Surface Area: 10 452 km²
Coast: around 210 km
Average Width: around 48 km
Highest Peak: 3083 m (Kornet el Sawda)
Lebanon is divided in 4 big geographical areas

North Lebanon: It is a rough mountainous area. This region encompasses the highest peak of the country (Kornet el Sawda). North Lebanon includes the Akkar region where one can go skiing, hiking and profit from many other outdoor activities. The famous cedars of Lebanon are located in the North. The North includes also holy landmarks to visit such as the famous Qadisha Valley known as the Christians’ Valley. Tripoli, the second city of Lebanon, is located in the North as well. This Muslim Arab city embraces several historical treasures: old souks, wonderful mosques and a crusaders’ castle.

Mount Lebanon: It is a region with uneven grounds and snowy mountain peaks with a west side heading towards the sea and east sides towards the Bekaa plane: the Mount Lebanon area is the place to be for amateurs of hiking and outdoor activities like skiing, hiking or mountain climbing. In the south of the Mount Lebanon, the Chouf area hosts the biggest natural reserve of the country; it is a mountainous forest zone that includes a number of endangered mammal species, birds and several plant species. Mount Lebanon is also full of historical sites: Beiteddine palace and Byblos are great destinations for any interested tourist.

The Bekaa: Nested between the two mountain chains of Lebanon, the Bekaa is traditionally known as the breadbasket of Lebanon. In fact, this valley consists of vast agricultural meadows among which are scattered many small villages. In the Bekaa, vineyards are cultivated to produce the best Lebanese wines (Kefraya, Ksara). In this region, we also find marvelous antique ruins from the Roman Greek occupation of the present Lebanese territory.

South Lebanon: There, the lovers of culture will discover the richest region in terms of historical and cultural testimonies. The cities of this region are the way to explore ancient civilizations starting with the Phoenician cities Tyre and Sidon. In South Lebanon, there are traces from the epochs of Egyptians, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans. Along with this cultural wealth comes the charisma of the old souks and seaside restaurants where tourists can rest and taste delicious fish platters.

General Information

Climate: Mediterranean. In the summer, the average temperature is around 36°C or 86°F on the coast; summers are hot and dry whereas winters are soft and rainy. In the plane of the Bekaa, summers are very hot and winters are cool. In the winter, it snows and rains in the mountains especially in the west sides.

Vegetation: It varies depending on the altitude and the climate. On the coastal plane, the soil is rich and one can plant oranges, olives, bananas, figs, and grapes, and at the bottom of the hills apples and potatoes. The Bekaa valley is known for its fertile soil: it is a rich agricultural region. Tobacco, vegetables, cotton, cereals and blackberries are planted there as well. On the mountains not many varieties can be planted because the soil is very dry and subject to strong erosion. The cedars of Lebanon are located on these mountains: the cedar is represented on the Lebanese flag. However, the hard mountainous weather conditions and consecutive conflicts have damaged this species of trees: in certain zones, they have completely disappeared. Nowadays, it is protected and it grows in natural reserves like the one of the Barouk.

Traffic: A large part of the road network has been destroyed during the many wars that tore Lebanon since 1975. A part has been reconstructed during the 90s but July’s war against Israel has destructed again several bridges and connectors, even the newest ones. The train network doesn’t function anymore. When it comes to public transportations, there are busses and taxis from and to the cities. It is important here to highlight the difference between taxis and “service cabs”: these cabs offer to take you wherever you want; you will not be alone unless you decide to pay for the other empty passenger seats. This way, you are dividing the bill with the other passenger taking the cab with you. It is a typical Lebanese transportation means, known for efficacy and good price. However, given the bad situation of the public transportations, Lebanese citizens prefer to commute by car. There are a lot of traffic jams in the cities.