Lebanon

LEBANON IS SITUATED on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea and has boundaries with Syria and Israel. Lebanon is a small country with diverse geographical regions, including a narrow coastal strip, the Chouf Mountains, the Mount Lebanon range, and the Bekáa Valley in the arid rain-shadow area. In the Chouf Mountains, a nonporous rock layer forces water to the surface, resulting in waterfalls, and makes high-altitude cultivation possible. There are over 30 areas of natural areas protected by ministerial decrees of the Protected Areas Directorate of the Ministry of Environments. The climate of Lebanon is Mediterranean, with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters, with some variation across the more diverse geographic [Page 599]regions. The coastal plain is subtropical. The mountain areas experience lower ...