Portal:Lebanon

The Lebanon Portal

A view of Byblos, Lebanon

Lebanon, officially the Lebanese Republic, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west; Cyprus lies a short distance from the coastline. Lebanon has a population of more than five million and an area of 10,452 square kilometres (4,036 sq mi). Beirut is the country's capital and largest city.

Human habitation in Lebanon dates to 5000 BC. From 3200 to 539 BC, it was part of Phoenicia, a maritime civilization that spanned the Mediterranean Basin. In 64 BC, the region became part of the Roman Empire and the subsequent Byzantine Empire. After the seventh century, it came under the rule of different Arab Islamic caliphates, including the Rashidun, Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates. The 11th century saw the establishment of Christian Crusader states, which fell to the Ayyubids and the Mamluks. Lebanon came under Ottoman rule in the early 16th century. Under Ottoman sultan Abdulmejid I, the first Lebanese proto-state, the Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate, was established as a home for Maronite Christians, as part of the Tanzimat reforms.

Lebanon is a developing country, ranked 102nd on the Human Development Index. It has been classified as a lower-middle-income country. The Lebanese liquidity crisis, coupled with nationwide corruption and disasters such as the 2020 Beirut explosion, precipitated the collapse of Lebanon's currency and fomented political instability, widespread resource shortages, and high unemployment and poverty. The World Bank has defined Lebanon's economic crisis as one of the world's worst since the 19th century. Despite the country's small size, Lebanese culture is renowned both in the Arab world and globally, powered primarily by the large and influential Lebanese diaspora. Lebanon is a founding member of the United Nations and the Arab League, and a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, and the Group of 77. (Full article...)

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Gold dinar minted in Aleppo in the name of Salih ibn Mirdas and recognizing the suzerainty of Fatimid caliph az-Zahir, 1028/29 CE

Abu Ali Salih ibn Mirdas also known by his laqab (honorific epithet) Asad al-Dawla (lit. 'Lion of the State'), was the founder of the Mirdasid dynasty and emir of Aleppo from 1025 until his death in May 1029. At its peak, his emirate (principality) encompassed much of the western Jazira (Upper Mesopotamia), northern Syria and several central Syrian towns. With occasional interruption, Salih's descendants ruled Aleppo for the next five decades.

Salih launched his career in 1008, when he seized the Euphrates river fortress of al-Rahba. In 1012, he was imprisoned and tortured by the emir of Aleppo, Mansur ibn Lu'lu'. Two years later he escaped, capturing Mansur in battle and releasing him for numerous concessions, including half of Aleppo's revenues. This cemented Salih as the paramount emir of his tribe, the Banu Kilab, many of whose chieftains had died in Mansur's dungeons. With his Bedouin warriors, Salih captured a string of fortresses along the Euphrates, including Manbij and Raqqa, by 1022. He later formed an alliance with the Banu Kalb and Banu Tayy tribes and supported their struggle against the Fatimids of Egypt. During this tribal rebellion, Salih annexed the central Syrian towns of Homs, Baalbek and Sidon, before conquering Fatimid-held Aleppo in 1025, bringing "to success the plan which guided his [Banu Kilab] forebears for a century", according to historian Thierry Bianquis.

Salih established a well-organized administration over his Aleppo-based domains. Militarily, he relied on the Banu Kilab, while entrusting fiscal administration to his local Christian vizier, policing to the aḥdāth (urban militia) under Salim ibn Mustafad, and judicial matters to a Shia Muslim qāḍī (head judge). His rule was officially tolerated by the Fatimids, to whom he paid formal allegiance. His alliance with the Banu Tayy ultimately drew him into conflict with the Fatimid general, Anushtakin al-Dizbari, whose forces killed Salih in the Battle of al-Uqhuwana near Lake Tiberias. Salih was succeeded by his sons Nasr and Thimal. (Full article...)

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... that the European population of the rare Lebanese wild apple is mainly concentrated in a single national park, 58 percent of which was burnt by extreme wildfires in 2023?
... that the French Jesuit priest and archaeologist René Mouterde contributed to the documentation of 3,405 Greek and Latin inscriptions from Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria?
... that Gigarta, a settlement mentioned by Strabo and Pliny the Elder, is believed to have been located on the slopes of Mount Lebanon, although its exact location remains under debate?
... that the 2nd-century BC Aramaic inscription of Yanouh is the first attested use of Aramaic as a public language in Mount Lebanon?
... that photographer Denis Cameron covered the Lebanese Civil War, the Iranian Revolution, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the Gulf War?
... that the Mseilha Fort is strategically located to overlook the crossing of the Jaouz River near Ras ash-Shaq'a, a promontory in Lebanon?

