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| A Guide To Lebanon
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VISIT THE CITIES
OF LEBANON
BEIRUT - AANJAR
- BAALBECK - BEITEDDINE
- BYBLOS - JEITA
GROTTO
SAIDA - SOUR -
THE CEDARS - TRIPOLI
- ZAHLE |
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Facts About Lebanon
Capital: Beirut
Population: Approximately 4 million
Monetary Unit: The Lebanese Pound
Area: 10,452 square kilometers
Economy:
Lebanon capitalizes on the
initiative of its people and its geographical location to
make up for a lack of natural resources. Traditionally, a
substantial percentage of the country's income derives from
remittances sent by the millions of Lebanese residing overseas.
A service-based
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Raouché
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economy, its trading, banking and
financial facilities as well as its free currency market made Lebanon
the region's commercial and tourist center before the war. With peace
established and reconstruction underway, Lebanon is once again serving
as a commercial and touristic capital in the area.
About 38% of the country is under cultivation,
with wheat, vegetables, fruit, tobacco and olives the main crop categories.
There is considerable livestock farming as well. Industry ranges from
cement and cables to textiles, clothing, furniture, canned goods and
light metals. Tourism, one of the mainstays of the pre-war economy,
is being revived.
To help strengthen the economy, the authorities
have initiated a low income tax schedule to provide investment incentive,
increase disposable income and expand the tax base. |
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Currency and Banking
Movement of currency into and out of
the country and all exchange transactions are completely free
of any kind of control. Gold and silver coins may be freely
exchanged, imported and exported.
The monetary unit is the Lebanese pound issued in L.L.50, L.L.100,
L.L.250, L.L.500, L.L.1000, L.L.5000,L.L.10000,L.L.20000,L.L.50000
and L.L.100000 notes.
Banking is a major industry in Lebanon with strict banking secrecy
one of its important features.
More than 80 banks operate in the country and transactions are
performed efficiently and at low cost. |
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Baalbeck |
Government
Lebanon is a democratic republic with
a parliamentary system of government and
a cabinet headed by a prime minister. Its constitution is based
on the separation of executive, legislative and judicial powers,
with a president elected for a six-year term. The 128 members
of parliament are elected by universal adult suffrage for a
four year term. The Lebanese Republic is divided into six regional
administrative districts, or Mohafazaat: Beirut, North
Lebanon, South Lebanon, The Beqaa and Nabatiyeh. |
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Geography and Climate
Although a small country, Lebanon's varied
geographical areas fall into four features. First there is the
narrow coastal plain where five of Lebanon's great historical
cities developed: Tripoli, Byblos, Beirut, Sidon and Tyre. The
220 kilometers-long coastline is marked by indentations and
rocky outcrops wherever the sub-coastal range joins the sea.
The second geographical feature is
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Sour
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north-south mountain range known as Mount
Lebanon. Appearing at times to rise abruptly from the sea, Mount
Lebanon covers more than a third of the country.
Its western slopes are well wooded and are frequently broken
by wild valleys.
The mountain rise gradually over a distance of some 30 kilometers
to the highest peaks of Sannine (2,628 meters) and Qornet es
Sawda (3,069 meters).
It is Mount Lebanon, or Jabel Lubnan
in Arabic, that gave the name to the country.
In fact Lebanon owes its geographical unity to this mountainous
range which is almost entirely contained within its frontiers.
The next of Lebanon's four areas is the Beqaa
valley between 8 to 15 kilometers wide and about 120 kilometers
long from north to south. A fertile plain east of the Mount
Lebanon range between 800 and 1,250 meters in elevation, the
Beqaa valley was known as the breadbasket of the Roman Empire
in ancient times.
Still the major agricultural zone of Lebanon,
the central area, is the most fertile while the southern past
is less cultivated, being swampy and full of rocks. It is through
the Beqaa that the 140 kilometer-long Litani River, the longest
in the Lebanon, turns to meet the Mediterranean between Sidon
and Tyre.
On the eastern side of the Beqaa, the Anti-Lebanon
mountains and Mount Hermon rise. A chain of rocky, almost treeless
mountains running parallel to the Lebanon range, the Anti-Lebanon
is lower but more complete than Mount Lebanon. These mountains
form the frontier between Lebanon and Syria.
Lebanon enjoys an essentially Mediterranean
climate with mild, rainy winters and long summers which are
warm and humid.
