Western Asia · Asia

Lebanon

Discover Lebanon - a tiny Mediterranean nation with Phoenician ruins, legendary cuisine, cedar forests, and a nightlife scene that rivals any in the world.

Where Is Lebanon?

Lebanon is a country in Western Asia. Its capital is Beirut.

Where Lebanon isWestern Asia · Capital Beirut

Capital Beirut
Population 5.85M
Area 10,452 km²

Lebanon is a country that should be impossible. Smaller than Connecticut, wedged between Syria and Israel on the Mediterranean coast, it has been invaded, occupied, and shaken by civil war - and yet it remains one of the most culturally vibrant, culinarily extraordinary, and stubbornly alive places on Earth. The Phoenicians sailed from these shores and gave the world the alphabet. Today, Beirut's restaurant scene rivals Paris, you can ski in the morning and swim in the Mediterranean in the afternoon, and the nightlife goes until sunrise. Lebanon refuses to be defined by its struggles.

The food alone is worth the trip. Lebanese cuisine - mezze spreads of hummus, tabbouleh, fattoush, and dozens more small dishes, followed by grilled meats and finished with baklava - is arguably the most influential cuisine in the Middle East and one of the most popular in the world. The Cedars of God, ancient groves that supplied wood for Solomon's Temple, still stand in the mountains. Baalbek's Roman temples are among the largest ever built. And the Lebanese people, scattered across a global diaspora far larger than the country's population, carry a reputation for warmth, style, and an unbreakable love of life.

At a glance

Language

Arabic (Lebanese dialect)

Currency

Lebanese Pound (LBP)

Calling Code

+961

Drives On

Right

Internet

.lb

Timezone

EET (UTC+2)

Script

Arabic & Latin

Government

Parliamentary Republic

Independence

1943

By population

Largest cities in Lebanon

Beirut

Capital and cultural powerhouse on the Mediterranean, a city of ancient ruins, rooftop bars, world-class restaurants, and relentless resilience

2,400,000

Tripoli

Northern coastal city with the largest and best-preserved Crusader fortress in Lebanon, a magnificent souk, and outstanding street food

500,000

Byblos

One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, a Phoenician port town with 7,000 years of archaeological layers

40,000

Sidon

Southern coastal city with a Crusader sea castle, vibrant souks, and the Temple of Eshmun, an ancient Phoenician healing sanctuary

200,000

People

Famous people from Lebanon

Khalil Gibran
Literature
Author of The Prophet, one of the best-selling books of all time, a Lebanese-American poet who wrote in both Arabic and English
Fairuz
Music
The most beloved singer in the Arab world, whose voice has been the soundtrack to Lebanese mornings for over sixty years
Zaha Hadid
Architecture
Though born in Iraq, she studied in Beirut and became the first woman to win the Pritzker Prize in architecture
Amin Maalouf
Literature
Franco-Lebanese novelist who won the Prix Goncourt and was elected to the Academie Francaise, exploring identity and civilization
Hassan Kamel Al-Sabbah
Science
Pioneer of solar energy and electrical engineering who held dozens of patents and was called the Edison of the East

Food

Traditional cuisine of Lebanon

Mezze: An elaborate spread of small dishes including hummus, baba ghanoush, labneh, kibbeh, and tabbouleh, the centerpiece of every Lebanese meal
Kibbeh: Ground lamb and bulgur shaped into oval croquettes and fried, or served raw as kibbeh nayyeh - considered the national dish
Manoushe: Flatbread topped with za'atar and olive oil, the essential Lebanese breakfast eaten fresh from the bakery every morning
Tabbouleh: Finely chopped parsley salad with bulgur, tomato, mint, and lemon, the herb-forward original that inspired countless imitations
Baklava: Layers of thin phyllo pastry filled with pistachios or walnuts and drenched in sugar syrup, perfected by Lebanese pastry masters

Nature

Nature and landmarks in Lebanon

Cedars of GodForest: UNESCO World Heritage grove of ancient cedar trees in the mountains, some over 1,000 years old, the symbol on Lebanon's flag
Jeita GrottoCave: Spectacular limestone caves with the world's largest known stalactite, explored by boat on an underground river
Qadisha ValleyValley: UNESCO-listed holy valley carved into the mountains, dotted with ancient monasteries and hermit caves used since early Christianity
Batroun CoastCoastal: Rocky Mediterranean coastline with Phoenician sea walls, natural tide pools, and a growing reputation as Lebanon's summer hotspot

Sport

Sports in Lebanon

Basketball: The most popular sport in Lebanon with a passionate league, the national team has competed in the FIBA World Cup
Football: Growing following with competitive clubs in the Lebanese Premier League and improving national team performances
Skiing: Lebanon is one of the few Middle Eastern countries with ski resorts, with slopes in the Cedars and Faraya just an hour from Beirut

Facts

Did you know?

The Phoenicians, who sailed from Lebanon's coast, created the alphabet that became the ancestor of virtually every alphabet in use today
Lebanon is small enough that you can ski in the mountains and swim in the Mediterranean on the same day
Byblos is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, and the word Bible derives from its ancient Greek name
The Lebanese diaspora is estimated at 14 million people worldwide, far outnumbering the roughly 5 million who live in Lebanon
Lebanon's cedar tree has been famous since ancient times - it was used to build Phoenician ships, Solomon's Temple, and Egyptian pharaohs' palaces
Fairuz's morning music is so beloved that during the civil war, all factions agreed not to fight during her radio broadcasts

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