Although Lebanon often gets a bad reputation in Western media coverage, the country’s rich history, culture and diversity deserve positive recognition
Located on the eastern Mediterranean coast bordering Israel and Syria, many people have heard of Lebanon for mostly negative reasons. Strife caused by a 15-year civil war and other regional conflicts has long dominated international news headlines in the Middle East, as well as the explosion in Beirut on Aug. 4. Despite this, Lebanon is a beautiful country with amazing scenery, culture, people, food and so much more. Here are seven lesser-known facts about this beautiful Middle Eastern country.
Although many people mistakenly refer to the entire Middle East as a desert, this could not be further from the truth. On the contrary, Lebanon’s small landmass has many different landscapes, from a Mediterranean climate by the coast with olive groves to the snow capped Mount-Lebanon to the beautiful and fertile Bekaa Valley. One other beautiful nature area is the Cedars of God in the Kadisha Valley, which is one of the last places in the world where the majestic Lebanon cedar trees can be found today. In ancient times, the wood of cedar trees was used for constructing religious buildings.
What Lebanon lacks in size it more than makes up for in history. Founded by the Phoenicians and later influenced by the Persians, Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, Ottomans and the French, this variety of civilizations has undoubtedly made a mark on the country’s history. The Phoenicians, who were well known for their skills in navigation and seafaring, traded with empires around the world and established colonies in other parts of the Mediterranean. Phoenicians are also credited with the invention of the first writing system with an alphabet known as “abjad.” Travelers can visit the historical cities of Tyre, Byblos and Sidon, which have distinct Phoenician influences. Additionally, some of the best Roman ruins in the world can be found in Lebanon, including sites in Baalbek and Faqra.
Lebanon is one of the most diverse countries in the Middle East. Roughly 61% of Lebanon’s population is Muslim, with nearly equal numbers of Shiites and Sunnis, 33% is Christian, and an estimated 4.5% are Druze, a religion containing elements of Islam, Judaism, Christianity and classical Greek philosophy. However, travelers are unlikely to experience widespread friction between the different religious groups. Columnist Taha Meli Arvas traveled in Lebanon and observed that, “I didn’t see any divisions between regions or religions … The people and cultures all blend in seamlessly and to an outsider it is all just Lebanon.” Arabic, French and English are spoken in Lebanon, but it is also common for people to speak the Lebanese dialect, which has notable influences from all three languages.
Food lovers rejoice! Travelers will look forward to trying the endless culinary delights of Lebanon. One of the most famous dishes is kibbeh, a Lebanese national dish made up of a mixture of bulgur wheat, ground lamb, herbs and spices. Sfiha, an open-faced flatbread topped with meat, a delicious salad made of herbs known as tabbouleh, bulgur wheat, tomatoes and olive oil, is equally loved. Manoushe or “Lebanese pizza,” a toasted flatbread with za’atar (a herb and spice blend), is also popular, as are olive oil, hummus, falafel, shawarma and many others.
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