MY 2007 LEBANESE SYRIAN DIARY

Lebanon is a Mediterranean country in the Levant Region in West Asia, located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south. Cyprus lies to its west across the Mediterranean Sea; its location at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian hinterland has contributed to its rich history and shaped a cultural identity of religious diversity. It is part of the Levant region of the Near East. Lebanon is home to more than five million people and covers an area of 10,452 square kilometres (4,036 sq mi), making it the second-smallest country in continental Asia. The capital and largest city is Beirut, followed by Tripoli and Jounieh. The official language of the state is Arabic, while French is also formally recognized; Lebanese Arabic is the country's vernacular with French and English being significantly present with Modern Standard Arabic being limited to news and government matters.

The earliest evidence of civilization in Lebanon dates back to 5,000 BCE. It was home to the flourishing Phoenician civilization before being annexed by various Near Eastern empires. In 64 BC, the Roman Empire conquered the region. In the 7th century, the Muslim conquest of the Levant established caliphal rule. The 11th century saw the start of the Crusades and the establishment of Crusader states in the region only for it to be later reclaimed by the Muslim before being ceded to the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. The first Lebanese state took form in the 19th century as the Mount Lebanon, created as a home for the Maronite Christians.

Following the Ottoman Empire's, Lebanon came under the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon, under French-ruled the Greater Lebanon was established. Its gains independence from France in 1943, Lebanon established a confessional's form of government, with the state's major religious sects being apportioned specific political powers. Lebanon initially was relatively stable. This stability was short-lived and was ultimately shattered by the outbreak of large-scale fighting in the Lebanese Civil War (19751990) between various political and sectarian factions. Lebanon was also under foreign military occupations by Syria from 1976 to 2005 and by Israel from 1985 to 2000. Since the end of the war, there have been extensive efforts to revive the economy and rebuild national infrastructure.

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