Source: Wikipedia
Flag of Lebanon
Capital: Beirut 33°54′N 35°32′E
Official language: Arabic
Government: Republic
President: Émile Lahoud
Prime Minister: Fouad Siniora

Independence:
- Declared November 26, 1941
- Recognised November 22, 1943

Area :
- Total 10,452 km² (166th) 4,035 sq mi
- Water (%) 1.6

Population :
- 2006 estimate 4,855,000 (113th)
- 2006 census 4,855,000
- Density 358/km² (26th) 948/sq mi

GDP (PPP) 2005 estimate:
- Total $19.49 billion (103rd)
- Per capita $5,100 (90th)

HDI (2006): 0.774 (medium) (78th)

Currency: lira (LL) (LBP)

Time zone: EET (UTC+2)
- Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)

Internet TLD: .lb

Calling code: +961

Lebanon , officially the Lebanese Republic (Arabic: الجمهورية اللبنانية ), is a small, largely mountainous country in the Middle East, located at the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea . Lebanon is bordered by Syria to the north and east, and Israel to the south. The flag of Lebanon features the Lebanon Cedar in green against a white backdrop, with two horizontal red stripes on the top and bottom.

Until the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), the country enjoyed remarkable prosperity. It was considered the banking capital of the Arab world and was widely known as the " Switzerland of the Middle East "[1][2] due to its financial power. Lebanon also attracted large numbers of tourist[3], to the point that the capital Beirut became widely referred to as the " Paris of the Middle East "[4].

Immediately following the end of the war, there were widespread efforts to revive the economy and rebuild national infrastructure, with the first positive results becoming evident in recent years. By early 2006, a considerable degree of stability had been achieved throughout much of the country, Beirut 's reconstruction was almost complete[5], and an increasing number of foreign tourists were pouring into Lebanon 's resorts[3]. However, the commencement of the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict on July 12, 2006 brought mounting civilian and military casualties, great damage to civilian infrastructure, and massive population displacement. As of September 2006, the Lebanese government has been acting out an early recovery plan aimed at reconstructing property destroyed by Israeli attacks in Beirut , Tyre , and other villages in southern Lebanon .