Check out this
article from Carole Cadwalladr in
The Observer in November 2009:
How the Lebanese capital went from warzone to 2010's most glamorous tourist destination. Also, check out the travel guide on
Beirut on the Guardian's website.
... by Lebanese!
1. Lebanon has 18 religious communities.
2. It has 40 daily newspapers.
3. It has 42 universities.
4. It has over 100 banks (not branches of a bank).
5. 70% of the students are in private schools.
6. Many of the Lebanese people are Christians (the highest percent in all the Arab countries).
7. There's 1 doctor per 10 people in Lebanon (in Europe & America, there's 1 doctor per 100 people).
8. The name LEBANON appears 75 times in the Old Testament.
9. The name CEDAR (Lebanon 's tree) appears 75 times too in the Old Testament!
10. Beirut was destroyed and rebuilt 9 times (this is why it's compared to The Phoenix).
11. There's 4 Million Lebanese in Lebanon.
12. There's around 15 Million Lebanese outside Lebanon!
Other interesting facts:
1. Lebanon, the country, was occupied by over 16 countries: (Egyptians-Hittites-Assyrians- Babylonians- Persians- Alexander the greats Army- the Roman Empire Byzantine- the Arabian Peninsula-The Crusaders- the Ottoman Empire- Britain-France- Israel- Syria).
2. Byblos (city in Lebanon) is the oldest, continuously living city in the world.
3. Lebanon 's name has been around for 4,000 yrs non- stop (it's the oldest country/ nation's name in the world!)
4. Lebanon is the only Asian country that doesn't have a desert.
5. There are 15 rivers in Lebanon (all of them coming from its own mountains).
6. Lebanon is one of the most populated countries in its archeological sites, in the world!
7. The first alphabet was created in Byblos (city in Lebanon).
8. The only remaining temple of Jupiter (the main Roman god) is in Baalbeck (the City of the Sun).
9. The name of BYBLOS comes from the BIBLE!
10. Lebanon is the country that has the most books written about it.
11. Lebanon is the only non-dictatorial country in the Arab world (Yes, we do have a President!)
12. Jesus Christ made his 1st miracle in Lebanon, in Qana (The miracle of Turning water into wine).
13. The Phoenicians (Original People of Lebanon) built the 1st boat, and they were the first to sail ever!
14. Phoenicians also reached America long before Christopher Columbus did.
15. The 1st law school in the world was built in Lebanon, in Downtown Beirut.
16. People say that the cedars were planted by God's own hands (this is why they're called 'The Cedars of God', and this is why Lebanon is called 'God's Country on Earth'.
I love Lebanon ..... may God bless my homeland forever....