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• 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 June 7, 2009, the diverse country re-elected a pro-Western coalition of mainly Christian, Sunni Muslim and secular-minded political parties, against a challenge led by the Shiite Muslim nationalist group Hezbollah.Associated Press: Lebanon's pro-Western majority declares victory

• 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.)Cia Gov: Population
  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.The New York Times: Rockets Fired From Lebanon Into Israel (January 8, 2009)

• 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

• January 2009 Attack

  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."The New York Times: Rockets Fired From Lebanon Into Israel (January 8, 2009)The commander of a U.N. peacekeeping force in the area has urged both Israel and Lebanon to act with restraint in the aftermath of this incident.Reuters: U.N. in Lebanon urges restraint after rocket attack (January 14, 2009)

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Lebanon Vacation | Lebanon Restaurants | Beirut | Israel | Cyprus | Greece | Syria | Jordan | Egypt | Iran | Iraq | Saudi Arabia | Kuwait | Qatar | Mediterranean Sea | Israel-Lebanon Conflict | Hassan Nasrallah | Waltz with Bashir

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