LebanonGeography

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 Coastline: 225 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; El Beqaa (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: 16.62%
permanent crops: 13.98%
other: 69.4% (2001) Irrigated land: 1,200 sq km (1998 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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation Geography - note: Nahr el 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 More about Lebanon: Introduction People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues