English   Română   Español   Français   Deutsch  

getamap.net

Africa

Oceania

Asia

North America

Europe

South America

Antarctica




Administrative divisions (GPS Maps)

Geography

People and Society

Government

Economy

Communications

Transportation

Military


Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French separated out the region of Lebanon in 1920, and granted this area independence in 1943. A lengthy civil war (1975-90) devastated the country, but Lebanon has since made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese established a more equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater voice in the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government. Since the end of the war, Lebanon has conducted several successful elections. Most militias have been reduced or disbanded, with the exception of Hizballah, designated by the US State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and Palestinian militant groups. During Lebanon's civil war, the Arab League legitimized in the Ta'if Accord Syria's troop deployment, numbering about 16,000 based mainly east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000 and the passage in September 2004 of UNSCR 1559 - a resolution calling for Syria to withdraw from Lebanon and end its interference in Lebanese affairs - encouraged some Lebanese groups to demand that Syria withdraw its forces. The assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq HARIRI and 22 others in February 2005 led to massive demonstrations in Beirut against the Syrian presence ("the Cedar Revolution"), and Syria withdrew the remainder of its military forces in April 2005. In May-June 2005, Lebanon held its first legislative elections since the end of the civil war free of foreign interference, handing a majority to the bloc led by Sa'ad HARIRI, the slain prime minister's son. In July 2006, Hizballah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers leading to a 34-day conflict with Israel in which approximately 1,200 Lebanese civilians were killed. UNSCR 1701 ended the war in August 2006, and Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) deployed throughout the country for the first time in decades, charged with securing Lebanon's borders against weapons smuggling and maintaining a weapons-free zone in south Lebanon with the help of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The LAF in May-September 2007 battled Sunni extremist group Fatah al-Islam in the Nahr al-Barid Palestinian refugee camp, winning a decisive victory, but destroying the camp and displacing 30,000 Palestinian residents. Lebanese politicians in November 2007 were unable to agree on a successor to Emile LAHUD when he stepped down as president, creating a political vacuum until the election of LAF Commander Gen. Michel SULAYMAN in May 2008 and the formation of a new unity government in July 2008. Legislative elections in June 2009 again produced victory for the bloc led by Sa'ad HARIRI, but a period of prolonged negotiation over the composition of the cabinet ensued. A national unity government was finally formed in November 2009 and approved by the National Assembly the following month. Inspired by the popular revolts that began in late 2010 against dictatorships across the Middle East and North Africa, marches and demonstrations in Lebanon were directed instead against sectarian politics. Although the protests gained some traction, they were limited in size and unsuccessful in changing the system. Opposition politicians collapsed the national unity government under Prime Minister Sa'ad HARIRI in February 2011. After several months in caretaker status, the government named Najib MIQATI Prime Minister.


Advertisements:

Advertisements Advertisements



Geography

Location
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria

Geographic coordinates
33 50 N, 35 50 E

Map references
Middle East

Area World Ranking: 170
Total 10,400 sq km
Land 10,230 sq km
Water 170 sq km

Area - comparative
About 0.7 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries
Total 454 km
Border countries Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

Coastline
225 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea 12 nm

Climate
Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows

Terrain
Narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Elevation extremes
Lowest point Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Highest point Qornet es Saouda 3,088 m

Natural resources
Limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land

Land use
Arable land 16.35%
Permanent crops 13.75%
Other 69.9% (2005)

Irrigated land
900 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources
4.8 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
Total 1.38 cu km/yr (33%/1%/67%)
Per capita 385 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards
Dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues
Deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills

Environment - international agreements
Party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
Signed, but not ratified
Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note
Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and ethnicity


Comments




Add a new comment:


You have to log in to add a comment!

 

Advertisement


Members area


Register

Forgot password?

Lebanon (Beirut):
Country Flag
Country Locator

GPS points from Lebanon (Beirut)

square `ayn Ad Dalfah Mont-liban

square Ain Ech Chataouiye Mohafazat Mont-liban

square El Ksara Mohafazat Liban-sud

square As Sutayhat (le02)

square Mathanat Al 'akim Mohafazat Nabatiye

square Sayyidat Shwit Mont-liban

square Wadi Sa`id (le02)

square Ain Aalma Mohafazat Liban-nord




viewweather.com sv.ViewWeather.com
fr.ViewWeather.com
da.ViewWeather.com
de.ViewWeather.com
es.ViewWeather.com
www.carpati.org
www.searchromania.net
es.getamap.org
fr.getamap.org
de.getamap.org
nl.getamap.org
da.getamap.org
www.getamap.org
Links
Terms of use
Privacy policy

# 0.0192 sec 

contact AT getamap.net

© 2006 - 2024  https://www.getamap.net/