Lebanon Travel Overview
At a glance
Capital: Beirut (See more on ITYPEMBA.COM)
Official language: Arabic
Currency: lb
Continent: West Asia
Home of the cedar trees
Lebanon is the country of birth of the famous poet Khalil Gibran to whom a museum is dedicated.
Location Lebanon
According to Countryaah, Lebanon is a state in the Middle East. It borders on Syria and the Mediterranean. The border with Israel is not fixed and therefore always a stumbling block for conflicts.
Traveling in Lebanon
There have been no train connections in Lebanon for some time. However, the country is only of small size and so you can easily reach all places with a rental car. You can also enter via the Balkans and Turkey with your own car, but you must note that you need a visa to drive through Syria.
Vacation Lebanon
If you arrive by plane, you will likely land in the capital, Beirut. This city is great for a short break as it has many different sides to explore. You can admire old buildings for days, visit mosques and temples or just indulge in the nightlife. The city is young and dynamic and was once known as the “Paris of the Orient”. In Beirut you can also feast on the rich cuisine of Lebanon. Lebanese beer is so popular that it is served as a lager in some bars in Central Europe.
Land of the Cedars
It’s a bit quieter and more contemplative in the country. The cedar grove Al-Arz ar-Rabb is located 140 kilometers north of Beirut at around 1900 meters above sea level. The cedar is the tree in Lebanon’s coat of arms. Some of these plants are 1000 years old! Besides Al-Arz, the largest cedar population is in the Al Shouf Cedar Reserve. The area is very popular with hikers and there is snow there in winter. Here are some of the few places in the Middle East for winter sports.
A special tip is the Bekaa plain in the east of northern Lebanon. Wadi Qadisha, the sacred valley of the Maronites, was isolated from the rest of the country for a long time and has its own culturespawned. It has retained its peculiarity and you will find yourself in another world, that is guaranteed! The most important church in the region – Notre Dame – is still the site of Sunday services. Further east you come to the Les Cèdres region, which is one of the most important ski regions in the country.
Currency
Currency (sub-unit)
Pounds (100 piastres)
ISO 4217 code
LBP / 422
Geography
Continent: Asia
Region: west
Geo coordinates: N 33 ° 51 ’17 ” E 35 ° 51′ 44.2″
Highest mountain: Quarnat as Sawda (3,088 m)
Total area: 10,400 km²
Mainland: 10,230 km²
National border: 454 km
Coastline: 225 km
Politics
Dependency: France until 1943 (mandate)
UN member since: 1945
Other political affiliation: Arab League
Form of government: republic
Economy
Export goods: Fruits, vegetables, wool
BSP: $ 20,481,400,000
GDP: $ 19,570,000,000
GDP purchasing power parity: $ 21,430,000,000
Economic growth: -2%
Inflation rate: 2.8%
State budget revenue: $ 4294967295
State budget expenditure: $ 4294967295
National debt: 192.2%
Export: $ 1,579,000,000
Import: $ 8,047,000,000
Foreign debt: $ 22.6 billion
Gold and currency reserves: $ 16,170,000,000
Electricity consumption: 11,040 million KWh
Oil consumption: 108,000 million m³
Cultivation area: 30.04%
Sheep: 320,000 pieces
Demographic data
Residents: 3,874,100
Residents in cities: 3,454,000
Average age: 27.8 years
0-14 years: 26.5%
15-64 years: 66.6%
> 65 years: 6.9%
Population growth: 1.23%
Birth rate: 18.52 / 1,000 residents
Death rate: 6.21 / 1,000 residents
Ratio men / women: 0.94
Fertility: 1.9 children / woman
Infant mortality: 23.72 ‰
Life expectancy men: 70.41 years
Life expectancy women: 75.48 years
Country codes
ISO 3166 Alpha 2: LB
ISO 3166 Alpha 3: LBN
ISO 3166 numeric: 422
Top Level Domain: lb
IOC country code: LIB
UN / LOCODE: LB
Source: Abbreviationfinder
Communication
Telephone connections: 707,000
Cell Phones: 879,000
Radios: 2,660,000
TV: 1,430,000
Computer: 410,000
Internet users: 620,000
Transportation
Railway lines: 401 km
Paved roads: 7,486 km
Cars: 1,620,000
Merchant fleet (ships over 1,000 GRT): 39
Pipelines: 209
Health
Number of doctors: 14,040
Daily food intake: 3.190 kcal / resident
Education
Illiteracy: 12%
History
Foundation: 2000 BC Chr.
Last sovereign since: -1943 BC Chr.
Religion
Main religious group: Muslims
Crime
Prison inmates: 5,600
Military
Armed forces (troop strength): 72,000
Main battle tank: 350
Warplanes: 5
Helicopter: 30th
Defense Spending: $ 540.6 million
GETTING THERE
Arriving by plane
Lebanon’s national airline is called Middle East Airlines (MEA) (Internet: www.mea.com.lb). Lufthansa (LH), Germanwings (4U) and Air France (AF) also fly to Beirut. Austrian Airlines (OS) flies three times a week from Vienna to Beirut (with transfers).
Air passes
With the Star Alliance’s Middle East Airpass, travelers can explore Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria and the United Arab Emirates on up to ten flights. More information is available on the Star Alliance website, www.staralliance.com.
With the Visit Middle East Pass from Allianz Oneworld, travelers can book any number of flights (at least 3 flights) with the participating airlines British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways and Royal Jordanian and travel to the following 12 countries: Egypt, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq Yemen, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates.
Departure fee
A departure tax of L £ 100,000 for first class passengers, L £ 75,000 for business class passengers and L £ 50,000 for economy class passengers will be levied.
Arrival by car
The best international connections run through Turkey along the coast from north to south through the country and from Beirut to Damascus (Syria). Long-distance buses also run from Europe to Lebanon.
Arriving by train
Currently no passenger traffic.
Arrival by ship
The largest international ports are Beirut (Internet: www.portdebeyrouth.com), Tripoli, Jounieh, Tire and Sidon. Some international cruise lines call at Lebanese ports.
