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Lebanon / لُبْنَان / Líbano

Is a country in Western Asia, on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered by Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south. Lebanon's location at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian hinterland has dictated its rich history, and shaped its cultural identity of religious and ethnic diversity.

The earliest evidence of civilization in Lebanon dates back more than 7,000 years—predating recorded history. Lebanon was the home of the Phoenicians, a maritime culture that flourished for nearly 2,500 years (3000–539 BC). Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, the five provinces that comprise modern Lebanon were mandated to France. The French expanded the borders of Mount Lebanon, which was mostly populated by Maronite Catholics and Druze, to include more Muslim elements. Lebanon gained independence in 1943, and established a unique political system, known as confessionalism, a power-sharing mechanism based on religious communities. French troops withdrew in 1946.

Before the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990), the country experienced a period of relative calm and prosperity, driven by tourism, agriculture, and banking. Because of its financial power and diversity, Lebanon was known in its heyday as the "Switzerland of the East". It attracted large numbers of tourists, such that the capital Beirut was referred to as "Paris of the Middle East." At the end of the war, there were extensive efforts to revive the economy and rebuild national infrastructure.

Until July 2006, Lebanon enjoyed considerable stability, Beirut's reconstruction was almost complete, and increasing numbers of tourists poured into the nation's resorts. Then, the month long 2006 War between Israel and Hezbollah caused significant civilian death and heavy damage to Lebanon's civil infrastructure. However, due to its tightly regulated financial system, Lebanese banks have largely avoided the Financial crisis of 2007–2010. In 2009, despite a global recession, Lebanon enjoyed nine percent economic growth and hosted the largest number of tourists in its history.

 

History

Please go to

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Lebanon

 

Geography

Please go to

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Lebanon

 

Other info

Oficial Name:

لجمهوريّة البنانيّة

Al-Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah

 

Independence:

Declared November 26, 1941

-Recognized November 22, 1943

 

Area:

10.400km2

 

Inhabitants:

4.340.000

 

Languages:

Arabic, North Levantine Spoken [apc] 3,900,000 in Lebanon (1991). Throughout Lebanon. Alternate names: Levantine Arabic, Lebanese-Syrian Arabic, Syro-Lebanese Arabic. Dialects: North Lebanese Arabic, South Lebanese Arabic (Shii, Metuali), North-Central Lebanese Arabic (Mount Lebanon Arabic), South-Central Lebanese Arabic (Druze Arabic), Standard Lebanese Arabic, Beqaa Arabic, Sunni Beiruti Arabic, Saida Sunni Arabic, Iqlim-Al-Kharrub Sunni Arabic, Jdaideh Arabic. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic

More information.

 

Arabic, Standard [arb] Middle East, North Africa. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic

More information.

 

Armenian [hye] 234,600 in Lebanon (1986). Alternate names: Ermenice, Armanski, Haieren, Somkhuri. Dialects: Western Armenian. Classification: Indo-European, Armenian

More information.

 

English [eng] 3,300 in Lebanon (2004). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English

More information.

 

French [fra] 16,600 in Lebanon (2004). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French

More information.

 

Kurdish, Northern [kmr] 75,000 in Lebanon (2002 Meho). Ethnic population: 215,384 (2000 WCD). Beirut, also Sidon, Tripoli, and Biqa Valley. Dialects: Mhallami (Mardinli). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Kurdish

 

Capital city:

Beirute

 

Meaning country name:

The name Lebanon ("Lubnān" in standard Arabic; "Lebnan" or "Lebnèn" in local dialect) is derived from the Semitic root "LBN", which is linked to several closely-related meanings in various languages, such as white and milk. This is regarded as reference to the snow-capped Mount Lebanon. Occurrences of the name have been found in three of the twelve tablets of the Epic of Gilgamesh (2900 bc), the texts of the library of Ebla (2400 bc), and the Bible. The word Lebanon is also mentioned 71 times in the Old Testament.

 

Description Flag:

The flag of Lebanon (Arabic: علم لبنان) is formed of two horizontal red stripes enveloping a horizontal white stripe. The white stripe is to be two times a red one (ratio 1:2:1)—a Spanish fess. The green cedar in the middle touches each of the red stripes and its width is one third of the width of the flag. It was adopted on December 7, 1943. The current flag was first drawn in Deputy Saeb Salam's house in Mousaitbeh by the deputies of the Lebanese parliament.

