Lebanon

Where the name comes from

Lebanon comes from the Semitic root l-b-n, “white”, usually linked to the snow-covered peaks of the Lebanon Mountains.

First people

Phoenician city-states linked this coast with Mediterranean trade, and Byblos is among the oldest continuously inhabited towns.^1,2

Known for

Lebanon is known for the cedar on its flag, for its cuisine and for the Roman temples at Baalbek.³

Outside contact

The Ottomans conquered it in 1516, and modern Lebanon was declared under French rule in 1920.^4,5,6

The modern country

The 1943 National Pact shared senior offices among religious communities, and French troops left in 1946.⁴