Portal:Lebanon

The Lebanon Portal

A view of Byblos, Lebanon

Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, 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 Arabic Islamic caliphates, including the Rashidun, Umayyad and Abbasid. 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 112th on the Human Development Index. It has been classified as an upper-middle-income state. 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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The school's exact location is uncertain, but it is thought to have lain just north of Nejmeh Square (pictured), next to the Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral.

The law school of Berytus (also known as the law school of Beirut) was a center for the study of Roman law in classical antiquity located in Berytus (modern-day Beirut, Lebanon). It flourished under the patronage of the Roman emperors and functioned as the Roman Empire's preeminent center of jurisprudence until its destruction in AD 551.

The law schools of the Roman Empire established organized repositories of imperial constitutions and institutionalized the study and practice of jurisprudence to relieve the busy imperial courts. The archiving of imperial constitutions facilitated the task of jurists in referring to legal precedents. The origins of the law school of Beirut are obscure, but probably it was under Augustus in the first century. The earliest written mention of the school dates to 238–239 AD, when its reputation had already been established. The school attracted young, affluent Roman citizens, and its professors made major contributions to the Codex of Justinian. The school achieved such wide recognition throughout the Empire that Beirut was known as the "Mother of Laws". Beirut was one of the few schools allowed to continue teaching jurisprudence when Byzantine emperor Justinian I shut down other provincial law schools.

The course of study at Beirut lasted for five years and consisted in the revision and analysis of classical legal texts and imperial constitutions, in addition to case discussions. Justinian took a personal interest in the teaching process, charging the bishop of Beirut, the governor of Phoenicia Maritima and the teachers with discipline maintenance in the school. (Full article...)

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1940 Mandatory Palestine v Lebanon football match Bodashtart Byzantine Empire Fakhr al-Din II Levantine Arabic Roman temple of Bziza Royal necropolis of Byblos Russian occupations of Beirut Salih ibn Mirdas Temple of Eshmun

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... that the royal necropolis of Ayaa in Sidon, Lebanon, was accidentally discovered in the late 19th century by a workman who stumbled upon a shaft and chamber tomb while quarrying for stone?
... that Reine Abbas chose the name Wixel Studios, a blend of "Weird Pixel", in recognition of being one of the only gaming studios in Lebanon?
... that the first day of filming of the psychological thriller Farah coincided with the beginning of the 2019 Lebanese protests?
... 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 Mseilha Fort is strategically located to overlook the crossing of the Jaouz River near Ras ash-Shaq'a, a promontory in Lebanon?
... that al-Shaykh Badr was the hometown of Salih al-Ali, who led the Alawite revolt against the French in Syria?

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The Lebanon women's national football team, nicknamed "the Lady Cedars" (Arabic: صبايا الأرز), represents Lebanon in international women's football. Established in 2005 and governed by the Lebanese Football Association (LFA), the team has yet to qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup or the AFC Women's Asian Cup but has achieved notable milestones in regional competitions. These include finishing as runners-up at the 2022 edition of the WAFF Women's Championship and securing third-place finishes in 2007 and 2019.

Lebanon made their international debut in 2006 at the Arab Women's Cup, suffering a 12–0 defeat to Algeria. Their first qualification campaign came in 2014 for the AFC Women's Asian Cup, where they recorded their largest victory to date, a 12–1 win over Kuwait. The team has since shown steady progress, competing in Olympic qualifiers, the Arab Women's Cup, and unofficial tournaments such as the 2023 SAFF Tournament, which they won.

The Lady Cedars wear a red home kit and a white away kit, reflecting the colors of the Lebanese flag. Since 2011, their FIFA ranking has fluctuated between 102nd (December 2013) and 145th (April – August 2021). (Full article...)

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General images

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

Image 1Fairuz playing guitar (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 2Beiteddine Palace, venue of the Beiteddine Festival (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 3Map 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 4Christian 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 5Palm trees at the seafront in Corniche Beirut (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 6Map 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 7The funeral of the assassinated Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri (from History of Lebanon)
Image 8Lebanon Parliament 2018 (from Politics of Lebanon)
Image 9A building in Ghazieh, near Sidon, bombed by the Israeli Air Force (IAF), 20 July 2006 (from History of Lebanon)
Image 10Anti-Syrian protesters heading to Martyrs' Square in Beirut on foot and in vehicles, 13 March 2005 (from History of Lebanon)
Image 11A selection of Lebanese dishes from Cafe Nouf Restaurant in London (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 12The Green Line that separated West and East Beirut, 1982 (from History of Lebanon)
Image 13Flag as drawn and approved by the members of the Lebanese parliament during the declaration of independence in 1943 (from History of Lebanon)
Image 14Protesters in Beirut. Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque, 20 October 2019 (from History of Lebanon)
Image 15A map of Mount Lebanon c. AD 1180 (from History of Lebanon)
Image 16Csontváry Kosztka, Tivadar - Pilgrimage to the Cedars of Lebanon (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 17The Grand Serail, also known as the Government Palace, is the headquarters of the prime minister of Lebanon (from Politics of Lebanon)
Image 18Khalil Gibran (April 1913) (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 19Portrait 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 20Rue Maarad is a main street in the central district (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 21Aerial photo of Beirut, Lebanon's capital (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 22City of Zahlé at the eastern edge of the Mount Lebanon Range in eastern Lebanon (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 23An array of Lebanese cuisine. (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 24Sidewalk Cafes are a trademark of the BCD (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 25Fakhreddine II (from History of Lebanon)
Image 26Aftermath of the 4 August 2020 Beirut explosion (from History of Lebanon)
Image 27Bashir Shihab II (from History of Lebanon)
Image 28Gibran Khalil Gibran Garden and surroundings in Beirut Central District, Majidiye, Beirut (from Culture of Lebanon)
Image 29Map of the Shebaa farms (from History of Lebanon)
Image 30Beirut in 1950 (from History of Lebanon)
Image 31Portrait of Elie Hobeika (from History of Lebanon)