Brief History of Lebanon

Lebanese History

At the end of WWI, the French acquired the northern part of Syria.  They separated the region of Lebanon in 1920, and granted their independence in 1943.  The civil war and the war with Israel from 1975-1990 devastated the country, but with the help of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Lebanon was able to rebuild its political institutions.  The Arab League made it possible for Syrian troops to deploy into Lebanon in the Bekaa Valley.  Israel then withdrew its troops from the south of Lebanon in May 2000 also calling for Syria to withdraw its troops.      On February 14, 2005, Valentine's Day, Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and 22 others were assassinated leading to massive demonstrations in Beirut against the Syrian occupation--the Cedar Revolution--which led to the withdrawal of Syrian troops in April 2005.  Saad Hariri, the son of Rafiq took over as Prime Minister.  A national unity government was formed, but soon the opposition caused it to collapse and they named a new Prime Minister, Najib Miqati. 

Rafiq and Saad Hariri

Geographical Setting

Location:  Lebanon is located on the East coast of the Mediterranean Sea, where it is the meeting point of three continents:  Europe, Asia, and Africa.  Syria is to the north and west, and Israel to the south.  It has been the crossroads of many civilizations of which can still be seen today.

Area:  4,000 sq m

     Lebanese Flag:  "The Lebanese flag is composed of red, white and red horizontal strips, with a green cedar in the middle of the center white stripe".

Major Cities: Beirut (capital), Tripoli, Sidon, Zahle, Tyre, and Jounieh. 

Climate

Lebanon enjoys a four season Mediterranean climate with rainy winters, moderate springs, warm summers and regular autumns, with an average of 300 sunny days a year.  The winter is mild on the coast and snow in the mountains and the summer is hot on the coast, but cooler in the mountains.  Also, Lebanon is the only country in the Middle East that doesn't have a desert. 


Topography

Lebanese Society and Culture

Society

Lebanese people have a rich cultural and traditional background.  They are well known for their love of music, dance, art, and literature.  They have a major interest in theaters films and literary works.  They also have a love for life and living it because no one knows what tomorrow will bring.  

                Dubke                                            Belly Dancing                        

                       Mezza                                      Traditional Dress

               Theater                                         Fairouz (Singer)

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Family 
Families in Lebanon are very close and it is something very important.  Usually children don't leave the home until they are married and even then some remain with their parents.


  





Education

•  60% schools use French as basic language
• 20% use English
• Well-known for its American and European colleges and universities 
• Arabic language and literature taught in all schools as are philosophy, history, and sociology
• All Lebanese schools required to follow prescribed curriculum designed by the Ministry of Education.
• Private schools, approximately 1,400 in all, may add more courses to their curriculum with approval of the Ministry of Education
• Main subjects taught are math, science, history, civics, geography, Arabic, and at least one secondary language (either French or English).
• Primary education in Lebanon is for children aged 3 to 4. Basic education composes of two levels: elementary level and intermediate level. Elementary level is grade 1 to 3 (cycle 1) and grades 4 to 6 (cycle 2). Intermediate level is grades 7 to 9 (cycle 3). Secondary Education is grades 10 to 12 (cycle 4).
• Required to take and pass government exam to be able to enter an accredited university or college--bacheloria.

Political System

• Lebanon is a democratic republic with a parliament, a cabinet, and a president, with power divided along religious lines.
• The President (a Maronite Catholic), who lost part of his executive power after the war, is head of state
• The Prime Minister (a Sunni Muslim) is the head of government and chairs the Cabinet
• The Speaker of the House (a Shiite Muslim) presides over Parliament which passes  the Cabinet's bills and elects the President
• President elects can only be Christian

Legal system

• Mixed legal system of civil law based on the French civil code
• Ottoman legal tradition, and religious laws covering personal status, marriage, divorce, and other family relations of the Jewish, Islamic, and Christian communities

Marketing

• U.S. companies interested in doing business in Lebanon are advised to hire a Lebanese agent or distributor.
• In Lebanon, networking and lengthy investigation are key to finding an appropriate one.
• U.S. companies do not need to visit Lebanon to find an agent. The U.S. Commercial Service can help U.S. companies find the right partner through the International Partner Search (IPS) service
• The Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL), a public agency responsible for promoting investments in Lebanon, has a “One-Stop Shop” service to issue permits and licenses for investors.