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Lebanese cuisine comprises the culinary traditions and practices originating from Lebanon. It includes an abundance of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fresh fish and seafood. Poultry is eaten more often than red meat, and when red meat is eaten, it is usually lamb and goat meat. Dishes include copious amounts of garlic and olive oil, and are often seasoned with salt and lemon juice. Chickpeas and parsley are also staples of the Lebanese diet.

Well-known dishes include baba ghanouj, tabbouleh, sfeeha, falafel and shawarma. An important component of many Lebanese meals is hummus, a chickpea puree, and many dishes are eaten with flatbread. A plate of vegetables including tomatoes, cucumber, mint, olives and pickles is always served on the table, and a plate of fruits at the end of the meal with a Lebanese coffee. Well-known desserts include baklawa, sfouf and ka'ak. Some desserts are specifically prepared on special occasions; for example, meghli (rice pudding dessert, spiced with anise, caraway, and cinnamon) is served to celebrate a newborn baby in the family.

Arak is an anise-flavoured liquor and is the Lebanese national drink, usually served with a traditional Lebanese meal. Another historic and traditional drink is Lebanese wine. (Full article...)

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General images

The following are images from various Lebanon-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1A map of Mount Lebanon c. AD 1180 (from History of Lebanon)
Image 2The funeral of the assassinated Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri (from History of Lebanon)
Image 3The Green Line that separated West and East Beirut, 1982 (from History of Lebanon)
Image 4Lebanon Parliament 2018 (from Politics of Lebanon)
Image 5Portrait of Fakhreddine while he was in Tuscany, stating "Faccardino grand emir dei Drusi" translated as "Fakhreddine: great emir of the Druze" (from History of Lebanon)
Image 6Christian Church and Druze Khalwa in Shuf Mountains: Historically; the Druzes and the Christians in the Shuf Mountains lived in complete harmony. (from History of Lebanon)
Image 7Protesters in Beirut. Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque, 20 October 2019 (from History of Lebanon)
Image 8A selection of Lebanese dishes from Cafe Nouf Restaurant in London (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 9Anti-Syrian protesters heading to Martyrs' Square in Beirut on foot and in vehicles, 13 March 2005 (from History of Lebanon)
Image 10Fairuz playing guitar (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 11The Grand Serail, also known as the Government Palace, is the headquarters of the prime minister of Lebanon (from Politics of Lebanon)
Image 12Fakhreddine II (from History of Lebanon)
Image 13Bashir Shihab II (from History of Lebanon)
Image 14Flag as drawn and approved by the members of the Lebanese parliament during the declaration of independence in 1943 (from History of Lebanon)
Image 15Map showing power balance in Lebanon, 1983: Green – controlled by Syria, purple – controlled by Christian groups, yellow – controlled by Israel, blue – controlled by the United Nations (from History of Lebanon)
Image 16Palm trees at the seafront in Corniche Beirut (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 17Rue Maarad is a main street in the central district (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 18Beiteddine Palace, venue of the Beiteddine Festival (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 19Portrait of Elie Hobeika (from History of Lebanon)
Image 20Gibran Khalil Gibran Garden and surroundings in Beirut Central District, Majidiye, Beirut (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 21Aerial photo of Beirut, Lebanon's capital (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 22Map showing power balance in Lebanon, 1976:
Dark Green – controlled by Syria;
Purple – controlled by Maronite groups;
Light Green – controlled by Palestinian militias (from History of Lebanon)
Image 23Aftermath of the 4 August 2020 Beirut explosion (from History of Lebanon)
Image 24City of Zahlé at the eastern edge of the Mount Lebanon Range in eastern Lebanon (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 25Khalil Gibran (April 1913) (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 26Aftermath of the October 2024 Bachoura airstrike in central Beirut (from History of Lebanon)
Image 27Sidewalk Cafes are a trademark of the BCD (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 28Beirut in 1950 (from History of Lebanon)
Image 29A building in Ghazieh, near Sidon, bombed by the Israeli Air Force (IAF), 20 July 2006 (from History of Lebanon)
Image 30Map of the Shebaa farms (from History of Lebanon)
Image 31Csontváry Kosztka, Tivadar - Pilgrimage to the Cedars of Lebanon (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 32An array of Lebanese cuisine. (from Culture of Lebanon)