It is a common mistake to draw the branches of the cedar in brown or black. Nevertheless the mistake is unconstitutional. The cedar must be fully green.

The red stripes symbolize the pure blood shed in the aim of liberation. The white stripe symbolizes peace, and the white snow covering Lebanon's mountains. The green cedar (Arz) (Species: Cedrus libani or Lebanon Cedar) symbolizes immortality and steadiness. This cedar is referenced many times in the Bible: "The righteous flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon" (Psalms 92:12). There is also some reference in W. Smith's 1980 book on the colours: "The red and white colours are those associated, respectively, with the Kayssites and Yemenites, opposing clans that divided Lebanese society between 634 and 1711 AD". However, that explanation is poorly known (not to mention quite unheard of) in the Lebanese tradition.

 

Coat of arms:

The Coat of Arms of Lebanon (Arabic: شعار لبنان) consists of a red shield with a white bend sinister on which is placed a cedar tree. It is very similar to the flag of Lebanon, with the exception of the fess on the flag being changed into a bend sinister.

Its blazon is Gules on a Bend Sinister Argent a Cedar Tree palewise proper

 

Motto:

" Kūllūnā li-l-waṭan, li-l-'ula wa-l-'alam "

 

National Anthem: كلنا للوطن للعلى للعلم---Koullouna Lilouataan Lil Oula Lil Alam

 

Arabic

كلنـا للوطـن للعـلى للعـلم

ملء عين الزّمن سـيفنا والقـلم

سهلنا والجبـل منبت للرجـال

قولنا والعمـل في سبيل الكمال

كلنا للوطن للعلى للعلم

كلّنا للوطن

 

شيخنـا والفتـى عنـد صـوت الوط

أسـد غـاب متى سـاورتنا الفــتن

شــرقنـا قلبـه أبــداً لبـنان

صانه ربه لمدى الأزمان

كلنا للوطن للعلى للعلم

كلنا للوطن

 

بحـره بــرّه درّة الشرقين

رِفـدُهّ بــرّهُ مالئ القطبين

إسمـه عـزّه منذ كان الجدود

مجــدُهُ أرزُهُ رمزُهُ للخلود

كلّنا للوطن للعلى للعلم

كلّنا للوطن

 

Transliteration

Koulluna Lil watan Lil ’Oula Lil Alam,

Mil ’ou Ayn il Zaman Sayfouna Wal Qalam,

Sahlouna Wal jabal - Manbiton Lirrijal

Kawlouna Wal 'Amal. Fi sabil il Kamal.

Koullouna Lil watan Lil ’Oula Lil 'ALam, Koullouna Lil watan.

 

Shaykhouna Wal fata 'Inda saout il Watan

Ousdou GhaBin Mata Sawarat Nalfitan

Sharkouna Kalbouhou AbaDan Loubnan

Sanahou RabBouhou Li maDa l Azman

Koullouna Lil watan Lil ’Oula Lil 'ALam, Koullouna Lil watan.

 

Bahrouhou Barrouhou Dourratou Sharqain

Rifdouhou Birrouhou Mali ‘oul Koutbain

Ismouhou 'Izzouhou Mounthou Kan al Joudoud

Majdouhou Arzouhou Ramzouhou Lil khouloud

Koullouna Lil watan Lil ’Oula Lil 'ALam, Koullouna Lil watan.

 

English translation

 

We are all for our nation, for our emblem and glory!

Our valor and our writings are the envy of the ages.

Our mountains and our valleys, they bring forth stalwart men.

And to Perfection all our efforts we devote.

We are all For our nation, for our emblem and glory!

 

Our Elders and our children, they await our Country's call,

And on the Day of Crisis they are as Lions of the Jungle.

The heart of our East is forever Lebanon,

May God preserve him until the end of time.

We are all For our nation, for our emblem and glory!

 

The Gems of the East are her land and sea.

Throughout the world her good deeds flow from pole to pole.

And her name is her glory since time began.

Immortality's Symbol—the Cedar—is her Pride.

We are all For our nation, for our emblem and glory!