Social Organizations

Lebanon has 247 social organizations to list a few:

• Friends for the disabled
• World Health Organization
• Independent organizations help the poor

Ethnic Groups

• 50-70% of most Lebanese are descendants of the Phoenicians/Canaanites and/or West Aramaic
• 20-30% descend from Arabs
• 10-20% are formed by Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Hebrews, Kurds, Persians, and others

Business Customs

• Conservative Dress
• Firm handshake if they offer you their hand--some Lebanese men are very religious and place their hand on their chest bottom down
• Inquire about health and family
• Schedule meetings in advance
• Do not use left hand while eating or greeting
• Accept all offers of food, drink, and gifts.
• Linger a while after a meal--Lebanese people take their time
• Avoid sensitive topics such as business, religion, or politics
• Give host a gift--flowers or sweets
• Do not point with index finger, show public affection, show bottom of feet, have back to someone, or touch others.

Religion

• Lebanon recognizes 17 religious sects of Christianity, Islam and Judaism
• 40% Christians--Christian Maronites
• 60% Muslims--Sunni, Shiite, Druzes
• 1% minorities--Greek and Armenian Orthodox

Living Conditions

Diet and Nutrition

• Breakfast is usually lebne--kefir cheese--or cheese with pita bread, olives, fresh vegetables and can also be accompanied by foul, which are chick peas and foul combined with garlic, lemon, and olive oil and hot tea.
• Lunch is the main meal of the day consisting of dishes combined with rice and lamb, beef, or chicken served along with pine nuts and almonds.  Sometimes yogurt is added and always fresh vegetables or salads such as Tabouleh, or Fettoush--finely cut up vegetables tossed in garlic, lemon, and olive oil and topped with fried pita chips.  Some dishes are made with sauces containing vegetables and meat to go over the rice.
• Dinner is usually the lightest meal of the day consisting of lebne, cheese, olives, fresh cut veggies, pita bread and hot tea.
• After lunch and dinner they usually have fresh fruit.

Housing

• Apartment complexes--most buildings have up to 6 to 7 floors.
• Villas

Clothing

• Conservative
• Modern and Stylish--Top fashion icons in Lebanon
• Hijab
• Traditional 

              Kamel Danab

Recreation and Sports

• Soccer
• Swimming
• Fishing
• Hiking
• Skiing
• Windsurfing
• Kayaking
• Body Building

Leisure Activities

• Eating out with the whole family
• Picnics in the mountains or country gardens
• Visiting family members or friends.
• Sewing
• Painting
• Arts and Crafts

Social Security

• Lump-sum benefits only
• Covers employees in industry, commerce, and agriculture
• Qualifying conditions such as:  old age benefit, disability benefits, and survivor benefits all with specific rules

Health Care

• Most Lebanese are privately insured
• Some are registered with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and have partial coverage
• Local nationals who want more comprehensive coverage can buy private policies offered by MediCare International.
• Policies providing corporate group coverage are used by companies registered at the NSSF to supplement the benefits provided by the government's healthcare system.
• International private medical insurance is available for non-Lebanese living in Lebanon.
• Costs for healthcare vary between hospitals and doctors.

Language
When doing business in Lebanon it is always best to learn some of the greetings at least like Marhaba (hello) or shukran (thank you).  Normally, most businesses speak fluent English, but you might need a translator if you are dealing with business people in the souk (market).

• Lebanese
• Proper Arabic
• French
• Armenian
• English

Fun Facts

Myth confirmed: Ski and swim in a day April 07, 2012 01:21 AM By Alex Taylor The Daily Star

• You can swim in the Mediterranean Sea and ski in the mountains at the same time.
• Lebanon means white--named for its snow covered mountains
• The first law school ever built in the world was in Lebanon
• Beirut was destroyed and rebuilt 7 times.
• Lebanon is the only Middle Eastern country that has no desert.
• Byblos is the oldest city in the world.
• Lebanon is mentioned in the Bible 76 times, Sidon 36 times, and Tyre 63 times.
• Lebanon has 1 doctor for every 10 people
• 70% of the students are in private schools