Lebanon

Lebanon is a mountainous country located in western Asia. It is on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and is bordered by Syria to the northeast and Israel to the south.

On January 8, 2008, on the 13th day of Israel's offensive operation in the Gaza Strip, rockets from Lebanon landed in northern Israel. The Israeli Army called the rocket incident a "minor event," and Lebanon's Prime Minister Fouad Siniora condemned the rocket attack, saying, "Hezbollah assured the Lebanese government that it remains engaged in preserving the stability in Lebanon and respects Security Council resolution 1701."¹

Fast Facts

1. Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria
2. Official name: Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic
3. Capital: Beirut
4. Government: Republic
5. Country code: +961
6. Population: 3,971,941(July 2008 est.)²
7. Currency: Lebanese lira (LBP)
8. Airport code: (BEY)
9. Area: 10,400 sq km
10. Coastline: 225 km
11. Exchange rate: 1,512.0
12. Official languages: French and Arabic
13. Time zone: UTC+2
14. Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms

Lebanon Rockets Hit Israel

On January 8, 2008, rockets from Lebanon hit residential neighborhoods in northern Israel. Israel responded with "fire against the source of the rockets," according to the Israeli Army. The rockets landed near the town of Nahariya.

Hezbollah denied being involved in the rocket attack, in which two people were injured. The United Nations Security Council laid out the terms for a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon in August 2006.¹

Lebanese Civil War

Lebanon went through a period of intense turmoil between 1975 and 1990 (during the Lebanese Civil War). The country has since gone through a large reconstruction and has begun to rebuild its tourism industry, with ski resorts and wineries being two of the country's most popular attractions.

Lebanon is unusual in that it is the only country in the Middle East with a majority of its citizens practicing Christianity. The country is divided into six Governorates, which are in turn divided into 25 districts.

Governorates

• Beirut Governorate
• Beqaa Governorate
• Mount Lebanon Governorate
• Nabatiyeh Governorate
• North Governorate
• Gouth Governorate

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