 

Internet Page: www.informs.gov.lb

www.presidency.gov.lb

www.blueleb.com

www.travel-to-lebanon.com

 

Lebanon in diferent languages

 

eng | hau | ibo | jav: Lebanon

afr | ces | dan | dsb | fao | fin | fry | hrv | hsb | hun | lim | nld | nor | roh | slk | slv | sme | swe: Libanon

bam | bre | csb | dje | fra | frp | fur | hat | jnf | lin | lld | oci | pol | ron | rup | szl | wln: Liban

arg | epo | eus | ina | ita: Libano

ast | glg | por | spa: Líbano

cos | mlt | que: Libanu

deu | ltz | nds: Libanon / Libanon

gag | kaa | uzb: Livan / Ливан

kin | run | sqi: Libani

bos | slo: Libanon / Либанон

est | vor: Liibanon

aze: Lübnan / Лүбнан; Livan / Ливан

cat: Líban

cor: Lebnon

crh: Lübnan / Любнан

cym: Libanus

gla: Leabanon

gle: An Liobáin / An Liobáin; An Leabáin / An Leabáin

glv: Yn Livaan

haw: Lepanona

ind: Lebanon / ليبنون

isl: Líbanon

kmr: Lîbnan / Либнан / لیبنان; Lêbnan / Лебнан / لێبنان; Lîvan / Ливан / لیڤان

kur: Libnan / لبنان; Lubnan / لوبنان

lat: Libanum; Libanus

lav: Libāna

lit: Libanas

mlg: Libanôna

mol: Liban / Либан

mri: Rēpanona

msa: Lubnan / لبنان

nbl: iLebhanoni

nrm: Libaun

rmy: Liban / लिबान

scn: Lìbbanu

smg: Lėbans

smo: Lepanona

som: Lubnaan

srd: Lìbanu

swa: Lebanoni

tet: Líbanu

tgl: Libano; Lebano

ton: Lepanoni

tsn: Lebanone

tuk: Liwan / Ливан

tur: Lübnan

vie: Li-băng

vol: Lubnän

wol: Libãa

xho: iLebhanon

zul: iLebanoni

zza: Lubnan

chu: Ливанъ (Livanŭ)

alt | bul | che | chm | chv | kbd | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | mon | oss | rus | tyv | udm: Ливан (Livan)

bak | tat: Ливан / Livan

abq: Ливан (Łivan)

bel: Ліван / Livan

kaz: Ливан / Lïvan / ليۆان

mkd: Либан (Liban)

srp: Либан / Liban

tgk: Лубнон / لبنان / Lubnon

ukr: Ліван (Livan)

ara: لبنان (Lubnān)

ckb: لوبنان / Lubnan

fas: لبنان / Lobnân

prs: لبنان (Lobnān)

pus: لبنان (Lubnān)

uig: لىۋان / Liwan / Ливан

urd: لبنان (Lubnān); لیبنان (Læbanān)

div: ލެބަނަން (Lebanan)

syr: ܠܒܢܢ (Lubnan)

heb: לבנון (Ləṿanôn)

lad: ליבאנו / Libano

yid: לבֿנון (Leṿonen)

amh: ሊባኖስ (Libanos)

ell: Λίβανος (Lívanos)

hye: Լիբանան (Libanan)

kat: ლიბანი (Libani)

hin: लेबनान (Lebanān)

ben: লেবানন (Lebānôn)

pan: ਲੈਬਨਾਨ (Læbanān); ਲੀਬਨਾਨ (Lībanān)

kan: ಲೆಬನನ್ (Lebanan)

mal: ലബനന് (Labanan); ലെബനോന് (Lebanōn)

tam: லெபனான் (Lepaṉāṉ)

tel: లెబనాన్ (Lebanān)

zho: 黎巴嫩 (Líbānèn)

yue: 黎巴嫩 (Làihbànyuhn)

jpn: レバノン (Rebanon)

kor: 레바논 (Laebanon)

bod: ལི་པ་ནུན་ (Li.pa.nun.); ལེ་པ་ནོན་ (Le.pa.non.)

dzo: ལེ་བཱ་ནཱོན་ (Le.bā.nōn.)

mya: လက္ဘန္ဝန္ (Leʿbʰánũ)

tha: เลบานอน (Lēbānɔ̄n)

lao: ລີບັງ (Lībâṅ)

khm: លីបង់ (Lībăṅ)

 

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Uploaded on March 11, 2010