Geography of Lebanon
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Having a rectangular-like shape, Lebanon stretches along the east side of the Mediterranean Sea, with its length almost three times its width. As it stretches from North to South, the width of its terrain becomes narrower.
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Location
Southwest Asia, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria.
Geographic coordinates: Template:Coor dm
Map references: Southwest Asia
Map_of_Lebanon.png
Map of Lebanon
Area
total: 10,452 km²
land: 10,280 km²
water: 170 km²
Boundaries
Land boundaries:
total: 454 km
border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km
Coastline: 210 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nautical miles
Climate
Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows
Terrain
Divided into five ribbon-like topographical areas stretching from North to South:
- The Shoreline. At 210 km long, it is mostly consisted of rocks towards north, and sand south, adding some headlands, bays, and offshore islands
- The Coastal plain. Surrounded by sea and mountains, it is rather narrow at 2 or 3 km wide
- Mount Lebanon (the West Mountains).
- Beqaa valley.
- Anti-Lebanon (the East 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: 21%
permanent crops: 9%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: 8%
other: 61% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 860 km² (1993 est.)
Natural hazards
Environment
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, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: Litani river only major river in Southwest Asia not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and ethnicityja:レバノンの地理