The spring months sometimes witness the so-called
Khamseen, a hot, dry wind, but these winds are usually
short-lived. |
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The Cedars
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Snow Ski and Water Ski
Lebanon is one of the few winter sports centers
in the Middle East and certainly the most extensive.
The season begins in December and continues until April in a
winter landscape surprising in its variety and beauty. The largest
resorts have hotels, chalets and other facilities, including
good ski lifts.
There are six winter resorts: The Cedars (2,300 meters), Faraya/Ouyoun
es Siman (1,890 meters), Laklouk (1,740 meters), Faqra (1,750
meters), Qanat Bakiche (1,900 meters) and Zaarour (1,900 meters).
Lebanon's long varied coastline and its Mediterranean
climate make it an ideal place for water sports. Numerous resort
complexes, beaches and swimming clubs have aquatic amusements
and sports on offer, including water skiing, surfing, underwater
fishing, sailing, scuba diving and snorkeling. |
 Equipment for water skiing and
scuba diving can be rented from clubs and shops. As tempting
as the seaside is, many more sports opportunities await the
visitor. Tennis, squash and football are all popular.
There are fitness clubs where it is possible to work out, as
well as groups interested in judo, karate, yoga, gymnastics,
parasailing, golf, cycling, canoeing, mountain climbing and
potholing. |
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Museums to Visit 
AUB ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM in Beirut has an extensive
collection of artifacts from Lebanon and the Near East.
The NATIONAL MUSEUM in Beirut whose collections of
archaeological artifacts are the most extensive in the country.
The SURSOCK MUSEUM in Beirut has regular art shows
and a permanent exhibition.
The PALACE OF BEITEDDINE in the Shouf houses an important
collection of mosaics and other artifacts.
The WAX MUSEUM in Byblos features scenes from Lebanon's
ancient to recent past.
The GIBRAN MUSEUM located in a mountain monastery in
Bsharreh, displays a large collection of manuscripts and paintings
by the great Lebanese poet.
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Traditional Culinary Art
Lebanon's traditional culinary art combined
with the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables make eating out
an adventure. Restaurants specializing in Lebanese food are found
everywhere and in all of them you will be invited to try the famous
hors-d'oeuvres known as mezze. A good mezze has 30 or
40 dishes, but feasts with as many as 100 dishes have been recorded.
It's wise to dedicate an entire afternoon to  the authentic Lebanese lunch. Some delicacies
are always present in a mezze, including the internationally
known tabboule salad. You will also find hommos- a chickpea
purée with sesame paste and babaganouj -- a dip made of roasted
eggplant, sesame paste, lemon and garlic. Raw Kebbah -- fresh
raw lamb pounded with ground wheat and seasoned with onion, mint,
pepper and salt is also a favorite.
The mezze is usually served without cutlery,
for the traditional flat round Arab bread is both fork and spoon.
This substantial appetizer course is often accompanied by arak
but Lebanon also produces some excellent beers and wines that
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Dinning and Night Life
In Lebanon there is no shortage of entertainment.
You can dine in elegance on fine European cuisine or lunch at rustic
riverside cafes. It is possible to enjoy floor shows at trendy
nightspots or relax at a pub or bar. All kind of dancing are enjoyed,
from the traditional Dabke to oriental or "belly dancing"
and disco dancing. There are restaurants specializing in European
and eastern cooking as well as innumerable establishments offering
Lebanese food. |
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P
R A C T I C A L I N F O
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Passports and Visas
Visitors to Lebanon must have a valid passport and a Lebanese visa.
Visas are delivered by Lebanese diplomatic missions abroad.
Customs
Examination of travelers' luggage is carried out rapidly and courteously.
All ordinary personal effects are exempt from customs duty.
Getting There
All the world's great cities are linked by air with Beirut. The Beirut
International Airport at Khaldeh (8 km from Beirut), is used by many
international airlines plus the national carrier, Middle East Airlines
(MEA). In addition, several steamship lines connect the ports of Beirut
and Jounieh with the rest of the world.
Electric Current: 110 or 220 volts, 50 cycles. It's
best to check.
Official Holidays
Thanks to diverse population and different religious groups,
Lebanon has a full calendar of official holidays. Although all banks,
government offices and schools are closed on these feast days, it
is often possible to find some shops and restaurants open for business.
Language
In addition to his native Arabic language, the average Lebanese is
often fluent in English or French. Many well-educated Lebanese are
tri-lingual.
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