In Western Asia, on the Mediterranean coast, there is a small state – Lebanon.
Lebanon is one of the most amazing places created by nature. Only here you can go skiing, and then, descending into the valley, sunbathe and swim in the sea.
Capital: Beirut.
Time: In summer time it is equal to Moscow time, in winter time it is one hour behind Moscow time.
Climate: According to bridgat, Lebanon is crossed by two mountain ranges, which creates unique climatic conditions. On the Mediterranean coast in summer it is hot and humid up to 35 degrees. heat. And just an hour away, in the mountains – dry, cool air. In winter, snow lies in the mountains, lovers of ski slopes gather there, and on the coast at this time you can swim in the sea. The average temperature from December to March on the coast is 13 – 15 degrees. heat (in the mountains 3-9), from April to November from 18 to 27. The sun shines in Lebanon 300 days a year.
Language: Official Arabic (for Lebanese – the Lebanese dialect of Arabic). French is spoken among the older generation. Knowledge of French is considered a sign of education. In recent years, English has become more and more popular. In remote villages, only Arabic is often spoken
Currency: The Lebanese pound is equal to 100 piastres. In circulation there are banknotes in denominations of 50, 100, 250, 500, 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 50,000, 100,000 pounds and coins of 250 and 500 pounds.
Religion: There are about 17 different religious denominations in the country. Main: Muslims, Christians, Maronites and Druze. The Lebanese treat all people well, regardless of their religion, but love to ask tourists about their faith.
Visa: A visa is not required to enter the country.
The nature of Lebanon is amazingly picturesque. The slopes of the mountains facing the sea are densely overgrown with oak, Syrian maple, laurel, wild olive trees. The plains are buried in the greenery of orange groves and banana plantations. In spring, the air is filled with the enchanting aromas of flowering trees of peaches, apricots, cherries and oranges growing along the roads.
The cedar is the state property of the country. More recently, Lebanon exported it, and today there are only two cedar groves left, which are treated very carefully. The beauty of these groves is such that according to one of the legends, tired of righteous labors, archangels come here to rest.
According to one version, the name of the state of Lebanon was given by the ancient Persian word “eyvan”, which means a terrace with a flat roof on columns or pillars in Central Asian buildings and a vaulted hall, open from the side of the courtyard. According to this definition, Lebanon was supposed to represent something unified. However, for centuries, independent settlements existed on the territory of the state.
Due to its geographical location, Lebanon has become the world’s most important trading center. Several thousand years ago, the Phoenicians lived on the territory of modern Lebanon, who were actively engaged in trade. Five cities located on the Mediterranean coast – Beirut, Sidon, Tripoli, Tire and Byblos – became major trading bases in the Middle East. Lebanese shops have always amazed tourists with the variety and abundance of goods delivered from all over the world.
Lebanon is the only Arab state in which oriental flavor is combined with European freedom: only here alcoholic drinks are sold everywhere and at any time, clubs, discos and casinos work. Lebanon’s nightlife is known all over the world.
Lebanese cuisine is considered to be the most refined and diverse in the entire Arab East. Lebanese Dishes are on the menu of every self-respecting restaurant in every Arab country. However, you can get a complete picture of this specific cuisine and experience the greatest delight, of course, only in Lebanon.
The most famous dish – meze – consists of many cold and hot dishes (their number can reach up to 60 items or more), each of which is served on a separate plate: raw minced young goat with garlic sauce and olive oil, homos bi-tahin-goroho – sesame paste seasoned with olive oil and lemon, metabal – eggplant puree, raki – thin pancakes with cheese, kibbe – small pies with cereals and meat, tabbouleh – finely chopped parsley, mint, tomatoes and onions mixed with wheat groats, lemon juice and olive oil, a variety of meat and chicken kebabs and kebabs and much more…
Holidays in Lebanon give tourists an incomparable touch of history. After all, it is here that you can see with your own eyes the places described in the Bible, for example, the ancient cities of Sidon, Tire. In any of the cities you can not only find monuments of the Phoenician culture, but also get acquainted with the heritage of later cultures: Byzantium, Crusaders, Mamluks, the Ottoman Empire.
Embassy of Lebanon in Moscow:
103051, Russia, Moscow, Sadovo-Samotechnaya st. fourteen
Phone: (+7 095) 200-2684, 200-0022
Fax: (+7 095) 200-3222
Consular Section: 200-2684
Embassy of the Russian Federation in Lebanon:
Beirut-Ru Mar Elias El Tina, BP 5220, Beirut, Lebanon
(Beirut-Rue Mar Elias el-Tina, BP 5220, Beirut, Lebanon)
Phone: (8-10-9611) 30-0041, 30-0042, 86-7560
Telex: (494) 23508 SOVCON LE
Fax: (8-10-9611) 30-3837
E-mail: rusembei@cyberia.net.lb, consrus@cyberia.net.lb
Consular department: (9611) 30-0043
