Mount Washington

January

Home to 18 religions, Lebanon is the most religiously diverse country in the Middle East. Its main religions are Christianity (about 40%), Islam (about 60%) and Druze (about 5%).

In Lebanon, which is still 40 percent Christian, alcohol is legal and enjoyed widely.

About 95% of Lebanese are Arabs; Armenians are the principal minority. Arabic is the official language; French, English, and Armenian are also spoken. About 70% of the population is Muslim and about 30% is Christian, and each is divided into a number of sects, including the Druze.

Lebanon is known for

• Archaeology. At the crossroads of Mesopotamia, Egypt and Europe, Lebanon has an exceptionally rich archaeological heritage.
• The Outdoors. Qadisha Valley Gorgeous hiking along a route dotted with ancient monasteries.
• Food & Drink.
• Historic Buildings.

Either way, we are proud to give you a list of 20 influential celebrities who have Lebanese blood coursing through their veins.

• #1 Jenna Dewan. View this post on Instagram.
• #2 Vince Vaughn. View this post on Instagram.
• #3 Shakira.
• #4 René Angélil.
• #5 Mika.
• #6 Juliana Awada.
• #8 Zoe Saldana.
• #10 Salma Hayek.

I think no one among us can disagree with this fact: Lebanese women are among the most beautiful in the world. But it’s not all about physical appearance; it’s the way all her quirks and habits – her grace and natural elegance – come together as a whole.

Mount Lebanon grew tall cedar trees that King Solomon used for the erection of the Temple in Jerusalem. The western part of the mountain was known as Lebanon, the eastern part as Anti-Lebanon. In between there was a valley known as the ”Valley of the Lebanon” (Isaiah XI, 17).

“Behold, I will liken you to a cedar in Lebanon, with fair branches and forest shade” (Ezekiel 31:3) “I destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars” (Amos 2:9) “The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.” (Psalm 104:16 NRSV)

As a geographic term, the description “Holy Land” loosely encompasses modern-day Israel, the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, western Jordan and south-western Syria.

Byblos

Richest People in Lebanon

1. Najib Mikati – $3.3 Billion. The ex Prime Minister of Lebanon is also the richest man of the country at present.
2. Taha Mikati – $3.3 Billion.
3. Bahaa Hariri – $2.3 Billion.
4. Saad Hariri – $1.5 Billion.
5. Robert Mouawad – $1.45 Billion.
6. Ayman Hariri – $1.1 Billion.
7. Fahd Hariri – $1.1 Billion.

Byblos, Lebanon: Oldest City in the World.

Ethnically, the Lebanese compose a mixture in which Phoenician, Greek, Armenian, and Arab elements are discernible. Within the larger Lebanese community, ethnic minorities including Armenian and Kurdish populations are also present.

Arabs form the vast majority of the country’s population, while Arabic is the official language, and spoken Lebanese Arabic is used alongside Modern Standard Arabic in daily life.

Arabs are not a race. Some have blue eyes and red hair; others are dark skinned; most are somewhere in between. Most Arabs are Muslims but there are also millions of Christian Arabs and thousands of Jewish Arabs, just as there are Muslim, Christian, and Jewish Americans.

Persian, predominant ethnic group of Iran (formerly known as Persia). Although of diverse ancestry, the Persian people are united by their language, Persian (Farsi), which belongs to the Indo-Iranian group of the Indo-European language family.

In the Western world, Persia (or one of its cognates) was historically the common name for Iran. In 1959, the government of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Reza Shah’s son, announced that both “Persia” and “Iran” can be used interchangeably, in formal correspondence.

Persian

Before the arrival of Islam in the 7th century, there were a number of religions practiced in ancient Afghanistan, including Zoroastrianism, Surya worship, Paganism, Hinduism and Buddhism. The Kaffirstan region, in the Hindu Kush, was not converted until the 19th century.

At its height, it encompassed the areas of modern-day Iran, Egypt, Turkey, and parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Persian Empire emerged under the leadership of Cyrus II, who conquered the neighboring Median Empire ruled by his grandfather. From then on Cyrus was called the “shah,” or king, of Persia.

The Persian Empire entered a period of decline after a failed invasion of Greece by Xerxes I in 480 BC. The costly defense of Persia’s lands depleted the empire’s funds, leading to heavier taxation among Persia’s subjects.

British Empire

When Persia became Iran At that time, Germany had good relations with countries of Aryan descent. To signal the changes that had come to Persia under the rule of Reza Shah, namely that Persia had freed itself from the grip of the British and Russians, it would be known as Iran.

Iran