17 interesting facts about Lebanon

Located in the Middle East, Lebanon — a poor, but gradually developing Arab country. There are no oil deposits or gas fields here, but there is a sea coast and many monuments of culture and ancient history, which attracts some tourists here.

Interesting facts about Lebanon

1. In the 20th century, Lebanon was a fairly wealthy state, but the civil war that began in 1975 and lasted a decade and a half dealt a crushing blow to the Lebanese economy.
2. Most of the territory of the Lebanese Republic — mountains unsuitable for agriculture.
3. There are rivers in the country, albeit few, but none of them are suitable for navigation (interesting facts about rivers).
4. Snow sometimes falls in the Lebanese mountains in winter.
5. The Lebanese cedar has been valued very highly for centuries, but uncontrolled logging has led to the fact that today almost all the trees in Lebanon have disappeared, and there are no forests at all (interesting facts about trees).
6. The first people on the territory of modern Lebanon appeared about 8 thousand years ago.
7. In the Lebanese capital, Beirut, the population census was last conducted in the 30s of the last century.
8. There are no deserts in Lebanon. Generally.
9. Lebanon — secular state. Muslims in the country about 60 percent, the rest — Christians.
10. Popular American actor Keanu Reeves spent his childhood here.
11. The official language in Lebanon — Arab. Among the educated part of the population, English is also extremely popular.
12. Lebanon was the first Arab country to have a constitution.
13. The ratio of the number of medical workers to the total population in Lebanon is one of the highest in the world — on average, there is one doctor per ten people.
14. The largest potato in the world weighing 11 kg, entered in the Guinness Book of Records, was grown in Lebanon.
15. The capital of the country was destroyed and rebuilt seven times, so little remains of ancient Beirut.
16. The local currency, the Lebanese pound, is printed in Russia (interesting facts about money).
17. At one time, it was discovered in Lebanon the world’s first law school.