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Lebanon, Officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a nation in the East Mediterranean. It is bordered by Syria to the north and east, and Israel to the south. Lebanon's location at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin as well as the Arabian hinterland has dictated its rich history, as well as shaped a social identity of religious as well as ethnic range. The earliest evidence of civilization in Lebanon dates back more than 7,000 years-predating recorded history. Lebanon was the home of the Phoenicians, a maritime culture that flourished for almost 2,500 many years (3000-539 BC). Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, the five provinces that include contemporary Lebanon were mandated to France. The French expanded the borders of Mount Lebanon, that was mostly populated by Maronite Catholics and Druze, to include more Muslims. Lebanon gained independence in 1943, and established an unique political system, known as confessionalism, a power-sharing system based on religious communities. Before the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), the nation experienced a period of relative calm and success, driven by tourism, agriculture, and banking. Because of its financial energy and range, Lebanon was known in its heyday as the "Switzerland of the East". It attracted large numbers of tourists, such that the capital Beirut was referred to as "Paris of the Center East." At the finish of the war, there had been extensive efforts to revive the economy as well as rebuild national infrastructure. Lebanon is a key player in the arab springs' events along with a critical nation going forward. The Arab Spring, also known as the "Jasmine Revolution," is a revolutionary wave of protests that has stormed the Arab world since December 18, 2010. So far, the wave of revolutions have toppled the rulers of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen, whilst civil unrest has rocked Syria as well as Bahrain. For insightful commentary into the Arab spring from a Lebanese perspective, visit the Lebanon Spring Blog. Topics include Lebanon, the middle east, as well as Hezbollah. Future Movement leader Saad Hariri mentioned on Wednesday that the Arab Spring gave the Lebanese people "a golden opportunity to improve their political experience and remove all remnants of sectarian war and policies of betting on foreign parties. "All Lebanese should seize this opportunity as well as avoid wrongfully interpreting the path of the Arab Spring," Hariri mentioned during a speech delivered via satellite during a ceremony held to announce the movement's political document. He additionally slammed regimes that "are captive of their love for eternal authority and which have chosen to lead their countries with fake slogans of resistance," in an implicit reference to Syria. Find out more about Lebanon today at http://lebanonspring.com/
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Lebanon, middle east, Hezbollah,
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