Short facts about the geography of Lebanon
| Location: |
Middle East, bordering the
Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
33 50 N, 35 50
E |
| Map
references: |
Middle
East |
| Area: |
total: 10,400 sq km
land: 10,230 sq km
water: 170
sq km |
| Area -
comparative: |
about 0.7 times the size of
Connecticut |
| Land
boundaries: |
total: 454 km
border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375
km |
| Maritime
claims: |
territorial sea:
12 NM |
| Climate: |
Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet
winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter
snows |
| Terrain: |
narrow coastal plain; Al Biqa' (Bekaa
Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon
Mountains |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Qurnat as
Sawda' 3,088 m |
| Natural
resources: |
limestone, iron ore, salt,
water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable
land |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 18%
permanent crops: 9%
permanent pastures:
1%
forests and woodland: 8%
other: 64% (1996
est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
860 sq km (1993
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
dust storms,
sandstorms |
| Environment
- current issues: |
deforestation; soil erosion;
desertification; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning
of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil
spills |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation |
| Geography -
note: |
Nahr al Litani only major river in Near
East not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped
isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan,
and ethnicity | Source: World Factbook |
