are still difficult to reach.
It is the only Middle Eastern country with no desert. It is long and narrow, with a long strip of sea coast (where Beirut is), and two mountain ranges reaching 10,000 feet, with the rich Bekaa Valley inbetween. Roads in most of the country snake around ridges along hillsides, and some communities are still difficult to reach.
The largest religious groups are Shiite Muslims, Christians, and Sunni Muslims, followed by Druze (an offshoot of Islam influenced by Greek philosophy). Maronite Christians (basically, Roman Catholics of Eastern origin) are the largest Christian group, followed by Melkite (Syrian) Catholics and Armenian Othodox. There are also Armenian, Roman and Chaldean Catholics , Greek Orthodox, and Protestants, some Bahai and at least 12 Quakers!
It’s small—4,000 square miles (that’s 10,000 square kilometers)—the size of Connecticut, or for you Washingtonians, Peirce, King and Thurston counties combined. Small. Four million Lebanese live here; it is said that 16 million live elsewhere, in Europe, the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Egypt, Kuwait. One famous Lebanese person who left was Khalil Gibran. He was from Tripoli, in the north.
It’s hot in Summer—still now, in early October—but gets cold in winter, which I hear is November – March. The latitude is 34°, like Los Angeles. Hey, Washingtonians: This place has 300 days of sun a year.
Lebanon is stuffed with ancient ruins: Phoenician, Roman, Crusader, and Ottoman Empire. They are all around the country and we have much to explore… In downtown Beirut alone there are preserved remains of a Roman bath and market, a Maronite church dating back to the Crusades, and an Ottoman era building that now houses Parliament.
It’s hot in Summer—still now, in early October—but gets cold in winter, which I hear is November – March. The latitude is 34°, like Los Angeles. Hey, Washingtonians: This place has 300 days of sun a year.
Lebanon is stuffed with ancient ruins: Phoenician, Roman, Crusader, and Ottoman Empire. They are all around the country and we have much to explore… In downtown Beirut alone there are preserved remains of a Roman bath and market, a Maronite church dating back to the Crusades, and an Ottoman era building that now houses Parliament.
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